Tag: bills steelers

5 takeaways from the Bills’ 26-15 win over the Steelers

Takeaways from Bills’ Week 14 win over the Steelers.

Entering the final quarter of the 2020 season, the Buffalo Bills again proved they’re peaking at the right time as they topped the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, 26-15, in Week 14.

While the final score might not show it, this was a defensive slugfest for much of the game. Both sides looked stuck in the mud at times, but the Bills (10-3) did just enough to get the job time after a picture-perfect second half.

With that, here are five takeaways from Buffalo’s Week 14 win over the Steelers (11-2):

Bills quarterback Josh Allen. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes )

Big yikes start

Credit to the defensive units of both teams, but considering what we’re used to seeing from the 2020 Bills, that start was… a big-time yikes, especially for Buffalo’s offense for the entire first half of this game. Quarterback Josh Allen turned the ball over and couldn’t surpass 100 yards passing. The offensive line didn’t have a good opening and a lot of Allen’s struggles had to do with him being pressured over and over again.

As expected, edge defender TJ Watt got his looks at Allen, Defensive tackle Casey Hayward beat center Mitch Morse leading to the interception by defensive back Mike Hilton as wel. Allen’s turnovers stopped there, but the Bills offensive line did get lucky on another play that was not reviewed which was probably a fumble by Allen.

The continued pressure on Allen caused the Bills to have drives of five plays or less on their first six-straight series on offense. That’s simply not a winning formula in the NFL, whether you’re against the top-seed in the AFC or the Jets. Also thrown in that sequence was a fumble from tight end Dawson Knox and almost no rushing attack to complement Allen as running back in the first half. Zack Moss had 14 rushing yards at half to lead the Bills, another problem that’s hampered Buffalo all season.

All these things considered, that might have been the worst start to a game for the Bills this season.

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WATCH: Bills’ Taron Johnson notches pick-six on Ben Roethlisberger

Buffalo Bills CB Taron Johnson notches pick-six on Ben Roethlisberger.

Offensive struggles? No problem. Enter cornerback Taron Johnson.

The Bills (9-3) and Steelers (11-1) have both had their slow starts on offense on Week 14’s Sunday Night Football. Both teams look stuck in the mud in a low-scoring game.

But just before halftime, Buffalo’s slot cornerback in Johnson put the Bills on the scoreboard. Hopefully Buffalo builds some momentum from it, but regardless, the Bills at least took a 9-7 lead into the half thanks to Johnson jumping the pass.

Check out his grab from Ben Roethlisberger here:

The interception was the second of Johnson’s career and first touchdown.

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Bills activate Tyrel Dodson from IR

LB Tyrel Dodson activated from Buffalo Bills injured reserve list.

The Bills have activated linebacker Tyrel Dodson from their injured reserve list. The team announced the move on Saturday, one day prior to their Week 14 game against the Steelers.

Versus Pittsburgh (11-1), if active, Dodson will likely play a special teams role. In recent weeks, Buffalo returned starter Matt Milano to the lineup and he’s splitting reps on the team’s defense at linebacker with AJ Klein. Dodson is the third player in that pecking order.

Dodson, a former 2019 undrafted free agent signeee of the Bills, did make two starts on defense this season. Those came in Week 2 against the Dolphins in a 31-28 win and Week 5, a 42-16 loss to the Titans.

After missing his entire rookie season due to injury and off-field situations, Dodson has recorded 21 tackles, two for loss and one sack in 2020.

Dodson originally went on the team’s injured reserve list on Oct. 24 due to a hamstring injured. He was designated to return on Dec. 2.

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Bills vs. Steelers: 3 key matchups in Week 14

Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers matchups to watch in Week 14.

In a pressure-packed, AFC playoff-seeding matchup with big implications, the Bills will host the Steelers this weekend on Sunday Night Football.

Despite the stakes for both Buffalo (9-3) and Pittsburgh (11-1), it’s still the same old game… and the games within the game will still make all the difference.

With that, here are three key matchups to watch in Week 14:

Steelers’ Reserve/COVID list movement made prior to Bills meeting

Pittsburgh Steelers updates to Reserve/COVID list ahead of Week 14 vs. the Buffalo Bills.

Prior to their Week 14 meeting with the Bills on Sunday Night Football, the Steelers had some key movements in regard to the team’s Reserve/COVID list. Two players came off the designation while one went on it.

Linebacker Vince Williams went back on the list after landing on it in November as well. Williams leads the Steelers (11-1) in tackles and has 14 for loss with three sacks. His presence will be missed in a position that is already depleted with Devin Bush out for the season and Robert Spillane out Sunday due to a knee injury.

On the flip side, both in terms of the side of the ball and on the designation, the Steelers had good news. On offense, running back James Conner and center Maurkice Pouncey returned from the list.

Pouncey has been a long-time starter for the Steelers, but Pro Football Focus only grades him a 57.2 overall mark in 2020. That’s good for 31st best center in the NFL currently.

Against Washington, the Steelers had only had 21 total rushing yards in the loss. Anthony McFarland Jr. mustered 15 of those. Conner has five touchdowns and is averaging 4.4 yards per carry in 2020.

In recent weeks, the Bills (9-3) defense has slowed down rushing attacks. though. Only the Cardinals with quarterback Kyler Murray mustered over 100-yards rushing vs. Buffalo in their last four games.

