Two Bills Drive

‘Plenty was made of the Bengals being without three starters on the offensive line coming into the game, but you never would have known that. Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow was barely touched. The Bengals’ offensive line also opened up big holes for a running game that piled up 172 yards, a week after gaining just 51 against Baltimore. The Bengals set a franchise playoff record with 30 first downs, and finished with 412 yards.’

‘“We were expecting their best punch,” Allen said, “and they came out and they punched us.”’

‘Season over, the instant analysis being the Bills are further away from winning a championship than they were two years ago, when they lost the conference title game at Kansas City, and certainly last year, when they lost a second-round overtime game to the Chiefs.’

‘Greg Rousseau had an excellent second season, with eight sacks. It’s hard to knock him. But the Bills needed more in this game from defensive tackle Ed Oliver and defensive ends A.J. Epenesa and Boogie Basham. Oliver wasn’t bad this year, but he wasn’t dominant enough Sunday. The Bills needed better from him against Cordell Volson and backup Max Scharping. Meanwhile, Epenesa and Basham, former second-round picks, haven’t shown enough pass rush. Epenesa had 6.5 sacks this year, but he has not yet shown he’s a quality No. 3 edge rusher.’

‘A season that began with the sky-high expectations ended with a thud Sunday as the Bills never led and never threatened the Cincinnati Bengals, falling 27-10 in an AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium.’

‘“Our main thing going into the game was they would pass the ball more than run the ball,” said Bills safety Dean Marlowe. “But I think with the weather it kind of made them – hey, we’ve got to run the ball a little bit more. They were successful at it. They kept going and they were two-dimensional. They were able to do run the ball and hit checkdowns and find little holes in the defense. They did a good job.”’

‘There is no other way to put this: Sean McDermott, Ken Dorsey and Leslie Frazier all got schooled.’

‘”The game wasn’t trending the way we wanted it to,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “But when they put (the Hamlin family) on the big screen, and just a great moment, keep in perspective, of course on where he was just a few weeks ago. So super happy for him and thankful that his health is returning. And I know he’ll continue to take it one day at a time.”‘

‘The community benefits agreement would create a Community Benefit Oversight Committee, made up of representatives appointed by Erie County, Erie County Stadium Corp. and the Bills that “will be tasked with monitoring, oversight and accountability with respect to the commitments made by the Bills contained in the CBA.”‘

‘But as far as how their investment will benefit Erie County other than keeping the team here, the information has been less than sketchy. This is concerning because one thing seems certain: Once these negotiations are finalized, the County Legislature votes them up or down. It will not have the ability to renegotiate the terms. They will have to be satisfied with the deal and so will the public.’