ORCHARD PARK, NY – This week in Kansas City, Chiefs coach Andy Reid answered a question about his Bills counterpart Sean McDermott by noting that they both have red hair. In Buffalo, McDermott brought out his playful side, describing a kick he received from Reid in a Snickers commercial, calling him “great joke.”

“For a long time, I think people and the outside public only saw one side of him,” McDermott said of his former boss in Philadelphia. “It’s fun to see his true personality come out.”

That means trash talk as Josh Allen and the AFC East-leading Bills (8-2) prepare to host Patrick Mahomes and the undefeated Chiefs (9-0) on Sunday in one of the most competitive matchups this season.

The coaches’ comments reflect their respect for each other. Their bond goes far beyond football.

Their relationship began in 1999, when Reid took over as coach of the Eagles and McDermott joined the team as scouting coordinator. The friendship endured when Reid fired McDermott as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator after the 2010 season, which McDermott described as one of the most impactful developmental points of his career.

And for McDermott, in his eighth season in Buffalo, it doesn’t matter if Reid and the Chiefs stand in the way of the Bills achieving their ultimate goal. McDermott was 0-3 in the playoffs despite being 4-1 against Reid in the regular season since taking over the Bills in 2017.

“He’s a great coach. He’s going to be a Hall of Fame coach. Even though he’s not retired yet, he’s actually retired,” McDermott said.

“Listen, there’s always someone you’re trying to outdo to get to the goal you want to achieve, right?” he added. “So I don’t care what walk of life you’re in, what sport you’re in or whatever. “There’s always a challenge ahead of you.”

Sunday’s contest will pit the two-time Super Bowl champions, who started the season with the best matchup and are one win short of tying the team’s longest winning streak of the season.

Equally impressive is that the Chiefs won seven one-score games, four of which were decided in the final game. That includes last weekend, when Leo Chenal blocked Wil Lutz’s 35-yard field goal attempt as time expired in a 16-14 victory over Denver.

“That was probably the epitome of it,” Reid said of his team’s resilience. “You credit your locker room and your coaches for being mentally tough and sticking with it.”

McDermott leads Buffalo with scores of 5-0 and 8-2 for the first time since 1993. The Bills are already closing in on their fifth straight AFC East title. All of this happened in a year that began with diminished expectations following an offseason roster overhaul. The Bills persevered despite a variety of injuries as well as a four-game suspension imposed on Von Miller by the league.

The only thing missing from Buffalo’s resume is a win against a quality opponent. Arizona (6-4) is the only team the Bills have defeated entering Week 11 with a winning record, while their two losses were against Baltimore (7-3) and Houston (6-4).

McDermott dismissed questions about the program and its chances of beating the NFL’s last remaining undefeated team.

“We got our ninth win,” McDermott said, stating what Sunday’s victory would mean.

The real test for Buffalo may not come in November but in January, if the teams meet in the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.

Leave it to Allen to shed light on what makes him tick after being asked to consider that his and Mahomes’ numbers have been nearly identical in the previous seven meetings.

“Well, I know we couldn’t beat them in the playoffs,” Allen said. “So that’s all that matters.”

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The Chiefs expect linebacker JuJu Smith-Schuster to return from the hamstring injury that nearly caused him to be benched in Week 7. Smith-Schuster will be playing alongside DeAndre Hopkins for the first time, whom the Chiefs acquired in a trade with Tennessee.

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While rookie receiver Keon Coleman (right wrist) has already been ruled out, recruit Amari Cooper (left wrist) said he could return after missing two games. Buffalo has a bye after playing Kansas City and hopes to welcome more regulars afterward; Linebacker Matt Milano (left biceps tear) and rookie linebacker DeWayne Carter (ankle) are eligible to return.

Left tackle situation

Wanya Morris is expected to start at left tackle for Kansas City after missing nearly two quarters of last weekend with a bruised knee. Considering that rookie reserve Kingsley Suamataia has struggled to handle the Broncos’ passing attack, Mahomes’ preparation protecting his blindside is important.

“There are good players playing left tackle on the other side,” Reid said, “and there will be a few hiccups there when you are young. You have to put up with that as they grow up.

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AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta in Kansas City, Missouri, contributed to this report.