Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘Yes, it’s the biggest game because it’s the next one. But it’s also the biggest game because it’s the biggest game. This Chiefs team had its way with the Bills twice in 2020, one here and one there, and the one there was painful, a 38-24 wipeout in the AFC Championship Game.’

‘After a week when he was almost flawless, Josh Allen looked a little more like the Week 1 and Week 2 version of himself. In the end the numbers looked fine – 20 of 29 for 248 yards, two TDs and a pick – but there were some struggles, especially in the red zone when the Bills failed to score a TD on their first four trips.’

‘Sal’s prediction: Buffalo Bills 30, Houston Texans 10.’

‘“Sure, you could say that,” Allen said of the Houston loss being his turning point. “That one … it really drove me. Just the attention to detail that I started putting into offseason work, mechanics, and, like coach (Sean McDermott) says, being a student of the game and just loving and embracing the process that this game is all about.”‘

‘“I know people talked about his inaccuracy and those kinds of things, and basically that was just fundamental stuff,” said Culley, now the Houston Texans head coach who was an original member of Sean McDermott’s staff. “You just wanted to get him fundamentally right, because you knew it was all there.”’

‘“I think he can make every throw,” McDermott said of Mills. “And he’s mobile enough to get out of the pocket and extend plays. He’s extremely smart – not just by the school that he went to – but also because of what he does on the field.”’

‘“When they told me in the offseason that they were gonna go after him, I already knew it was a good fit without seeing him with our offense just because I’ve been with the guy before,” said Sanders’ old college buddy from SMU, Cole Beasley. “I know how he works and he’s still one of the hardest practice players on our team, even at 34. It’s just fun to watch him and he’s been doing it for a long time. It’s fun to watch a veteran guy go to work and that’s an example of leading for the other guys as well.”’

‘Even in the loss to Pittsburgh – which, looking back now given the way the Steelers have played since is a real head scratcher – the defense limited Ben Roethlisberger and company to one touchdown and 252 yards. Last week in Miami, it was total domination as the Dolphins never scored and gained 213 yards.’

‘But Sunday, Allen came out firing and if not for a great play by Washington’s Antonio Gibson on his long catch and run touchdown, and then a miscue on special teams which set up another quick Football Team score, this one would have been a colossal blowout. As it was, it was your average run of the mill blowout.’

‘“When we got word that we were going to be aggressive there, I love those types of situations,” said Allen, who operated that 26-second drill the way the greats of the game, the Bradys and Rodgers and Mannings all have. “That type of trust that you have in your offense, we feel that when coach is allowing us to go out there and be us. It’s a good feeling.”’

The game was pretty much in hand in the first half, but right after Washington’s breakthrough TD catch-and-run by Gibson, the Bills kickoff team allowed a short kick by Washington’s Dustin Hopkins to hit the ground, and a crazy hop wound up right in Hopkins’ hands for a recovery at the Buffalo 24, and that set up Washington’s second TD. Isaiah McKenzie later had a 33-yard punt return called back on a holding penalty against Tyler Matakevich which cost the Bills 28 yards in field position. And then Tyler Bass, who made a 48-yard field goal to end the first half, kicked the ball out of bounds to start the third quarter, giving the Football Team a drive start at the 40, though they went nowhere. Bass, who also made field goals of 29 and 21 yards, managed five touchbacks on eight kickoffs.

‘Sal’s prediction: Buffalo Bills 27, Washington Football Team 14.’

‘Granted, that was also two very talented defenses in Baltimore and Kansas City, but no matter who the Bills are playing – and they will see another stout defense Sunday when the Washington Football Team comes to Highmark Stadium – the quarter-billion-dollar man has to rise above it and be Buffalo’s best player.’

‘“When I was a head coach at a very small school in Chicago (Trinity International University) and Ron was trying to figure out what he wanted to do once he got through playing, I said, ‘Come and join me on my staff, man, you’d be a really good coach,’” Frazier recalled. “He didn’t want to coach at the time, he wanted to dabble in other things.”’

‘How’s this for a defensive domination: Six sacks aided by a relentless blitz package; an interception by Levi Wallace; a fumble forced by Taron Johnson and recovered by Matt Milano; four turnovers on downs; and just 216 yards and 13 first downs allowed. It’s been a long time since a Buffalo defense played that well.’