Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills ready for challenges of division title, trap game in the Rockies

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Thrust into another national spotlight, the Buffalo Bills have a lot to think about as a Saturday thriller looms.

Cold weather, a special Saturday timeslot, and a chance to win a division championship 25 years in the making…if you were trying to make a trap for the Buffalo Bills and their fans, you’ll find no better seduction than what’s waiting for them in Denver this weekend.

This weekend could be one long remembered in Western New York. Collegiately, the University of Buffalo Bulls are seeking their second conference and an (abbreviated) undefeated season when they take on Ball State in Friday night’s Mid-American Conference title game in Detroit (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). Less than 24 hours later, the professional Bills will battle the Broncos out west (4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network). All the Bills (10-3) need to capture the elusive AFC East crown is a win over a Denver squad (5-8) in need of multiple miracles to even think about the playoffs.

The next step of the Bills’ 2020 season comes less than a week after they earned what may be their biggest win of the 21st century. In the first visit of NBC’s Sunday Night Football banner to Orchard Park since 2007, Buffalo topped one of the few teams ahead of them in the AFC playoff chase. Their 26-15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers has placed the team firmly in the national spotlight. Colin Cowherd, for example, declared that the Bills were the best team in the NFL on his weekday show on FS1, even surpassing the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs (who previously defeated Buffalo in Orchard Park).

Needless to say, dealing with new expectations has been something of a challenge as the Bills go through their prep for the Broncos.

“The only thing we’ve earned at this point is all that noise and we’ve got to block that out, honestly,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said after the Pittsburgh victory, per Jourdon LaBarber of BuffaloBills.com. “We’re dealing with young men and young women, who, you know, some of them are new to this. You’re talking about the best of the best, so every week you’ve got to go back and reset, start all over again. But that’s where the process comes in. You’ve got to love that…You’ve got to love the preparation. You’ve got to love putting in the time and the work to get yourself to where we were with the outcome last night. That’s why it makes it so special when you can win those games because you know the hard work that went into it.”

McDermott’s players have apparently heeded his warning of complacency after such a big win. Shortly after the final seconds ticked away against Pittsburgh, players brandished a flag that bore the message “THE JOB’S NOT FINISHED”. Buffalo nearly had all the help necessary to complete one part of the job, clinching the team’s third playoff berth in four years after a 17-season drought, last weekend. They took care of their business against Pittsburgh and several other contenders dropped their own matchups, but the Baltimore Ravens didn’t feel like cooperating. Their 47-42 win in Cleveland in a Monday night thriller was the one requirement that went unfulfilled.

But Buffalo has been patient, and now the divisional clinch is far more straightforward: win.

Clinching a division title would not only bring some long-awaited good vibes to the Bills’ facility and hope and joy to an area/state in desperate need of it this holiday season, but it would also accomplish one of Buffalo’s most notable goals: it would allow Orchard Park to host a playoff game. Bills Stadium has not staged a postseason contest since 1996, a wild-card round loss to Jacksonville.

“Guys understand what’s at stake and want to be a part of something special,” defender Jordan Poyer said in a report from WIVB. “It’s not gonna be easy, they’re not just gonna come in and hand us over a win so we’ve gotta continue to prepare and continue to get ready to play our best football on Saturday.”

Standing in their way are the Broncos, as the Bills make their second visit to Mile High in as many years. Denver is anything but mathematically eliminated, but their record doesn’t indicate how much of a pest they’ve been against contending teams this season. The Bills, in fact, may be appreciative for one of their more recent efforts, dealing the Miami Dolphins a 20-13 loss last month, partially allowing Buffalo an opportunity to clinch before Christmas. Denver also took the aforementioned Chiefs to the brink in a 22-16 defeat on the road earlier in December and topped the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte last weekend. Franchise quarterback Drew Lock provided some good hope for the future with a career-best four touchdown passes.

Despite their recent success, silencing those who have asked “but who have they beaten?” with their win over the Steelers, the Bills know they’re in no position to take the Broncos lightly.

“I don’t really care what the record is. It’s the same thing each and every week, we don’t care what the record is, we know this is a good football team,” cornerback Micah Hyde said in a report from team writer Dante Lasting. “They got weapons outside, obviously, with the two rookie receivers (Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler) and (Noah Fant). He’s an Iowa guy, and those Iowa guys are studs. They’ve got a running game with two really good running backs, so they’re just another talented offense and it starts with (Lock). He’s able to make any throw on the field (but) we understand if we get pressure in his face and get pressure on him, at times he turns the ball over.”

To Hyde’s point, the sophomore Lock has thrown 13 interceptions this season. Only Carson Wentz of Philadelphia has thrown more (15).

As Buffalo sets their sights on becoming the first team other than the New England Patriots to win the AFC East since 2008, quarterback Josh Allen believes that they can take a lesson from the Foxboro monopoly: that of taking care of business. New England often built their dynasty through handling their affairs in games they were expected to win. Those situations would often come against overmatched divisional competition.

