Sports
After knocking off Ravens, ‘different’ Bills turn their attention to all-too-familiar Chiefs
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — With every Ravens turnover, every field goal forced instead of surrendering a touchdown, and every failed two-point conversion that kept the opponents just out of reach, it marched the Bills closer and closer to what they’ve been yearning to get back to for years.
At long last, the Bills have returned to the AFC Championship Game. Their 27-25 triumph over the Ravens exorcised several demons in both this season and previous ones.
Over the last three years, it’s been like a record stuck in a loop, repeating the same part of the song that drives everyone listening up the wall. In the divisional round, a super-talented Bills team with so much promise eventually yielded the way to the final four to another AFC superpower. First, it was the Chiefs. Then it was the Bengals. Then the Chiefs again. But this year… this year was different.
“You learn from all of the scars,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “You never want that feeling again.”
“I think there’s something kind of intangible about this team that feels different,” tight end Dawson Knox said. “It’s kind of hard to put your finger on.”
Knox isn’t alone. It’s a sentiment shared throughout the locker room, permeating throughout the fan base. Some think it’s the players. Others may point to how head coach Sean McDermott has evolved. However, that unquantifiable feeling about how the 2024-2025 Bills are different, in fact, yielded a different outcome than the past.
GO DEEPER
‘Let’s see who’s better’: Bills’ defense heard the haters, used motivation to upend Ravens
With all the talk centering on the Ravens and how the Bills would have to adjust to them, they forced the Ravens to adjust. The Bills kept Derrick Henry below the century mark after allowing him to hit nearly 200 rushing yards in Week 4. They took the fight to the Ravens’ defensive line, who, for good reason, drew rave reviews for their run-defending. The Bills running backs averaged 4.9 yards per carry on 26 attempts. They forced Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson into two game-changing turnovers.
And by the end of the evening, there the Bills stood, with snow trickling down, allowing the scoreboard’s bright red, white and royal blue lights to shine a jumbotron-long banner even brighter.
“Next stop, AFC Championship.”
And that next stop is to Kansas City — because, of course it is.
The very Chiefs team that gave the Bills a cruel lesson on what it takes in the AFC Championship Game four years ago, who punished them for in-game mistakes and flawed decisions en route to a blowout loss, well, there they are again — the AFC gatekeepers of the Super Bowl.
Only 13 players from that AFC Championship Game Bills team remain on the roster. Allen, Dawkins and Knox were there, along with Micah Hyde, Matt Milano, Taron Johnson, Ed Oliver, A.J. Epenesa, Cam Lewis, Reggie Gilliam, Quinton Jefferson, Tyler Bass and Reid Ferguson.
The original 13 are acutely aware of just how poetic the upcoming showdown is.
“Yeah, 100 percent,” Lewis said. “I feel like we wouldn’t want it no other way.”
“I was watching the (Chiefs-Texans) game the other night with my girlfriend,” Epenesa started. “She was like, ‘What if the Texans win?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, you know, on paper they’re the lesser team, whatever, whatever, but how much sweeter would it be to be able to beat the team that got us a couple of times in the past and everything like that?’ So I’m definitely on that page right now as we have our opportunity to do something, and I’m looking forward to it.”
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Bills at Chiefs: How to watch, odds, expert picks for what should be an instant classic
A lot has changed for the Bills between the first AFC Championship matchup and now.
At that point, the Bills were simply novices. It was all new to them after only getting to the wild-card round the year before. They didn’t know what they didn’t know about deep playoff runs. The expectation was that they’d be back — and soon. It was only a matter of time.
“Soon” wasn’t quite what everyone expected. The Bills have learned difficult lessons, year after year, most of which were dealt to them by the very franchise they’ll face next weekend.
On Sunday, the Bills will have played in Kansas City more times than they have at any of their division rivals over the last five years. They’ve been there every year since that first AFC title tilt, with Sunday marking their sixth soiree at Arrowhead. It will be the eighth meeting between these two AFC behemoths over the last five years, four happening in the postseason.