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What uniforms Bills, Steelers will wear in Week 14

Bills-Steelers Week 14 uniforms.

The Buffalo Bills invited the Pittsburgh Steelers for Sunday Night Football in Week 14 and will do that in style. The Bills (9-3) are busting out their color rush red uniforms for this one:

Meanwhile, the Steelers (11-1), would likely bring their white jersey combination to offset the dark:

 Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt. Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

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Bills vs. Steelers: Final Friday injury reports

Final injury reports for the Bills and Steelers ahead of Week 14.

Here are the full injury reports from Thursday for the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of their Week 14 meeting at Bills Stadium on Sunday Night Football:

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1)

Out

  • CB Joe Haden (concussion) 
  • LB Robert Spillane (knee)

Questionable

  • N/A

Will play

  • CB Steve Nelson (knee)
  • K Chris Boswell (hip)
  • DE Chris Wormley (illness)
  • WR Chase Claypool (illness)

Notes:

Haden, Spillane and Nelson were all injured in Week 13.

Buffalo Bills (9-3)

Out

  • S Jaquan Johnson (ankle)

Questionable

  • N/A

Full practice

  • QB Josh Allen (knee/ ankle)
  • WR/ KR Andre Roberts (Achilles)
  • QB Jake Fromm (quarantine)
  • OL Jon Feliciano (knee/ foot)
  • DT Quinton Jefferson (hip)

Notes:

Johnson, Jefferson and Roberts are new additions to the injury report post-49ers. … Allen is appearing on the list still because he is receiving some sort of treatment on his knee and ankle which only caused him to miss one snap two weeks ago.

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Bills vs. Steelers: 8 things to watch for and a prediction

Things to watch in Week 14 Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.

A big AFC playoff contest in en route in the NFL this weekend and the Buffalo Bills are involved in it.

The Bills (9-3) will host the AFC North leaders, the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1), in Week 14. These two teams are not directly battling for playoff spots. However, seeding importance is huge here.

With four games left, if the Bills plan to move up in the conference, they have to beat the Steelers on Sunday Night Football.

With that, here are eight things to watch for and a prediction ahead of Week 14’s Bills-Steelers meeting:

Who the Bills protected on their practice squad for Week 14

Buffalo Bills practice squad protection ahead of Week 14.

The Bills announced their Week 14 players the team has placed on the protected portion of their practice squad via the NFL’s transaction wire on Wednesday ahead of their game with the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1) on Sunday Night Football.

Due to one player hitting their limit in terms of the number of times they can be called up to the active roster, Buffalo (9-3) has made one adjustment to their protected practice squad this week from Week 12, and kept the same grouping from a week ago.

Two weeks ago, the Bills protected wide receiver Jake Kumerow. However, he’s hit that limit so it longer makes sense for the Bills to protect him. He’s now been replaced by defensive end Bryan Cox Jr., a player the Bills had previously been protecting earlier this season.

So the four players protected this week by the Bills are:

  • OL Jordan Devey
  • OL Jonotthan Harrison
  • DE Bryan Cox Jr.
  • LB Darron Lee

Prior to the bye week, the Bills last protected:

  • OL Jordan Devey
  • OL Jonotthan Harrison
  • WR Jake Kumerow
  • CB Daryl Worley

In terms of guys like Kumerow or cornerback Dane Jackson, those players have been called up the “max” amount of times so far in 2020, which is twice. But, if the Bills have an emergency situation due to COVID-19, they can still do so. That’s why both Kumerow and Jackson have actually played in three games this year.

In addition, normal practice squad rules do apply to those two as well. If another team tries to sign either, the Bills can decide to sign either to their 53-man roster first.

For reference, check out our previous explanation on the “protected” practice squad situation, a new addition to the NFL this season, from our Week 1 coverage:

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the United States, the NFL’s owners and players came to an offseason agreement that we’ve seen the first installment of on Tuesday evening. Each team in the league can “protect” four players on their practice squad each week.

The idea is to provide some extra depth for teams in case of a COVID-19 outbreak in a locker room late in the week prior to a Sunday or Monday game. Those four can be called up to the active roster up until Sunday morning prior to kickoff every week.

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How the Bills can clinch a playoff berth vs. Steelers in Week 14

Buffalo Bills playoff scenarios heading into Week 14.

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The road to the Super Bowl is a long ways away for the Buffalo Bills right now. But first things first, let’s get to the playoffs.

The Bills, at 9-3, do have a route to do just that this upcoming weekend against the Steelers (11-1). In fact, the Bills and Steelers are two of three teams that do have an opportunity to clinch as early as this weekend. The third is the Packers, excluding teams that already have.

In terms of Buffalo, they just need a lot of help to get there this quickly. Naturally, the Bills have to beat the Steelers on Sunday Night Football at Bills Stadium in Week 14.

But here’s what else but happen for the Bills to lock up a postseason berth in the coming days, according to a release from the NFL on Wednesday:

  • Ravens loss
  • Dolphins loss
  • Raiders loss
  • Patriots loss or tie

Unlikely all of that happens, but no worries. In the coming weeks, things will probably become clearer. But regardless, just winning the AFC East title is the best route Buffalo can take this season.

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