“This division’s been dominated by a team in Foxborough for a long time, and they’ve had a lot of sustained success, and that’s kind of the mold. That’s what people want to be and how they do it and how they’ve done it is what people want to do,” Allen said per WIVB. “We understand what’s a stake every time we step on the field from here on out and we know we have a chance but our goal is to play Saturday and put our best forward and try to win a game.”

While the Bills are aiming for heights they haven’t reached in over a decade, Allen wants both his team and the football-loving public know that they have no intentions of stopping at a mere division title, even if they wrap up the four-team affair by the end of Saturday’s visit to the Rockies.

“It’s not just an end-all, be-all we won the AFC East let’s celebrate. That was our goal, that’s been our goal and that’s the easiest way to get to the playoffs by winning your division. It’s no small task, we set our goal to have a home playoff game and that just secures that one right to do so. It’s not the end all be all, it’s a step in the right direction and we gotta continue to keep working hard.”

Should they fall to Denver, Buffalo can also clinch the division if the Dolphins fall to the Patriots on Sunday.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

VIDEO: Buffalo Bills battle in the snow after Winter Storm Gail

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A snowy civil war erupted in Buffalo Bills circles on Thursday, as defenders engaged in a snowball fight, captured by Terry Pegula.

Rumors of in-fighting amongst the Buffalo Bills are all too true, proven by none other than one of the team’s owners on their official social media channels.

There’s no cause for concern in Orchard Park, however, as their civil war is one of the snowy variety.

Much to the presumed chagrin of their upcoming opponents, Winter Storm Gail did little to stop business as usual at ADPRO Sports Training House. As the Bills prepare for a Saturday tilt against the Denver Broncos (4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network), their defenders ended their Thursday proceedings with a snowball fight. Video of the ensuing battle was posted on the official Bills accounts, with filming credited to co-owner Terry Pegula.

Cornerback Tre’Davious White is perhaps the strongest force in the video, guarding the top of a large snow pile near the entrance to the fieldhouse. White apparently came prepared, tossing several premade snowballs at his jovial teammates. An assault from some offensive players, led by practice squad running back Christian Wade, forces White to abandon his mount. Several other defenders attempt to claim the pill of themselves through swooping snow all over their teammates, with Ed Oliver and Josh Norman holding out the longest. The entire exchange is bravely captured by Pegula, who co-owns the team with his wife Kim.

The Buffalo area is, of course, no stranger to snow and freezing temperatures. It has played host to several snowy showdowns at Bills Stadium, such as the memorable get-together against Indianapolis in December 2017. The Binghamton area received 40 inches of snow from Gail on Wednesday afternoon into evening, with two additional inches falling on Thursday. It made for some picturesque settings at Bills Stadium, which will next host Buffalo’s regular-season finale on January 3 against Miami.

In either case, the Bills (10-3) should be well-prepared for what should be a chilly visit to the Rocky Mountains. The sun will set shortly after kickoff on Saturday, with temperatures expected to drop into the high 20s. Precipitation is not expected, thoughts are expected to reach 11 miles per hour.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags 

Buffalo Bills: Gabriel Davis, Matt Milano come through for young fan

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Two Buffalo Bills came through for young Jackson DeLude, using connections from offseason training to provide the merriest Christmas.

The Buffalo Bills have done great things on the football field this season, some of it stemming from the acts of young talents like receiver Gabriel Davis and linebacker Matt Milano. But it’s an off-field activity, an endeavor made in the sport of the holiday season, that will go down as their most impactful.

Davis and Milano came through big for Buffalo native Jackson DeLude, sending the 8-year-old fan down to their former stomping ground of Orlando, Florida for a Christmas he’ll never forget. With the pair’s assistance, Jackson and his mother Ashley not only enjoyed a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort, but Jackson received a special gift courtesy of Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates, an Orlando-based orthotics and prosthetics service connected to the gym where Davis and Milano work out during the offseason. Milano is an Orlando native, while the rookie Davis starred for the local University of Central Florida during his college days.

Jackson has grown up without fully developed legs and has used prosthetics to walk, but needed a special pair to fulfill his lifelong dream of running. Thanks to Davis and Milano, not only was Jackson able to run, but his first fast steps took place at a special locale, the Disney Hollywood Studios theme park on the WDW campus.

Milano explained that he and Davis heard about Jackson’s situation during their offseason training. When given the opportunity to help out, there was no hesitation on their part.

“The place that we worked out at during quarantine back home in Orlando does prosthetic legs, so we kind of had that connection there,” Milano said through Maddy Glab of BuffaloBills.com. “And then somebody said, ‘Hey, would you like to help this kid out, he’s from Buffalo, and fly him down to Orlando to get him his new legs?’ We said, ‘Yeah, why not.’ It was a great opportunity for him and during the holiday season, what’s better than that for his Christmas present.”

It was a bit of a personal case for Davis, who wanted to help the DeLudes in an attempt to pay it forward from his own child. The receive told Glab that growing up, he, his mother Alana, and his two siblings received assistance in times of distress. Davis was all too happy to perfectly define this season of giving.