But you don’t have to be reminded about how the last three have turned out. Most fans of the team have carried the weight like an elephant sitting on their collective chest.
AFC Championship Game in 2021 — a lopsided loss. AFC Divisional round in 2022 — a gut-punching loss with victory being so close they could taste it. AFC Divisional round in 2024 — another loss so close it had many wondering if the Bills would even return after an offseason roster refresh.
It all led to this year — the return to the AFC Championship Game coming in a year where no one thought it possible before the season. Standing before the Chiefs on Sunday will be the Bills, a sculpted Super Bowl contender, hardened by one excruciating playoff exit after another.
“For the guys that were there [in 2021], it’ll definitely I think be a little extra chip on the shoulder,” Knox started. “In a way, it can help. You can let it fuel you a little bit, but if you dwell on it too hard or too long, I think it’s distracting at a point. But if you kind of just let it lay underneath the surface, if it helps you bring a little extra motivation, a little extra work in the week, great. But we’re not going to be dwelling on that too hard.”
That’s one of many things that have changed about this Bills team.
Gone is the wily Allen, who, through all his brilliance, had a penchant for a back-breaking turnover. Gone are the one-dimensional, pass-happy Bills, who ran the ball well only after ample success through the air. Gone is the weak-link offensive line of the past that led to uneven results. And gone is a head coach who usually opted toward conservative in-game decisions.
In their place is a franchise quarterback playing the best football of his life, a running game that can take all the pressure off that franchise quarterback at any point during a game, an offensive line that is one of the team’s greatest strengths and a coach in complete trust of his players and the math, unafraid of fourth downs.
But opposing them will be a Chiefs team that has pivoted multiple times throughout its incredible run, all while remaining the class of the NFL. And certainly, a team eager to undo their lone loss of the 2024 regular season against the team that spoiled its perfect season.
The Bills and Chiefs are perfectly intertwined, both in their personal connectors and playoff histories. However, as always, neither can live while the other survives.
“History does have a way of repeating itself,” Dawkins said. “But sometimes, it has a different outcome. We’ll see how this one goes.”
(Top photo: Tina MacIntyre-Yee / USA Today)
Sports
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
Sports
After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town
It’s time to reveal memories, laughs and crazy times from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a car next Sunday with his wife, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood house that’s been in his family since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new home in Greenville, S.C.
“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he said.
He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He got his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a game. It began an adventure of a lifetime.
“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.
Randy Rosenbloom (left) used to work with former UCLA coach John Wooden for TV games.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games. He called volleyball at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s worked more than 100 championship high school events. He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 won by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.
“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”
He conducted interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s worked with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He called games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio booth for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship game at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.
Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
He was the voice of Fresno State football and basketball. He also did Nevada Las Vegas football and basketball games. He called bowl games and Little League games. He was a public address announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.
Nothing was too small or too big for him.
“I loved everything,” he said.
He called at least 10 East L.A. Classic football games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship game at the Coliseum on a San Pedro touchdown with one second left.
Probably his most notable tale came when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 college bowl game in Montgomery, Ala.
“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he said. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”
Did Rosenbloom tell the audience what was happening?
“I stayed calm,” he said.
Then there was the time he was in the press box at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and attached itself to the wooden press box right next to him before flying away after he said, “UNLV wins.”
Recently, he’s been putting together high school TV packages for LA36 and calling travel ball basketball games. He’ll still keep doing a radio gambling show from his new home, but he’s cutting ties to Los Angeles to move closer to grandchildren.
“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he said.
Hopefully he’ll continue via Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.
He’s a true professional who’s versatility and work ethic made him a reliable hire from the age of 18 through his current age of 74.
He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He once threw the shot put 51 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which is his claim to fame at North Hollywood High.
One time an ESPN graphic before a show spelled his name “Rosenbloom” then changed it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was worth a good laugh.
He always adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to enjoy his time in South Carolina, but he better watch out for tarantulas. They seem to like him.
Sports
Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.
Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.
Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.
Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.
Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.
Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.
Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.
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