After a 25-day break, the Kansas City Chiefs' starters will be back in action on Saturday against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium in a duel for a place in the AFC Championship Game.

Because the Chiefs haven’t lost a fumble in that run, the run of games without a turnover stands at eight. Ball security is high on the list of why the Chiefs went 15-2 during the regular season, won a playoff game for the seventh straight year and are meeting the Buffalo Bills in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.

Obviously, the usual suspects -- quarterbacks Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, among others -- will have a big say in which will go on to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But each team also has an X factor who will also loom large in Sunday's outcome. Let's take a look at each team's X factor, starting with the two-time defending champs.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford cleared the concussion protocol and was active Sunday for the AFC championship game, where he was expected to play a

Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford cleared the concussion protocol and was active Sunday for the AFC championship game, where he was expected to play a big role in helping to slow Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs' passing game.

Benford was chasing Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy near the Bills sideline when he clashed helmets with Hamlin, who wears a Guardian Cap on his own. Benford was shaky while standing up and tried to return to the field, but Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas stopped him in his tracks and made sure Buffalo trainers checked on him.

(AP) — Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford cleared the concussion protocol and was active Sunday for the AFC championship ... ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray. Kelce had seven catches ...

(AP) — Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford was ruled out of the AFC title game against the Kansas ... Chiefs tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray.

Most of the attention is going to be on both QBs and playcallers on both sides (whichever team can defend the pass out of their base personnel the best might win this game), but I’m going to focus on one player whose role has increased since the last time these two played: Chiefs’ rookie wideout Xavier Worthy.

CBS analyst JJ Watt tells viewers they're currently in "the Patrick Mahomes era" after Chiefs' AFC Championship Game victory.

Bills cornerback Christian Benford has been ruled out for the rest of the AFC championship game after sustaining his second concussion in two playoff games. Benford was carted to the locker room in the first quarter of Sunday night’s game in Kansas City after taking a hit to the head colliding