“There’s always people that need help, and the simplest things in life can make someone’s life so much better,” Davis stated. “You never know what anybody’s going through. If I can be that person that can help them to better days, I definitely want to do it because of the people that did it for me. They made my life so much better. They helped get me to this day today. These people are having bigger struggles than I did, and they’re able to fight through it every single day. I want to be there for them and be able to help the best way I can.”

The ongoing health crisis has delayed an in-person meeting between Jackson and his two new fans, but the Bills shared video of a Zoom called they shared following his visit to Disney World. Jackson thanked the two for their generous gift, declaring his favorite Disney experience to be the Slinky Dog Dash, a roller coaster inspired by the Toy Story franchise.

“When I get back to school, I can keep up with my friends and participate in stuff,” Jackson, clad in a Bills shirt, said in the video. Davis and Milano sought a face-to-face meeting and promised to get Jackson and Ashley to Orchard Park when fans are allowed back at Bills Stadium.

“When (Davis and Milano) said they were going to help get Jackson blades, there was really no way to describe what we were feeling,” Ashley said in a report from Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “That they’re so young and already wanting to be paying it forward and helping out Jackson to be able to run again, it was amazing. Being in Disney for the first time, in his blades, in this magical place together, he’ll never forget it.”

Jackson will no doubt be tuning when the Bills (10-3) return to action on Saturday late afternoon, as they battle the Denver Broncos on the road (4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills: WR John Brown set to return from injured reserve

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As the Buffalo Bills close in on a playoff berth, they’re set to welcome back one of their veteran receiving options this holiday season.

The Buffalo Bills (10-3) have gained their share of supporters and believers as they continue their trek towards the NFL postseason. Now, it appears they’re going to gain back one of their most experienced receiving options as the playoffs approach.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott mentioned this week that the team will test Brown in practice with the intention of having him play in Saturday’s visit to Denver (4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network). Brown is eligible to come off injured reserve after spending the past three weeks on the list with an ankle injury sustained during the November 15 loss in Arizona.

McDermott said that while Brown will practice during this short week, he mentioned that “we’ll have to see how it goes” when asked if the receiver will suit up at Mile High, per Thad Brown of RochesterFirst.com.

Injuries have prevented Brown, 30, from building on the best season of his career, which began in 2014 as a third-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals. Last year, his first in Western New York, Brown earned personal bests with 1,060 yards on 72 receptions, also scoring six touchdowns. Separate calf and ankle ailments have limited Brown to only eight games so far this season, during which he has earned 29 receptions for 386 yards and two touchdowns. Brown did rise to the occasion during the Bills’ November win over Seattle, picking up a season-high 99 yards on eight grabs in the 44-34 triumph. His most renowned moment in Buffalo came in the team’s playoff cameo last January, when he threw a 16-yard touchdown pass against Houston in the AFC wild-card round.

Bills receivers have certainly risen to the occasion in Brown’s absence, winning each of their three contests played with Brown on injured reserve. Stefon Diggs became the second receiver in Bills history to reach triple-figures in receptions, currently leading the NFL with 100. Cole Beasley also took advantage of an increased workload, posting a career-best showing (9 receptions, 130 yards) in a Monday night win over San Francisco earlier this month.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills star acquisition Stefon Diggs: “I could be a lot better”

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Stefon Diggs has reached heights few Buffalo Bills have seen before. Yet, the Orchard Park newcomer is anything but satisfied.

In the history of the Buffalo Bills, 49 men have earned at least 100 receptions. Only two have reached that landmark in a single season. Eric Moulds first set the record in 2002, adding intrigue to an otherwise meaningless season finale against a two-win squad from Cincinnati. It took Stefon Diggs 13 games with a charging buffalo on his helmet to get to triple digits.

Diggs, one of the newest players to enjoy the Western New York experience, has wasted no time in leaving a lasting impression on the Bills’ history books. Moulds may be trending over the next few weeks, if only because Diggs is set to break his single-season franchise marks. The pair are currently tied at the century-mark for the most receptions in franchise history (good enough for Diggs to lead the league entering Week 15), and Diggs will have three weeks to earn the 201 yards necessary to pass Moulds in that department.

It also helps that Diggs has saved his best performances for the Bills’ most crucial contests. When NBC’s football cameras descended upon Orchard Park for the first time since 2007, Diggs earned 130 yards on 10 receptions, one of which went for a score in the Bills’ 26-15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Six days prior, he had 10 other receptions in a visit to Glendale, Arizona to battle the displaced San Francisco 49ers on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. 

But after the former performance, Diggs said perhaps the scariest thing an NFL defender could hear going into the postseason.

“I could be a lot better so I don’t think too much of it. I’m just trying to chase these wins,” Diggs said after his latest showing against the Steelers, per Cameron Hogwood of Sky Sports. He was keener to give credit to his offensive comrades, namely quarterback Josh Allen and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

“I give a lot of credit to the people around me, especially Josh Allen. Young quarterback, he put his faith and his trust in me to make plays with the ball in my hands and catching the ball. And coach Daboll, he calls the right stuff, he draws it up upstairs and puts me in the best position to make plays. Then my wide receivers coach Chad Hall, we put in a lot of work in practice. We rep a lot of stuff that is more game-like than anything.”

