‘Indeed, it could be argued that if Saturday afternoon’s game against the Colts had not been played at Bills Stadium, Buffalo’s season might already be over.’
Archives for January 11, 2021
Bills to host divisional playoff on Saturday night against Baltimore Ravens
‘The other AFC game will take place at 3:05 p.m. Sunday in Kansas City on CBS, with the top-seeded Chiefs facing the Cleveland Browns, a 48-37 winner against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.’
Five things to know about Baltimore Ravens, the Bills’ divisional playoff opponent
‘The Ravens led the NFL in rushing during the regular season at 191.9 yards per game and 53% of their total offense came on the ground. The Bills were in the middle of the pack in rushing defense, allowing an average of 119.6 yards per game, but have allowed less than 100 yards in four of their last seven games.’
Analysis: Colts felt the burn when Josh Allen got outside the pocket
‘Allen was 7 of 9 for 117 yards with a touchdown on plays outside the pocket in the 27-24 victory.’
Upon Further Review: Tyler Bass plays off longest rookie field goal as just another kick
‘Think about the magnitude of that request for a second. There was 8:13 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Bills held a 24-16 lead. A made field goal would give the Bills a two-possession lead, and a 97% chance of winning based on win probability. A miss would have given the Colts the ball near midfield, a touchdown and two-point conversion away from tying the AFC wild-card game.’
What we learned from snap counts in Bills’ wild-card win, game ball and more
‘Wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie played just four offensive snaps, while linebacker A.J. Klein played just three defensive snaps. McKenzie had three touchdowns in Week 17 against Miami – two receiving and another on a punt return. Klein, meanwhile, tied for the team lead with five sacks during the regular season. His role has gradually been reduced, however, with the return of linebacker Matt Milano to an every-down role. Milano played 78 of 79 defensive snaps against the Colts.’
Position grades: Matt Milano’s versatility shined vs. Colts
‘The biggest sequence for Milano came on the Bills’ goal-line stand late in the second quarter. Milano stopped a shuffle pass to tight end Trey Burton for 2 yards on a first-and-goal play from the 4. On second and goal from the 2, he filled a hole to stop Nyheim Hines for 1 yard on a direct-snap run off left guard.’
Gabe Davis’ fancy footwork helps Bills’ offense come to life in wild-card win
‘“We work on toe taps every single day in practice,” Davis told reporters. “Small details can get overlooked, but we focus on those things.”’
Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll interviews for Jets coaching vacancy
‘According to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Daboll is also scheduled to complete an interview with the Los Angeles Chargers later Sunday for their head-coaching job. Both interviews are being conducted virtually, given NFL rules in place because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.’
Man’s teary face symbolizes Bills fans’ reaction to playoff win
‘Poch’s tearful reaction to the batting down of the Colts’ Philip Rivers’ Hail Mary pass that sealed a 27-24 Bills playoff victory – the team’s first since 1995 –seemed to symbolize the explosion of emotion felt by the Bills’ long suffering fans.’
Alan Pergament: CBS’ Davis, Eagle, Steratore are ‘uber’ sharp in Bills historic victory
‘To use one of Davis’ favorite words Saturday describing the aggressiveness of Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich, the analyst was “uber” sharp.’
The Bills survived the Colts because, again, Josh Allen was best player on the field
‘Well, it’s not rigged, and as great as Allen has been, no one can say boo when Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers eventually wins the award. But really, who cares who wins the MVP? Certainly not Allen, a team guy through and through. He cares about wins, and he now has 14 of those this season.’
Who will Buffalo Bills play in next round of the playoffs? It’s the Ravens
‘Buffalo is the No. 2 seed and will play the second-lowest seed remaining after the Wild-Card round.’
Bills snap six-game losing streak in playoffs
‘Buffalo won the most important statistic – final score – but Indianapolis prevailed in first downs (27-22), total yards (472-397), rushing yards (163-96) and time of possession (34:17-25:43). The Bills had a slight edge in passing yards as quarterback Josh Allen threw for 324 to the Colts’ Philip Rivers’ 309.’
Bills’ Josh Allen impresses: ‘People who passed up on QB looking real crazy right now’ (Media reactions)
‘Allen’s performance is why he is firmly in the league’s MVP discussion this season. Following Buffalo’s win, the media and some NFL players had plenty of praise for the quarterback’s play. Here are some of the top reactions.’
Buffalo Bills will play Ravens on Saturday night in divisional round
‘The date of the game gives the Bills a slight advantage over the Ravens or the Steelers, who both played on Sunday. Buffalo will get an extra day of rest and preparation for the playoff matchup with a spot in the AFC Championship game on the line.’
Bills vs. Ravens is set: 6 thoughts on AFC divisional round matchup
‘Buffalo devised a perfect game plan for Jackson in their 2019 Week 14 matchup. They forced him to beat them with his arm, and he was able to in the end. He threw three touchdown passes and the Ravens won, 24-17. But Jackson as a runner was held to just 40 yards on 11 carries. If the Bills had been able to generate any real offense in the game the result may have been much different. A few weeks later when the Titans beat the Ravens in the first round of last year’s playoffs, Logan Ryan said Tennessee used the blueprint the Bills set in their matchup with Baltimore to scheme against Jackson in that game.’
Must Love Bills: John Cusack reveals he’s member of Bills Mafia
‘Cusack is not the only famous Bills fan out there. Other well-known Bills Mafia members include Chad Michael Murray, Summer Sanders, Wolf Blitzer, Christine Baranski, Christopher McDonald, Robbie Amell, Bill Fichtner, Abby Wambach, Lex Luger, Nick Bakay, Logan Couture and Josh Lucas.’
