The Buffalo Bills are going to play in the AFC Championship game for the first time since 1994… and it feels good.
The Bills faced a red-hot Baltimore Ravens team in a game that was a defensive chess match, as Buffalo tried to stifle the stampede of Baltimore. While the Ravens tried to shutdown the high-flying Bills. The chess match was ultimately won by Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and he had the perfect game plan to stifle the NFL’s best rushing attack in the Ravens.
The game was tight throughout it and the 17-3 score line reflects that/
With that, here’s this week stock report from Bills Wire following the Bills’ win over the Ravens in the AFC Divisional round:
Stock up
Taron Johnson
Starting with the obvious, Taron Johnson won the game for the Bills. As the third quarter was winding down, the Ravens were knocking on the door of Buffalo’s end zone. But as Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson dropped back and unleashed a fastball towards his tight end Mark Andrews, Johnson jumped the pass. Johnson read Jackson the entire way, making the interception look quite easy, but once the ball was his hands he had to outrace the entire Ravens offense. He took the ball from end zone to end zone, an exceptional 101-yard pick six.
Outside of the pick-six, Taron put pressure on Jackson when he dropped back to pass, stepped up in trying to stop the run with six tackles, and broke up a pass. Johnson had a slow start to the season, but in the back half of the season he improved his game. Becoming a key contributor for a resurging Buffalo defense.
Matt Milano
Linebacker Matt Milano had an outstanding game against the Ravens, having an all around impact for the Bills defense. Throughout the game the outside linebacker was in the backfield making it difficult for Baltimore to run the ball. He also was one of the key factors in the poor passing performance from Lamar Jackson. Milano was rushing Jackson off the edge making him uncomfortable in the pocket.
Milano’s statline emphasized his utility, he had seven tackles and broke up two passes. With either the Browns or Kansas City coming up on the horizon he’ll need to have another great game.
Jerry Hughes
Against the Colts in the Wild Card weekend, the Bills couldn’t create any pressure or stop the run… that couldn’t be said against Baltimore. The Bills front-four contained Jackson, and met their running backs in the backfield often. Hughes had a sensational game coming off the edge, he made Jackson uncomfortable, and forced the Ravens tailbacks to the teeth of the Bills defense. It was a performance that seemed almost unimaginable after his poor showing against the Colts.
Hughes finished the game with two sacks, three tackles, and two quarterback hits. As the longest-tenured member of the Bills, seeing Hughes put up such a big game feels good.
Stefon Diggs
What more can be said about receiver Stefon Diggs? He’s been dominate all season, and against one of the best secondary’s in the league, Diggs again was dominant. He was the safety valve for his quarterback, making big catches on third down, first down, and the all important opening touchdown. Diggs finished the game with eight catches, 106 yards, and a touchdown.
It’s safe to say that Buffalo won the trade.
Honorable mentions:
The rest of the defense, positives can be said about the entire unit. It took the whole group to stop one of the hottest teams in the league. Frazier called the perfect game, he knew what the Ravens wanted to do all night and made great calls. Quarterback Josh Allen, the pressure of the moment never fazed him, but he made some questionable throws throughout the game.