With Diggs in tow, the franchise quarterback Allen has taken several steps forward in his development, and Buffalo (10-3) has gone from mere playoff contender to potential division champion, one that would be a quarter-century in the making. The NFL has taken notice, as each of the Bills’ four December games will be broadcast on national airwaves. That division title can arrive when the Bills travel to Denver for the league’s traditional late-season Saturday showcase (4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network).

A talented roster has been assembled in Orchard Park, one that many see in the postseason on a consistent basis moving forward. But many Buffalo representatives have yet to taste how sweet the playoffs can be, much of their experienced limited to cameos on the road in the wild-card rounds of 2018 (Jacksonville) and 2020 (Houston).

Who better to bring in than the star of one of the most renowned highlights in recent January memory?

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Diggs’ time as a Minnesota Viking came to an end after five seasons in March, but his time in purple was immortalized through the “Minneapolis Miracle”, the jaw-dropping 61-yard touchdown in the final seconds of the 2018 NFC divisional playoff tilt against New Orleans. Some place the video on the same playlist as the Immaculate Reception or The Catch.

With Diggs disgruntled in purple, the Bills reached out and sent over four draft picks to obtain him. One of those choices has since become Justin Jefferson, the 22nd overall pick in April’s selection meeting who is well on his way to Rookie of the Year honors.

But in a year filled with uncertainty and a team on the cusp of true contention, Bills general manager Brandon Beane wanted a surefire veteran to work with when it came to molding the offense into a fearsome unit. He knew he had that player in Diggs.

“Yes, the draft is stacked with receivers,” Beane said during the offseason, per Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com. “But I think it became evident with what’s going on around us now, that we don’t know what kind of offseason we’ll have. I just felt like it was going to be really hard, unless I traded up really high to find a guy that I know could walk in, day one, August 1st, and be ready to roll.”

“Obviously, time will tell if this move for Stefon was right. Sometimes the best-laid plans don’t always translate, but we’re confident and that’s why we swung with a first-round pick. You know I love draft picks and that was not easy for me to part with a first-round pick, but at the same time I view (Stefon) as our first-round pick and I thought it was good for the value of getting a guy like Stefon.”

So far, the translation is crystal clear.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

How the Buffalo Bills can clinch a playoff spot/division title in Week 15

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Baltimore’s Monday night thriller denied the Buffalo Bills a clinch last week, but there are several simple avenues on the Week 15 slate.

The Buffalo Bills appear to be well on their way to the 2021 NFL playoffs. But, like Han Solo before them…never tell them the odds.

Buffalo (10-3) took care of business on their end when it came to officially punching their ticket to the postseason, topping the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Sunday night showdown at Bills Stadium. Several other factors, namely in the form of losses from New England, Miami, and Las Vegas. The Baltimore Ravens weren’t in the mood to cooperate, however, as their 47-42 thriller over Cleveland on Monday night prevented a letter from forming next to the Bills’ name in the standings. Nonetheless, the odds experts at FiveThirtyEight currently have the Bills at over a 99 percent chance of making the playoffs in their updated playoff ledger.

How can the Bills add those precious percentage points and clinch their third playoff berth in four seasons? The Bills simply need ONE of the following to go down during Week 15 action…

Win @ Denver on Saturday

The Bills can return from the Rockies with the sweetest of Christmas gifts if they simply take care of the Denver Broncos in a special Saturday late afternoon game (4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network). Winning out west hasn’t been too much of a problem for the Bills, who are 3-1 in the Mountain and Pacific time zones this season, the one loss stemming from Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins’ collaborative miracle in Arizona.

Miami Loss vs. New England (clinches division) 

The Dolphins (8-5) took the defending champion Chiefs to the brink last Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to buy themselves real estate in the standings. Their ensuing loss has set up a scenario where the Bills’ so-called “magic number” toward their first division title since 1995 is down to one. Thus, a Dolphins loss of any kind will earn the Bills one of the top four seeds. They’ll be taking on a desperate Patriots team whose salvation lies far, far beyond winning out to keep their postseason streak alive on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

Baltimore Loss vs. Jacksonville

It’s highly unlikely that the Ravens (8-5) fall to a Jaguars team destined for one of the top two picks in April, though the return of Jacksonville’s Gardner Minshew does make things a tad less certain on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). A loss in-conference would allow the Bills, should they fail to top Denver on Saturday, to clinch the conference record tiebreaker (Buffalo is 7-2 while Baltimore sits at 5-5).

