Niagara Gazette

‘This was just what the Bills needed after that discouraging and ugly loss at Jacksonville the week before: An emphatic victory that silenced some of the lingering doubts and reminded the sports world that they’re a legitimate contender for a Super Bowl championship.’

‘Skeptics said the Bills didn’t have to apologize for beating bad teams, which is true enough. But they certainly have to answer for losing to them. It’s not enough to accuse them of playing down to their opposition. After two weeks, it’s time to wonder just how good they really are, and if they’re a true Super Bowl contender.’

‘During training camp, the Bills PR staff arranged for Mickelson to address the team remotely after winning the PGA Championship at 50 to become the oldest man to win major. He spoke for half an hour and stressed the importance of not bending to frustration, of finding your competitive Zen.’

‘This makes two times that an opponent stood up to the Bills and whipped them in the fourth quarter. The Steelers did it in the opener, scoring 17 points in the final quarter of a 23-16 upset. And the Titans did it Monday night, outscoring the Bills, 10-0, in the fourth for the win.’

‘Yes, it is five games into the season, but Sunday’s version of the Bills is a team fans can legitimately believe is a Super Bowl contender. The 13-3 record and divisional championship last year looked good, but there was no question the Chiefs were a cut above as the best team in the AFC.’

‘The Bills were clearly the better team. Any mystique that remained about the Chiefs was punctured. The skinny kid bulked up and kicked the snot out of his older brother. The young student outfoxed his mentor. The average score of their last 10 regular-season wins is 38-15. So maybe it was just another game.’

‘Protect their reputation? The defensive players acted as if they protecting the national nuclear codes. You’d have thought the Texans were threatening to march into their homes, kidnap the women and children and make off with the family jewels.’

‘It was patience Allen or offensive coordinator Brian Daboll did not have against a similar look shown by Pittsburgh, which was costly. Similar to the Steelers, Washington boasts a talented four-man front and doesn’t rely on a ton of blitzes. But instead of banging their heads against the wall looking for big shots down the field, Allen took available underneath options and picked them apart for 358 yards.’

‘He looked like the 2020 Josh, the one who was second in the MVP voting and had many experts picking him to win it this year. Allen was calm and mercilessly efficient, completing 32 of 43 passes for 358 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.’

‘Who would have thought there would come a day when Bills fans didn’t hate the Dolphins so much as pity them?’

‘With an exceptional player like Allen and a stellar coordinator like Daboll, it is likely the Bills bounce back next week and eventually return to the offense everyone expected against the Steelers. But if Allen is going to be Superman, Daboll needs to provide the cape.’

‘Sure, Pittsburgh is an elite NFL defense. The Bills won’t face many that good this season. But they’re playing to a higher standard these days. When people are picking you to get to the Super Bowl — or at least back to the conference title game — you get judged against the best teams, not the fourth-best team in the AFC East or South.’

‘The cautionary tales are out there. I’m sure Beane and McDermott have reminded their team of what happened in Carolina, when injuries, the release of a star player in a contract dispute (Josh Norman) and the physical regression of a young star quarterback (Cam Newton) contributed to a precipitous decline.’

‘Allen knows he won’t be judged by what he did in 2020, but whether he lives up to this contract and gets the Bills to the next level. Teams no longer give massive deals to unproven rookie quarterbacks, but they do pay for perceived potential when it comes time for the lucrative, long-term extensions.’

‘The NFL has been set on a new Buffalo stadium from the start. The Bills floated the idea in 2012, when Wilson was still alive. At the time, the three worst stadiums in the league were considered to be Oakland, San Diego and Buffalo. You know what happened to the other two teams.’