‘This was at the end of a brutal year, even by the local standards, after the blizzard to end all blizzards and the racist mass shooting at a grocery store and Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. This was the backdrop of this game, which mattered a whole lot less than life-and-death but was relevant, tethered, tied: A franchise with history and Hall of Famers and four-straight Super Bowl appearances but still no NFL championship could end the misery. Maybe. Please?’
BillsBeat - January 23, 2023
Thurman Thomas Posts Heartbreaking News Before Bills-Bengals Game
‘Thomas’s mother died on Saturday after a battle with breast cancer, the Pro Football Hall of Famer announced on social media. He posted a throwback photo with his mother while sharing the sad news with his followers.’
Stefon Diggs Leaves Bills’ Locker Room Early After Bengals Win, per Report
‘Buscaglia noted that practice squad running back Duke Johnson convinced Diggs to return to the locker room and the wide receiver stayed for a few more minutes. Coach Sean McDermott said post-game that Diggs was present for the coach’s speech in the locker room.’
Damar Hamlin in Attendance for Bills-Bengals Playoff Game
‘Cameras caught Hamlin being escorted to Buffalo’s locker room before kickoff, but he will not take the field during the game, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini. His mother and little brother also appear to be in attendance, per the CBS broadcast.’
Bills searching for answers after disappointing end to season
‘The Bills were soundly beaten for the first time this season, from the opening kickoff to the final gun, with barely any sense they were ever a threat to win this game.’
Bills have big questions to answer in wake of lackluster loss to Bengals
‘But the offense? There’s no excuse. That unit was not injury-riddled. It was not short on personnel. It just came out flat. And it was not just a one-game problem. The offense has suffered through a season of inconsistency — which doesn’t make any sense. The Bills offense should never have looked as labored as it did. And it even looked unimpressive against bad defenses, like the Miami Dolphins’ unit last week. Allen is a two-time Pro Bowler and an MVP candidate. He should not have looked human — especially not over the past two weeks, the most important games of the year.’
Five reasons why Bills were dominated by Bengals in AFC divisional playoffs loss
‘Although the flashy attention is on the quarterbacks and big pass plays in playoffs, most NFL games from mid January to mid February are decided in the trenches. Unfortunately, Buffalo lost badly with either front.’
Stefon Diggs yells at Josh Allen on sideline, reportedly leaves stadium minutes after Bills' loss to Bengals
‘Coach Sean McDermott defended Diggs in his postgame press conference, arguing that it’s perfectly fine to be frustrated in this situation. “It hurts, and I wouldn’t want a guy that doesn’t hurt,” McDermott told reporters.’
What went wrong with the Bills? Josh Allen's shoddy play, porous defense reasons for Buffalo's playoff exit
‘Consider, too, that the Bills’ offense was largely negated by a strong Bengals pass rush, which mostly nullified the long-developing routes and deep average depth of target of the Buffalo passing game. Allen also held the ball for an extremely long time while sticking largely to the game plan, almost to a fault.’
Bills crumble in AFC Divisional Round, season ends with loss to Bengals
‘Cincinnati controlled the game right from the start, and managed to hold the Bills to just 325 yards of total offense. Up next for the Bengals will be a rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday evening in the AFC Championship Game.’
McDermott: Bengals' intensity caused problems for Bills
‘”They got into a rhythm pretty quickly offensively, and we had a hard time getting them out of that rhythm.” said McDermott after the loss. “I thought the guys came out with the proper amount of energy, but when they’re in the rhythm offensively and you can’t get off the field, that can tend to zap your energy a little bit. I thought the guys’ effort was there, we just didn’t do enough to win.”‘
Allen frustrated with inability to capitalize on important opportunities
‘”I couldn’t tell you exactly, watch the film and maybe I could answer that a little bit better. We just couldn’t find it,” said Allen following the loss. “I thought we moved the ball when we had some of our possessions, but the two early three-and-outs and stalling throughout the game, you can’t win football games that way.”‘
Opinion: Arrow Up/Arrow Down: Bengals at Bills - Divisional Round
‘Linebacker Matt Milano said he felt the team lacked energy. That’s tough to understand in a game, at home, with your season and a trip to the AFC Championship Game on the line.’
Damar Hamlin in attendance for Bills-Bengals AFC Divisional Round matchup
‘During the CBS pregame telecast of Sunday’s playoff matchup, it showed the second-year safety entering the Buffalo locker room, shortly followed by his mom, dad and younger brother, Damir.’
Buffalo Bills eliminated from playoffs with 27-10 loss to Cincinnati
‘With a spot in the AFC Championship on the line, the Buffalo Bills were dominated in every facet of this game against the Cincinnati Bengals.’