Other Week 15 Games That Could Affect the Bills

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati

The win over the Steelers last Sunday night secured not only some major style points amongst fans and analysts alike, but the Bills also earn the tiebreaker that trumps them all: the head-to-head victory, which could come up big if Pittsburgh (11-2) carries on this troubling streak of consecutive losses after winning their first 11 games. Many expect them to get back on the right track against the lowly Bengals (2-10-1) in a Monday night divisional match (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Kansas City @ New Orleans

A potential Super Bowl preview in The Big Easy, a Sunday matchup (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS) with a Saints team reeling from last week’s upset loss in Philadelphia will be must-see television from every football perspective. The Chiefs (12-1) have the inside track on the top seed and the only first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, as well as the impenetrable head-to-head tiebreaker over Buffalo. Kansas City can clinch the precious top seed if both the Bills and Steelers lose this week.

Detroit @ Tennessee/Houston @ Indianapolis

The Bills are closing in one being one of the AFC top seeds, but they’ll want to keep a close eye on the AFC South proceedings. With Kansas City pulling away in the race to No. 1, Buffalo would probably want to avoid the fourth slot as best as they possibly can. If they do, the earliest they would play the Chiefs in the playoffs would be the AFC title game. The Titans and Colts each sit at 9-4, with Tennessee holding the tiebreaker through a better divisional record (the teams split their yearly pair).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

 

Buffalo Bills: Sunday night perfectly defines the Brandon Beane era

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Brandon Beane’s extension needed little justification, but his Buffalo Bills were more than happy to oblige on Sunday night.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football last visited Bills Stadium in Orchard Park, New York in November 2007, when the establishment still bore the Ralph Wilson Stadium moniker. This visit was one of the first examples of flexible scheduling, a concept the Peacock network introduced upon their return to NFL broadcasting to gain the most attractive matchups to their slate. A divisional matchup between the Buffalo Bills and New England booted a get-together between Chicago and Seattle, a rematch from the previous year’s postseason.

On most occasions, it’d be an honor for the local Bills, in the midst of a rebuild that wound up taking two decades, to be granted such a privilege. But the ensuing edition wasn’t so much a primetime football game as it was a showcase for the visitors…it was as if the Washington Generals somehow got to host a home game against the Harlem Globetrotters. En route to a perfect regular season, the Patriots cruised to a 56-10 triumph, the only Buffalo relief coming through J.P. Losman’s 47-yard touchdown pass to Roscoe Parrish in the first quarter.

Brandon Beane likely wasn’t too concerned about the Bills’ endeavors. As a member of the Carolina Panthers’ front office, he was likely more concerned about their 31-17 loss in Green Bay earlier that afternoon. Heck, he was probably more upset over his alma mater UNC Wilmington dropping a men’s basketball game against Illinois State. Little did he, or anyone, involved in the Bills organization, know, that it would be another 13 years before NBC’s cameras descended upon The Queen City for another football game…or that Beane himself would play a major part in it.

No flexing was necessary for Orchard Park’s latest Sunday night endeavor, as their Week 14 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers was always destined for an evening kickoff. Social distancing endeavors kept jovial hordes of Bills Mafia loyalists out of the seats, but the on-field intensity more than made up for it, as the Bills took a 26-15 decision from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Buffalo (10-3) has now won the first two games of what’s at least a four-game stretch of nationally televised contests. Their upcoming matchup with Denver was recently chosen to open a Saturday afternoon doubleheader (4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network) and they’ll play their second Monday night game in three weeks on December 28 against New England.

(Photo: Getty)

The impact of winning in prime time hasn’t been lost on the Bills, especially in the hallowed month of December.

“It’s been really tough for us because we have a set amount of time that we can be in the building,” defensive end Jerry Hughes said, per Adam Unger of WKBW-TV. “(Head coach Sean McDermott) and (defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier) have always preached it’s not about how you play football in September, it’s how you play in December.”

Beane’s extension was granted a multi-year extension that will keep him in Western New York for the foreseeable future. Little justification was needed for such a transaction as it was. Under his watch, the Bills have ended many dubious streaks including the lack of Sunday night games in Buffalo and the worst playoff drought in franchise history (17 seasons). Buffalo has also won at least 10 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1998-99. A Miami loss helped them inch closer toward their first division title since 1995.

But, if there were any naysayers who didn’t believe in what Beane had to offer, they were effectively silenced by the time Sunday night’s festivities ended.

The Buffalo showcase coincided perfectly with Beane’s extension, as several of the general manager’s additions came up huge for the Bills in their win. Enough has been dedicated to his drafting of Josh Allen, who recovered after a slow start to throw for two touchdown passes and 238 yards, whose inclusion in the MVP conversation can no longer be denied. But with Allen off to a slow start, Beane’s more polarizing and lesser-heralded decisions rose to the occasion and allowed the Bills to make a stronger case as to why they belong amongst the NFL’s elite.

At the head of the cause was receiver Stefon Diggs, who paced Buffalo with 130 yards on 10 receptions, adding a touchdown at the onset of the second half. Diggs became the second Bills receiver to reach the triple-digit mark in receptions during a single season, tying the mark Eric Moulds set in 2002. Another Moulds record, the 1,368 yards he earned in 1998, is just over 200 yards from falling.