Bills’ Cole Beasley ‘tough as nails’ in win over Colts on Wild Card Weekend (8 reasons to be encouraged, 3 reasons to be worried)
‘The Ravens are going to run a lot on Saturday night in the divisional round. That’s a bit worrisome based on what we saw from Buffalo this week. Indianapolis rushed for 163 yards and one score on 30 rushes (5.4 YPC) and that was with one of the least mobile quarterbacks in the league.’
Colin Sheridan: After 25 years of irrelevance, Buffalo Bills give a forgotten town hope
‘Buffalo? Nothing. Unless you count rapper Benny the Butcher. There is no Beat poetry inspired by the city. No Breaking Bad to cement its status amongst pop culturalists. It sits perched on the edge of Lake Erie, like a forgotten pup from a litter of old industrial American cities. If Niagara Falls wasn’t on its doorstep, it’s unlikely it would be visited by anybody, ever, only by mistake.’
Monday’s Baltimore Coverage
Ravens will face Bills in divisional round Saturday night, avoiding Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes (Baltimore Sun)
Baltimore Ravens to face Buffalo Bills in divisional round of playoffs (Harrisburg Patriot News)
Ravens to face Bills in Divisional Round next Saturday night (NBC Sports Washington)
Ravens Set to Face Bills in Divisional Playoffs (BaltimoreRavens.com)
Monday’s New York Coverage
Monday’s Los Angeles Coverage
Chargers head coach candidates: Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll (Los Angeles Times)
Bills will play Saturday night
‘The NFL has announced the game dates and times for the Divisional Round playoff games, and the Buffalo Bills will host their next game on Saturday at 8:15 p.m. on NBC.’
Next team up: Ravens to visit Bills for divisional round game Saturday night
‘The last time the Ravens came to Orchard Park, Baltimore came away with a 24-17 victory on December 8, 2019. It was the first time Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, both of whom were taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, played against one another.’
Jets complete interview with Bills’ Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll for head coach
‘Daboll, 45, is getting plenty of attention from across the NFL for potentially leading a team as its head coach.’
Will Bills fans be allowed back in the stands next weekend?
‘The state still hasn’t said whether it will again allow fans in the stands…but it seems likely if Saturday’s fan behavior is any indication.’
Bills to meet Ravens in AFC Divisional Round
‘It’s a matchup of two of the hottest teams in the NFL right now. The Ravens have won six straight games after a 6-5 start to the season. Meanwhile the Bills have won seven in a row. They are a Hail Mary pass away from winning 11 straight coming into this game.’
Erie County Executive says “everything went well” with fans at Bills Stadium
‘“All reports I’ve received are everything went well with the fans at the Stadium today,” Poloncarz tweeted on Saturday. “Fans followed rules beforehand, no tailgating was observed, and just minor issues inside stadium. Thank you to all for doing a good job!”’
“Playoffs on the Patio” should continue for next Bills Playoff Game
‘“The Mayor’s Office with the Reopen Buffalo plan, did extend the patios through May,” said Owner of Rec Room, Chris Ring. “So all our paperwork is in there. All our insurance is there. So we’ll basically do this kind of thing moving forward through May with the City’s approval,” he added.’
City says Chippewa business owners should apply or re-apply ASAP for expanded outdoor dining during Bills game
‘“If they have never submitted, we would want to get their complete application ASAP since there is a 10-day turnaround time,” Buffalo’s Special Events Office says.’
Bills fever stays strong as fans look ahead to next home playoff game
‘The players say the energy and excitement from the fans did not go unnoticed.’
‘Josh Allentown’ banner displayed in Buffalo’s Allentown neighborhood
‘A new “Welcome to Josh Allen-town” sign popped up this weekend, near the busy Elmwood Avenue intersection.’
Allen carries Bills to first playoff win in a quarter century
‘”If Josh Allen does not win the MVP, this thing is rigged,” offensive lineman Dion Dawkins said. “He’s extending plays, he’s making plays with his arm, he’s making plays with his eyes, he’s making plays with his feet, he’s making plays for the offense, every single play. Man, the kid is special, and he’s still young. He has a young journey of greatness ahead of him.”‘
Bills run defense passes first real test since Week 6
‘The Bills beat the Colts, 27-24 in a thriller, and they were able to hold Taylor – the league’s third-leading rusher this season – to 78 yards on the ground.’
Jets interview Bills coordinator Daboll for head coaching job
‘Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley also interviewed with the Jets on Sunday.’
Bills fans await stadium decision for next playoff game
‘The Erie County Department of Health said Sunday that the announcement, one way or another, will either come from New York State or from the Bills organization. 2 On Your Side reached out to both, but did not immediately hear back.’
Bills will host Ravens in Divisional Round
‘Ravens QB and former MVP Lamar Jackson won his first playoff game today 20-13 over the Tennessee Titans. He led all rushers with 16 carries and 136 yards, including a 49 yard touchdown run at the end of the first half.’
Diggs describes himself as a ‘halfway decent’ receiver
‘”Ya know a lot of people had opinions and stuff like that but I try not to feed to much into it because anybody who watches football, Josh Allen is a good quarterback,” added Diggs. “I’m a halfway decent receiver. I can do my job. I’m just thankful to be where I am. and they’re going to find something new to hate about.”‘
Bills back in primetime; Buffalo with Saturday night Divisional round game
‘The Bills are 3-2 in primetime games this season, but in the month of December Buffalo won all three of their night games.’