ESPN

‘On third-and-11 from the New England 34-yard line, Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe stepped back in the pocket with pressure coming from blitzing safety Micah Hyde. Zappe threw the pass to his left, in the direction of wide receiver Jalen Reagor. However, Reagor continued running downfield, while Douglas read the quarterback and caught his pass.’

‘”That was a tough decision,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said after the game. “Von’s a pro. He’s one of the leaders on our team, and I thought he did a phenomenal job on the sideline from a leadership standpoint with his teammates. He’s a very important part of this team, and we have full confidence in him. And look forward to getting him back going forward here.”‘

‘Coach Sean McDermott said Friday that he anticipates both defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and safety Micah Hyde playing in Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. Jones officially is listed as questionable for the game, while Hyde has no injury designation.’

‘During a sixth season in which the quarterback has experienced ups and downs, changes in mindset and an in-season coordinator change for the first time in his career, the joy is present in a big way. It’s also helped keep Allen in the MVP conversation, where he currently has the fourth-best odds (plus-1100), per ESPN Bet. A two-game stretch to win the AFC East could certainly improve those chances.’

‘”Obviously, there are things that I can’t talk about but everything that was out is completely wrong and blown out of proportion,” Miller said. “Me and my girlfriend, we have problems just like any other couple does but there has never been any of those things that was alleged against me. Hopefully, over time all of this stuff will get cleared up. Sometimes life just … be life-ing. You’ve just got to keep pushing and keep moving. The people who know me and the people who have been around me know my character, they know who I am.”‘

‘The Chargers, playing their first game since firing coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco last week, got five field goals from Cameron Dicker and briefly took the lead late in the fourth quarter. But a Tyler Bass field goal with 28 seconds left sealed the win for Buffalo.’

‘The touchdown pass was thrown 38 air yards downfield, Allen’s longest such score of the season.’

‘But with the Bills discussed among the best teams in the AFC while also sitting outside of the playoffs, have the problems of midseason truly been put in the past? Is this team back and primed for a run? Let’s take a look at the woes from midseason and see how they are trending.’

‘”Everything,” tight end Dawson Knox said when asked what Cook did to be successful. “… He’s just a hell of a player, so giving him any space, giving him matchups on the outside in the pass game. [Interim offensive coordinator] Joe Brady does an awesome job, scheming that up, and then the o-linemen do a fantastic job, open up the holes for him. He’s got crazy vision, too, so he’s gonna bounce it wherever he sees it.”‘

‘Epenesa suffered the rib injury in the Bills’ win over the Chiefs last week, leaving the game after tipping a pass and then catching it for an interception on Kansas City’s first drive of the game. Hyde missed almost all of last season following neck surgery, and issues with his neck have been reoccurring this season.’

‘But one area where the Bills have struggled to get going is with Diggs. The team’s clear No. 1 receiver has not had a 100-yard receiving performance since Week 6 against the Giants. Through his first six games, Diggs caught 49 of 66 targets for 620 yards (103.3 per game), five touchdowns and two drops, numbers that were on pace for career highs. In his past seven games, Diggs has caught 38 of 66 targets for 373 yards for three touchdowns with five drops.’

‘Although they weren’t always pretty, the Bills got the 20-17 win. Some season-long issues cropped up again, but there were also bright spots in the performance. And now, despite sitting in 11th place in the AFC due to tiebreakers, the Bills have a 38% to make the playoffs, per ESPN Analytics.’

‘”This week wasn’t easy. It wasn’t easy for Coach McDermott,” Allen said. “You can question a lot of things about coaching style, you can question a lot of things about my decision-making, you can question a lot of things about this team, but to question his character and who he is as a man … he’s one of the better humans on this planet, with how he carries himself, and we saw it for what it is.”‘

‘Knox was a full participant in all three days of practice coming off the team’s bye after his 21-day practice window was opened Wednesday following surgery on his right wrist. He initially suffered the injury in Week 5 vs. the Jaguars, but Knox later said it felt OK to play with it in the following game against the New York Giants. He also played in the team’s Week 7 game at the New England Patriots on Oct. 22, but Knox said, “It was really bothering me [that game], unfortunately felt pretty limited,” and after that, the decision was reached to have surgery so it would not linger.’

‘Per ESPN Analytics, the Bills enter Week 14 with the toughest remaining strength of schedule, starting with the game in Kansas City. The matchup will mark the sixth time the teams have met since 2020 and the fifth straight contest in Arrowhead Stadium. And if history is any guide, the game should be a memorable one.’