Diggs, a former postseason legend, was brought in from Minnesota in exchange for a sizable deal that sent over four draft picks, including the 22nd overall selection in last spring’s draft. Taking on Diggs and his sizable contract (he will be nearly a $50 million cap hit over the next four seasons combined) seemed like a risk and could’ve only opened Beane to further criticism when the Vikings added LSU athlete Justin Jefferson with the lost first-round choice. Jefferson appears to be on the fast track toward Rookie of the Year honors, leading first-year catchers in most major receiving categories.

The idea of a trade that benefits both sides, much like Jerry Seinfeld’s claims of a completely “mutual breakup” on his titular sitcom, seemed completely taboo, especially in football circles. But the early returns on Diggs have shown that Beane has somehow pulled it off. Teammates are certainly enjoying and reaping the benefits such an association has to offer.

“Diggs is so special that as I see him play, I just want to rip off my captain’s ‘C’ and throw it on his chest, because he’s a stud, man,” offensive lineman Dion Dawkins said of Diggs, per Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. “He’s been grinding. He’s come in and he just continues to outperform, outshine and prove to us day in and day out that he’s a different guy and he’s our guy.”

To get through a tough opening stretch, Allen said that he turned to Diggs to get things rolling. The 19-yard scoring toss to Diggs was part of a stretch of 11 consecutive completions earned during the third quarter.

“I can say with a lot of confidence, I think I like any match-up with 1-4,” Allen said, referring to Diggs’ uniform number in a report from Cameron Hogwood of Sky Sports. “He’s one of the best, if not the best guy in the league, but I have supreme confidence in him. All he wants to do is help his team win football games. He’s a competitor and we have very similar mindsets. I love the guy. He goes out there and competes his tail off and I’m just super blessed that we traded for him.”

The Buffalo takeover carried on through some of Beane’s other choices that might’ve flown under the radar. Taron Johnson and Levi Wallace, both day three draft-related selections through the fourth round and the rookie free agency process back in 2018, earned crucial interceptions of Ben Roethlisberger. Johnson’s interception may well have changed the course of Bills history, giving them a permanent lead just before halftime. Another Allen touchdown pass went to another day three choice, Gabriel Davis. It was his sixth tally of the year and good for third amongst rookie receivers (behind Jefferson and Chase Claypool of Pittsburgh). Siran Neal (fifth-round, 2018) provided strong coverage when Johnson had to leave the game due to a head injury. Sixth-round rookie Tyler Bass booted two more field goals. Excepting a desperation 61-yarder at the end of the first half against Seattle, he hasn’t missed a triple in nearly two months.

With every selection, every acquisition playing a crucial part of the Bills’ success, it’s no secret that they’re inching toward the NFL’s elite and no secret why it won’t be another 13 years before NBC comes back to 1 Bills Drive. It creates a strong unit and a sense of camaraderie that isn’t present in some of the NFL’s other locales.

Such unity was perhaps best displayed even before the opening kickoff. In the pregame hype, Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster checked into his second job as a TikTok star by dancing on the Bills’ streaking buffalo at midfield, to the delight of the black and yellow nation. The stunt was noticed not only by SmartPhone viewers, but those who bore the emblem on their white helmets.

But the Bills opted to do their talking on the field. Only when the victory was sealed did they dance, doing so after Wallace took the ball away one last time. Wallace’s celebration was anything but solo…he was joined by his teammates, jovial in earning the first Sunday night victory at Bills Stadium since Moulds, Sam Cowart, and Marcellus Wiley took revenge for the Music City Miracle against Tennessee in the 2000 season opener.

“Seeing them dancing on our logo pre-game and seeing all that, that turns you up a little bit,” defender Jordan Poyer said, per Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com. “It kind of gives you a little second itch to come out and play with some extra fire. We were hyped up on the sideline, we had a big win. And we were just having fun.”

If this keeps up, the true fun hasn’t even begun yet. 

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills: Three stars from Sunday night’s win vs. Pittsburgh

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The Buffalo Bills made a victorious return to Sunday Night Football, topping the Pittsburgh Steelers to earn their 10th win of the season.

After their performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s safe to say that it definitely won’t take another 13 years for NBC’s Sunday Night Football to return to Bills Stadium in Orchard Park.

The Buffalo Bills celebrated their return to the NFL’s most sought-after primetime spot, topping the Steelers 26-15 on Sunday night in Western New York. Taron Johnson brought the invisible crowd to its feet through a 51-yard runback of a Ben Roethlisberger interception, while Stefon Diggs put up 130 yards and a score on nine receptions. Levi Wallace added another interception of Roethlisberger to seal the deal in the fourth quarter, while Josh Allen overcame an inconsistent start to throw two touchdown passes.

Not only did the Bills (10-3) star in their first Sunday night home game since 2007, but they also earned consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time since 1998-99. Buffalo will clinch a playoff spot on Monday if the Baltimore Ravens lose to the Cleveland Browns. The Bills also picked up a tiebreaker in terms of AFC playoff seeding. They’re a game behind Pittsburgh (11-2) for the second seed, while they also gained a game on the Miami Dolphins in the AFC East division race with the latter’s loss to Kansas City, the current kings of the conference.

