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Report card: #Bills top #Lions, 28-25 (via @jdiloro):
Check out Bills Wire’s Week 12 report card for the Buffalo Bills (8-3) following the team’s 28-25 win over the Detroit Lions (4-7) on Thanksgiving:
Instant analysis: #Bills rally to roast #Lions in Thanksgiving Day win (via @jdloro):
The Buffalo Bills (8-3) pulled off a thrilling late fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Detroit Lions (4-7), 28-25, on Thanksgiving Day.
The game was full of anxious moments for the Bills, but they ultimately took control late to earn the victory.
Buffalo’s offense had a wild afternoon, mixing drives of proficiency with ones where the team struggled to get in sync. In the end, Buffalo did just enough to squeak out a field goal victory.
Quarterback Josh Allen battled through an injured elbow throughout. But with the Bills down by four, Buffalo’s brass put the ball in Allen’s hands.
Allen moved the team down the field, both with his arm and his legs. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey leaned on the quick-fire attack to move quickly and alleviate some of the offensive line issues.
Allen led Buffalo on a 14-play, 90-yard drive to give the Bills a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Allen found Stefon Diggs for a five-yard touchdown pass.
On the ensuing drive, Detroit tied the game with a field goal. That left Buffalo with 23 seconds remaining on the clock.
Buffalo moved the ball down the field briskly again on three plays. Allen found Diggs on a 36-yard pass.
Allen then completed two quarterback rushes to put the Bills in field goal range. Tyler Bass nailed the 45-yard field goal, which put Buffalo on top for good.
Allen went 24-of-42 for 253 yards, two touchdown passes, and an interception. Allen added 78 rushing yards on 10 carries. Isaiah McKenzie broke out with six receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown reception. Diggs ended up with 77 receiving yards on eight receptions after a slow start. Most of his significant damage came late in the game.
Buffalo’s defense flashed at times as well. Ed Oliver recorded a safety and had a fumble recovery. AJ Klein registered nine tackles in his first start back with the Bills, while Jordan Poyer led the way with 10 tackles. Da’Quan Jones also recorded a sack.
The Bills gutted out the victory with several injury issues. Mitch Morse, Tremaine Edmunds, and Greg Rousseau were inactive. Von Miller (knee) and Dion Dawkins (ankle) left the game as well.
Buffalo had to overcome the injuries and several self-inflicted wounds to make it to the finish line. The Bills defense allowed Lions QB Jared Goff to look like an All-Pro at times. Wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown carved up the Bills depleted secondary, catching nine passes for 122 yards. Buffalo’s secondary was the victim of several missed tackles.
Tyler Bass missed a point after touchdown. It was his first missed PAT on the season. Bass redeemed himself with the last-second game-winning field goal.
Buffalo’s offense was a bit inconsistent as well. For a large chunk of the game, it appeared that Allen was pressing through his injury. Allen had struggles with finding his favorite target, Stefon Diggs. At one point, Allen connected with Diggs on only 3-of-10 targets entering the final drives.
The Bills offensive line struggled to give Allen time to pass as well. The pocket was collapsing on virtually each of Allen’s drop backs. The return of Mitch Morse could help stabilize the unit once again.
Still, a win is a win, and this one is sweeter with the holiday as a backdrop.
Buffalo has a week to recover ahead of three divisional games. The Bills take on New England in Foxboro next Thursday.
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In Draft Wire’s 2021 NFL Draft mock, the Buffalo Bills select CB Greg Newsome and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown.
In terms of drafting playmakers, after a down year defensively in 2020, the Bills could certainly stand to add a defensive back at the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.
But our friends at Draft Wire used their latest two-round mock to send the Bills playmakers for both sides of the ball. D/W’s Luke Easterling uses Buffalo’s picks in the first round on cornerback Greg Newsome and their next on wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown:
30. Buffalo Bills
Greg Newsome II | CB | Northwestern61. Buffalo Bills
Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | USC
Newsome is a player we’ve seen previously mocked to the Bills. According to Pro Football Focus, Newsome only allowed a passer rating of 31.7 in 2020.
In adding Newsome, the Bills would do something new under Sean McDermott. Previously the coach did use a high draft pick, the first of his tenure, on a cornerback, Tre’Davious White. Since then, it’s been a revolving door of veterans across from White. That’s had mixed results.
So far the Bills have Levi Wallace and 2020 seventh-round pick Dane Jackson battling for playing time at the No. 2 cornerback spot in McDermott’s defense. Newsome would allow the Bills to solidify and longer-term player in the role for the first time, but he certainly would not just be handed the job.
In St. Brown, the Bills would add a player that could move around their offense. The 6-foot-1 target has experience lining up in the slot even, according to The Draft Network. Cole Beasley will still be the prominent figure there for the Bills moving forward, but St. Brown could be a longer-term option.
In six game last season for USC, St. Brown had 41 catches for 478 yards and seven touchdowns. The year prior, St. Brown surpasses the 1,000-yard plateau (1,042).
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