CBS Sports

‘How each team adjusts to the weather will ultimately help determine who wins this game. The Steelers’ last game in conditions similar to the one they will face on Sunday occurred on Dec. 24, 2022, when the Steelers recorded a 13-10 win over the Raiders. Pittsburgh prevailed on a night where the game temperature was 9 degrees with 21-mph wind.’

‘Per NFL Media, Davis suffered a PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) sprain that is not considered major, but his status for Buffalo’s wild-card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers is unclear. Davis’ participation on the Bills’ injury report will be something to watch throughout the week.’

‘It was a rather clunky start for both of these teams as Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Allen swapped interceptions on the opening two drives. Allen also had another pick on Buffalo’s second drive of the night and this turnover came inside the end zone to eliminate a scoring opportunity for the Bills.’

‘Buffalo might have the most interesting situation of any team entering the final week. They could be as high as the two seed, but also miss the playoffs altogether. They are a team nobody wants to face and has legit Super Bowl upside but might miss the dance.’

‘But Diggs hasn’t topped 86 yards in a game since Week 6, has only reached double-digit targets in two of the Bills’ last eight games, and in recent weeks has seen his playing time fall off dramatically. He had played fewer than 80% of the team’s snaps just twice in the first 12 weeks of the year, and he hasn’t hit that mark a single time since. He even played south of 50% of the snaps for the second time ever during the blowout win over the Cowboys in Week 15. (The first time was during a 56-26 Week 17 win over the Dolphins in 2020.)’

‘”This guy is the new John Elway on steroids,” Fangio said (via NFL.com), adding, “and I don’t mean he’s taking steroids.”‘

‘In the last four games and in six of the last seven contests, Diggs has less than 50 yards and has played 65 percent or fewer plays in the last three matchups.’

‘Exactly one year later, Till The End Tattoos posted an image of a tattoo it did for Hamlin that features a pulse inside of two hands forming a heart.’

‘First, the 9-7 Steelers need to defeat the Baltimore Ravens, who are currently 13-3 and have secured the No. 1 seed. While that may seem like a reach, the Ravens will likely be resting many starters for much of, if not the entire game. Baltimore is coming off a 56-19 win over the Dolphins.’

‘Here’s a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Sunday’s game: The Bills command a daunting offense this season, having averaged 3.2 touchdowns per game (they’re ranked fourth in touchdowns overall). It’s a different story for the Patriots, though, as they’ve been averaging only 1.6 touchdowns per game. Will the Bills continue their march to the end zone, or will the Patriots flip the script?’

‘This was a sloppy outing from Buffalo, as the Bills lost the turnover battle 3-0, and lost the time of possession battle while committing seven penalties for 64 yards. Allen completed 15 of 21 passes for 237 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and also added 15 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. James Cook rushed 20 times for 70 yards, but also fumbled twice, losing one which directly led to the Chargers taking the lead late in the fourth quarter. Gabe Davis had a big outing with 130 receiving yards and a touchdown on four receptions, while Stefon Diggs caught five passes for 29 yards.’

‘When the 2023 NFL season began, both the Bills and Chargers profiled as potential Super Bowl candidates. But neither club has followed a smooth path to this point. Buffalo dropped its opener to the Jets on the night Aaron Rodgers went down, then later fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey amid a 6-6 start. Los Angeles, meanwhile, has been even worse, fielding a porous defense and cutting ties with both head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco following a fall to 5-9.’

‘Since that embarrassing loss to Denver, the Bills have gone 3-1 to improve to 8-6, and not only are right back in the thick of the AFC wild card race, but the AFC East race as well. After Buffalo’s dominant 31-10 victory over Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys, many now view this team as one of the best in the AFC. They could be hitting their groove at the right time, but do they control their own destiny?’

‘No, the Bills’ standout on Sunday was running back James Cook. The second-year, second-round pick totaled a career-high 179 rushing yards on 25 carries with a touchdown, a 24-yarder. That comes out to a 7.2 yards per carry average. Cook also tallied 42 yards receiving on two catches, including an 18-yard receiving score in the second quarter. That performance makes Cook the first Bills player with 200+ scrimmage yards (221), one or more rushing touchdown and one or more receiving touchdowns in a game since Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas did so back in the 1991 season.’

‘”Obviously, Josh, you have to put him in a different space because he was a cover of Madden,” Parsons said Thursday. “He’s up there with the greats. So I never told Josh this, but I’m a little jealous because he was on the cover of Madden. I think growing up I think that’s everyone’s dream.”‘