ESM has a series of game balls to award after Sunday’s historic win.

3rd Star: P Corey Bojorquez

5 punts, 45.6 average, 2 Inside 20 

Bills fans may be unwilling to admit it thanks to the final result, but the early stages of their Sunday night return were rather boring, packed with three-and-outs and appearances of Bojorquez. To put things in perspective…Bojorquez was invited on the field four times in the first half after getting only four chances over the past two games.

But Bojorquez made the most out of his opportunities and put the Bills’ defense in management situations. Two of his five kicks on the night situated the Steelers inside their own 20 to start off, and every one of Pittsburgh’s post-punt opportunities in the first half yielded no points. Elsewhere on special teams, Andre Roberts averaged 31 yards per kick return to start the Bills off on the right foot when their offense came on the field.

2nd Star: CB Taron Johnson

7 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD

At the risk of hyperbole, Johnson’s big play at the end of the first half may go down as one of the most impactful plays of the new century for the Bills franchise.

With the Bills’ offense struggling to gain traction and the Steelers holding a 7-3 lead, the first half scored appeared to be ready to read in favor of the visitors going into the halftime break. But, with Pittsburgh driving with barely over a minute to go in the half and looking to extend their lead, Johnson read Roethlisberger, his eyes fixated on the champion quarterback before stepping in front of JuJu Smith-Schuster to take the intended pass away. The ensuing 51-yard dash to glory gave Buffalo the lead at 9-7 and permanently shifted momentum in the primetime thriller.

Johnson, alas, wasn’t around to enjoy the postgame celebration. He left the game in the third quarter with a concussion and did not return.

1st Star: WR Stefon Diggs

10 receptions, 130 yards, 1 TD

Diggs’ propensity for yards after the catch came up big on Sunday night, consistently setting Buffalo up in Pittsburgh territory through eating chunks of yardage and clock. He was targeted 14 times during the contest, earning catches on all but three of those opportunities on a night where the Steelers were able to mostly hold his fellow catchers in check (though Gabriel Davis did break free for a touchdown). One of the biggest reasons behind the extension for general manager Brandon Beane, Diggs may well end this season as the most impactful veteran acquisition in the league this year.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

How the Buffalo Bills can clinch a playoff spot in Week 14

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The Buffalo Bills’ postseason outlook is already pretty strong, but they can officially punch their ticket with a little help this week.

Buffalo Bills fans could experience deja vu all over again in the sweetest of ways this week.

A Sunday night get-together with the Pittsburgh Steelers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) could play a major role in securing the Bills’ spot in the 2020-21 NFL playoffs. Buffalo (9-3) clinched their spot in last year’s postseason with a win in Pittsburgh during the Peacock network’s prime time showcase. The proceedings move to Orchard Park this season under similar circumstances. Buffalo’s playoff odds already stand at 99 percent, by NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund has them situated at a 99 percent chance to make the playoffs.

How can the Bills earn a letter next to their name in the standings? ESM has the criteria…

Buffalo Win vs. Pittsburgh

Everything starts with a win against the Steelers on Sunday night. It worked perfectly last season, as they used a 17-10 victory to clinch their second playoff spot over the last three seasons. Pittsburgh (11-1) is no doubt seething after losing their dreams of a perfect season against the Washington Football Team last week.

New England Loss/Tie at LA Rams (Completed)

AFC East fans beyond Foxboro have no doubt relished the Patriots’ demise, but the Buffalo faithful particularly enjoyed their 24-3 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. The Bills wrap up their season series with the Patriots on December 28 during the final Monday night game of the season. They’ll be seeking their first sweep of New England since 1999.

Baltimore Loss at Cleveland

The Ravens (7-5) are the one thing standing in front of the Bills clinching on Sunday, if only because they partake in the Monday night game against the Browns (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Miami Loss vs. Kansas City

A loss from the Dolphins (8-4) against the defending champion Chiefs would not only help the Bills’ regular playoff case, but also give them a chance to secure the division title next weekend. Buffalo owns the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to a win in Week 2, though they’re due for a rematch in the regular season finale.

Las Vegas Loss vs. Indianapolis

The Jets and their questionable defensive playcalling were of no help to the Bills last weekend, as the Raiders (7-5) earned a bit of a playoff jackpot, their postseason hopes extended by another week. Buffalo owns a head-to-head tiebreaker over Las Vegas from a win back in early October.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills: Five moves that earned Brandon Beane his extension

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ESM looks back on the winning moves that propelled Beane to a multi-year extension with the Buffalo Bills.

The Buffalo Bills’ 2020 season, one that’s on pace to end with an AFC East title, carries on, but they’re already welcoming back crucial pieces for the journey moving forward. On Thursday, the Bills brought back the architect, signing general manager Brandon Beane to a multi-year extension. Beane took over shortly after the 2017 NFL Draft, replacing the departed Doug Whaley.

“Brandon is an outstanding leader, and he has brought a great level of stability throughout our organization. One of the things we appreciate and respect about Brandon is that he is very thorough in his decision-making process,” Bills owners Kim and Terry Pegula said in a statement on the team website penned by Maddy Glab. “No decision he makes comes without a great deal of study and research. We appreciate his strong communication skills, and he works extremely well with us, with Sean, and with all levels of the organization. We are happy to extend his contract and to have Brandon and Sean leading our football team for many years to come.”

Under Beane’s tenure, the Bills have ended a franchise-long playoff drought, reaching two of the past three postseasons. Buffalo is also one of a dozen teams in the NFL with a winning record since 2017 at 34-26, good for sixth in the AFC.

How did it get to this point? ESM looks back on the finest moves of Beane’s era to date…

All-In on Allen

Sammy Watkins left behind a complicated legacy in Buffalo. Flashes of brilliance were apparent…it’d be silly to say otherwise after 2,029 yards and 15 touchdowns over his first two seasons…but Watkins had trouble staying healthy over the latter stages of his third season and later expressed dissatisfaction with his role with the team, leading to Buffalo declining his fifth-year options. Watkins has since earned redemption as a postseason hero in Kansas City, primarily through a 38-yard reception that changed the direction of Super Bowl LIV.

Either way, Watkins’ time in Buffalo had run its course by the time Beane arrived. In the midst of preparation for the 2017 season, Watkins and a sixth-round pick were dealt to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-round choice. Buffalo held onto that pick, eventually shown to be 56th overall, all the way through draft day, when they send it off again, this one going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The swap involved exchanging first-round choices, moving the Bills up from 12th to 7th, and Buffalo sending both of their second-rounders over (Buffalo also obtained a seventh-round choice, the penultimate pick of the draft).

With that first-round choice, Beane opted to take Josh Allen, the third quarterback chosen in a highly-publicized throwers’ class. In the vein of Allen fan Rainn Wilson/Dwight Schrute going from a thumbtack to a telescope through “the art of the swap” on The Office, Beane was able to turn a disgruntled wide receiver into a franchise quarterback.

Tremaine Event

Perhaps the one downside to Allen’s emergence is the fact that his 2018 drafting has somewhat blurred the success of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who went nine picks after the quarterback. More draft day dealing from Beane, this one through collaboration with Baltimore, allowed them to move up six spots to the 16th overall pick, where they chose Edmunds.

The linebacker has been one of the most consistent contributors in not only the Bills lineup but in the NFL today. Last season, quarterbacks had a 76.3 passer rating when throwing in Edmunds’ area in a year that also saw Edmunds earn 10 tackles for a loss and a safety. He was rewarded with a Pro Bowl nomination at the end of the campaign, shortly after he earned 12 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery during Buffalo’s playoff cameo in Houston.

Levi’s Means

In addition to the Thursday acquisitions of Allen and Edmunds, Beane managed to find a strong contributor after Mr. Irrelevant had heard his name called.

Wallace was a big part of Alabama’s 2017-18 national title trek, but his name wasn’t called during the selection meeting due to criticisms about his size and speed. Buffalo took him as an undrafted free agent and he has since gone on to become one of the team’s biggest defensive stars. While this season has been marred by both injuries and time spent on the COVID-19/reserve list, Wallace went to become Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded first-year cornerback during his freshman campaign. Notably, Wallace earned a crucial interception during the Bills’ playoff-clinching victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers last December.

In addition, the Bills also obtained serviceable reserve receiver Robert Foster in their post-draft scouring of the free agents’ list.

A Minneapolis (Transactional) Miracle

With the Bills’ offensive line relatively solidified, Beane’s next move was to find Allen more suitable weapons for the trek ahead. Opportunity knocked in the form of the trading block, as the Minnesota Vikings sought to move playoff legend Stefon Diggs. The Bills came calling, though it came at a hefty price. Even before the Vikings used one of those choices to take first-year sensation Justin Jefferson, Diggs had a lot to live up to, as the Bill sent over their first, fifth, and sixth-round choices from the spring, as well as a fourth-rounder for next year.

So far, Diggs has risen to the challenge and then some, leading all NFL receivers with 90 receptions entering Week 14 action. Set to be dealt over $45 million over the next four seasons, Diggs is proving to be well worth the investment in the early going and figures to be a lasting part of Buffalo’s ongoing endeavors.

Knight in Golden Armor

It had been a long time since the Bills had given their fans a reason to tune into day three of the draft. Beane has slowly made Saturday an intriguing event, however, as day three has netted hidden gems like Taron Johnson, Siran Neal, Tyler Bass, and Dane Jackson.

Beane’s biggest find to date has likely been Gabriel Davis, the all-time leader in touchdown grabs at UCF. The former Knight was chided for his lack of separation, but the Bills opted to take him in the early stages of the fourth round last spring. Davis has become one of Allen’s more reliable in blue and red, particularly in scoring situations. His five touchdowns are tied for third amongst rookie receivers and his 64.1 percent catch rate is sixth amongst first-year catchers with at least 30 targets.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags