Buffalo Bills-New England Patriots storylines to follow during their Week 16 meeting.
The Bills and Patriots play another run of the mill Week 16 game.
But, it’s really not your usual run of the mill late-season meeting between these two. There’s actually something on the table for both teams to play for.
With that, here are five storylines to watch for during Saturday’s Bills-Patriots meeting:
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott. Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
AFC East title up for grabs (sort of)
Usually by this point of the season, we’re used to the Bills and Patriots both having nothing the play for. The Bills? They’re already looking at the NFL draft. The Patriots? They’ve already got a multiple-game lead for the AFC East title and a first-round bye locked up.
Not so fast this time around.
The Bills and Patriots both could win the division still. If the Pats win Sunday, it’s their. If the Bills do, they still need the Dolphins to beat the Patriots in Week 17, but there’s still some hope, you never know. The Bills haven’t won their division since 1995. With a win, the Bills will also set a franchise record with seven wins on the road this season.
Things to know about the Buffalo Bills’ Week 16 opponent, the New England Patriots.
Once again the Buffalo Bills will meet the team you love to hate, the New England Patriots, in Week 16.
But unlike many other late-season games against the Pats, this one has some meaning for both sides in regard to the AFC East crown. With a win, the Patriots take that title. If the Bills win, they still have a chance to win it.
While you know them, here’s the latest updates on them since the last time these two teams met earlier this year, seven things in total:
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Home-winning streak snapped and boo’d
After the Bills beat the Steelers last week, their record went to 10-4 and the team clinched that playoff berth. Bills fans met the team at the airport to celebrate with the players. The Patriots just topped the Bengals in Cincy last week, but they had a letdown the week prior, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs at home.
That loss snapped a 21-game winning streak at Gillette Stadium for the Patriots… so we’re telling you, there is a chance for the Bills. But with Bills fans in mind, the Patriots are 11-3 after that win against the Bengals. With all their winning in mind, Patriots fans actually boo’d their dynasty off the field at halftime during that loss to the Chiefs which is… something else.
Patriots defender Kyle Van Noy was among Super Bowl winning players for the Patriots who were having none of it.
“I thought it was disrespectful,” he said of the booing. “But it is what it is.”
Often what separates those who consistently perform well in the playoffs and those that struggle is their level of loyalty.
I only play in two leagues. I did the seven-league thing for a tick and didn’t care for it, as the same guy who wins for you in one league, daggers you in another. We all know each other. When the season begins, I make it clear that any player on my roster is available in trade.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Often what separates those who consistently perform well in the playoffs and those that struggle is their level of loyalty.
I only play in two leagues. I did the seven-league thing for a tick and didn’t care for it, as the same guy who wins for you in one league, daggers you in another. We all know each other. When the season begins, I make it clear that any player on my roster is available in trade.
By midseason, I catch a whiff of the temperature of what teams are on fumes and which ones can make a run and start making moves to add players that have high ceilings and aren’t performing. This year, I made one of those and had the albatross of Odell Beckham Jr. At some point or another, I’ve found a way to have OBJ every season of his career – much in the same way I found ways to have Terrell Owens on my roster and annually trade away Frank Gore when his value was highest.
Where OBJ comes in is the fundamental difference between fantasy owners. I’m willing to make moves up until about Week 8. At that point, I will trade away multiple players to get one. Once I have my roster assembled to my liking, barring injuries, it’s “Regulators! Let’s ride!”
I was in my playoff semifinal this weekend with a guy who had made a living off of drafting Julio Jones, Matt Ryan and Austin Hooper at various stages of the draft. In reality, the Falcons had sucked most of the year, but each of those three, in his own way, has been prolific.
Julio had hit a rough patch. He hadn’t scored a touchdown since September. He hadn’t hit 100 yards since October and he looked banged up.
In my world view, his name is Julio F. Jones and you don’t bench JFJ regardless of how bad his numbers are. Karma gonna getcha.
I had the option of OBJ and D.K. Metcalf. All I had to do was click on Metcalf five minutes before the games started and it was a done deal.
I couldn’t do it.
I’m loyal.
My opponent had the choice of Julio or Kenny Golladay. The investment he made in Jones, who he hadn’t benched all season with the exception of his bye week and the game he missed against the Saints due to injury.
Unlike me, shortly before the games began Sunday, he opted to bench Julio and play Golladay.
My loyalty made me three points (14 for Beckham, 11 for Metcalf). His disloyalty cost him 31 points (seven for Golladay, 38 for Julio).
I won by 18 points.
Sometimes, having the loyalty gene deep in your DNA pays off – which is why, for the fourth straight year, I’m headed to my league championship game and looking for my third win in the process.
My opponent has the luxury of screaming, “Why?!” for the next eight months. Life is good! Hopefully, you’re still playing (and not benching your studs).
Here is the Week 16 Championship Week edition of the Fantasy Market Report:
RISERS
Tyler Higbee – Sometimes all a guy needs is an opportunity to become a fantasy playoff legend. Through the first 11 games of the season, the most catches he had in a game were five and the most yards he had were 47. When Gerald Everett went down with an injury, Higbee was pushed into the forefront. In the three games Everett has missed, Higbee had blown up, being targeted 33 times and catching 26 passes for 334 yards (more than 100 each game) and a touchdown. It’s hard to believe a guy on the waiver wire could be critical to winning a championship.
Allen Robinson – He has had an up and down season, but when you look at his overall numbers (83-1,023-7) those are starter fantasy numbers. But, over his last four games, he has scored four touchdowns and, in the only game he didn’t score, he had seven catches for 125 yards. If there is such a thing as being a quiet fantasy stud, Robinson is one of them.
Ezekiel Elliott – He doesn’t get the credit he deserves as being a dominant player. Some fantasy owners were a little gun shy when he threatened to sit out over a contract dispute, but he has been as consistent as any running back this side of Christian McCaffrey. He rolled up his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season Sunday and has scored 12 TDs in 14 games, including two touchdowns in each of the fantasy playoff games and three two-TD games in his last five. When you need Zeke to produce, all he does is deliver.
Devin Singletary – At a time when running backs tandems are in vogue, the Bills are getting to see what they’ve got in Singletary. He got injured in September and missed three games, so he still doesn’t have more rushing attempts than Frank Gore, but he’s averaging two yards a carry. In the last seven games, he has 15 or more carries five times. In those games, he has rush yardage totals of 75, 87, 89, 95 and 106. If he can keep Josh Allen from stealing all his goal-line touchdowns, he could be a stud.
Adrian Peterson – He’s not the Hall of Famer who took the torch away from LaDainian Tomlinson eight games into his rookie season, but, for those who have thrown him flex style into their lineups when games have meant the most, All Day has delivered. You see at Carolina, at Green Bay and vs. Philadelphia, you could legitimate cause for pause. But, Peterson’s rushing stat lines the last three games have been 13-99-1, 20-76-1 and 16-66-1. Those who have played him have got what they hoped for.
FALLERS
Baker Mayfield – Maybe after the season, we’ll find out there is something wrong with Mayfield’s shoulder. He is throwing almost nothing but short passes and has as many interceptions (17) as he has touchdowns. Even against a forgiving Cardinals defense, he struggled to get anything going. He has more than one TD pass in one game and has one TD or less in nine games. He has become a liability that most owners have benched, but those who had likely will take him off their draft list for next year.
DeDe Westbrook – There is no questioning Westbrook’s talent, but he has been one of the most overrated fantasy players in the league this season. He has only scored two touchdowns (and one of those came in Week 1). He has two games with 70 or more yards and has six games with 32 or fewer yards (and was inactive and unavailable). Those who still held out hope may have made a bold move to put him in the lineup with D.J. Chark out. How did he respond? Two catches for 14 yards. Rid yourself of Westbrook on principle.
Amari Cooper – 2019 has been classic Cooper. He’s caught 71 passes for 1,073 yards and eight touchdowns – clear fantasy starter numbers. He has had two blowout huge games, six good to very good games and a handful of scuds. What makes matters worse for the erratic Cooper is the randomness of it. Three games after catching no passes against New England, Jalen Ramsey shut him down for the Rams. When teams needed him the most to advance to the fantasy championship game in most leagues, he gave them one catch for 19 yards because he was only targeted twice. Classic Cooper!
Tevin Coleman – He’s been on this before. For a team as successful as the 49ers, it’s shocking given how much they invested in Jerick McKinnon, who has yet to play with anyone but Minnesota two years after he left the Vikings and became the fifth-highest paid running back in the league at the time. The Niners doubled down on Coleman. The highest-paid back is the No. 3 guy. In the last three games, Raheem Mostert has rushed 43 times for 265 yards, caught five passes for 53 yards and scored four touchdowns. In that same span, Coleman has 12 carries for 52 yards, one reception for nine yards and no touchdowns. The last two years, the best RBs the 49ers had were the in-house guys they ignored.
Josh Gordon – How many second chances can one man get? It was announced Monday that Gordon was suspended indefinitely for the fifth time in his eight-year career. While there has been talk about mental health issues, most of his previous suspensions have directly involved failed drug tests. The NFL has been more than lenient after he missed two full seasons due to suspensions in his time with Cleveland from 2014-18, he played in just 11 games after bursting on the scene the year before, catching 87 passes for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games. He had the ability to be an elite NFL player. Now it looks like his fifth strike is his last.
The Bills are playoff bound after their victory of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a victory where the Bills relied on their stout defense.
Buffalo, you can party like it’s 1999 because the Bills are sitting at 10-4, clinching just their second playoff appearance this century.
The game was an ugly, hard fought battle that saw seven turnovers between themselves and the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game which the Bills won 17-10.
Ultimately, Buffalo’s offense made more plays down the stretch that gave them the victory. It wasn’t a stellar performance from Josh Allen and company though.
With that, here’s how the Bills graded out in this week’s report card following their win over the Steelers:
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Quarterback: C
Josh Allen had a tough game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he completed just 52 percent of his passes for 139 yards. He struggled throughout the game, missing some wide open receivers, his interception was a perfect example of these errant throws. Allen had a clean pocket, and threw a pass to the outstretched arms of receiver Cole Beasley, that bounced off the hands of Beasley and into arms of the Steelers defensive back. The interception doesn’t fall on the shoulders of Allen alone, but a better pass could have been caught by Beasley.
The quarterback did have his moments of brilliance, mainly coming in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. He hit a massive 40-yard strike to John Brown that help set up the game winning touchdown. Speaking of the game winning touchdown, he found tight end Tyler Kroft on third down, sealing the victory for Buffalo.
Allen also had 28 yards on the ground, and one rushing touchdown that opened the scoring for Buffalo.
In a defensive outing between both teams, the Buffalo Bills offense did just enough to put them over the edge of victory to send them back to the post season for the second time in three years. It was a testament to coaching, discipline, and a …
In a defensive outing between both teams, the Buffalo Bills offense did just enough to put them over the edge of victory to send them back to the post season for the second time in three years. It was a testament to coaching, discipline, and a winning culture that Sean McDermott has established in Buffalo.
The Bills sit at 10-4, are officially in, and could very easily loosen up a bit, but there is still another opportunity at stake, and that is to win the AFC East title for the first time in over 20 years. The chances are slim, but it is still a very reasonable feat, as they head to Foxborough to play the New England Patriots next Saturday. The Bills need to win out, and the Patriots need to lose not only to the Bills, but the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 as well.
Buffalo and Pittsburgh brought their hard nosed defenses to the table last night for Sunday Night Football, and both teams excelled in stopping drives, forcing punts and turnovers, and keeping the game close for their offenses. It was the Bills, fortunately, that made it all happen, behind Josh Allen, John Brown, and even tight end Tyler Kroft.
It was a great win for a team, in the national spotlight, that proved many doubters wrong in the process.
Podcast host Matt Johnson recaps the big Week 15 win, and a look ahead.
The Buffalo Bills clinched their spot in the 2019 postseason with a 17-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Buffalo Bills clinched their spot in the 2019 postseason with a 17-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The game carried a large weight on the AFC postseason picture, as the Bills and Steelers held the two Wild Card spots coming into the primetime matchup. At the end of the night, it was Buffalo’s defense who came out on top in this low-scoring, defensive affair.
Tre’Davious White intercepted Steelers quarterback Devlin Hodges twice on the night. Jordan Phillips recorded two sacks, while Shaq Lawson and Trent Murphy contributed sacks as well.
Buffalo limited Pittsburgh’s offense to 229 yards on offense. The Steelers leaned on the passing attack for a good chunk of the game. Pittsburgh attempted 38 passes while rushing only 15 times. Pittsburgh mustered only 51 yards on those rushing attempts.
Buffalo’s defense was called upon twice in the closing minutes of the game to seal the deal. Jordan Poyer intercepted Hodges in the end zone just after the two-minute warning.
The Bills offense produced a three-and-out after the turnover, giving the Steelers a final shot at tying the game. However, as it happened to be all game long, Buffalo’s defense rose to the occasion and closed out the contest for Buffalo. Jordan Phillips recorded a sack and with time ticking down, Hodges threw up a prayer which Levi Wallace intercepted in the end zone.
Tremaine Edmunds led the Bills with eight total tackles.
Buffalo’s offense primarily ran through Josh Allen, Devin Singletary, and John Brown. Allen scored the game’s first touchdown, a one-yard rush in the second quarter. The touchdown gave Allen the team’s rushing record for most touchdowns scored on the ground by a quarterback.
Allen ended the night 13-of-25 for 139 passing yards. He managed the game well, limited mistakes and taking whatever the challenging Steelers defense would allow at Heinz Field. The signal-caller added 28 yards on seven carries.
Singletary and Brown had strong games as well, as Singletary gained 87 yards on the ground on 21 carries. Brown racked up 99 receiving yards on seven receptions. The duo gained 186 of Buffalo’s 261 total offensive yards.
The game-winning touchdown came from an unfamiliar source this year, as Tyler Kroft caught a 14-yard pass from Allen midway through the fourth quarter.
There were a few miscues throughout the game, but none really haunted the Bills in end. Allen’s only interception was a pass that went off the hands of the usually reliable Cole Beasley and dropped into the arms of Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson.
Devin Singletary fumbled twice, losing one of the miscues. However, head coach Sean McDermott relied on the rookie despite putting the ball on the ground. It paid off, as the FAU product found a way through an aggressive Pittsburgh defense.
White left the game for a few moments after making a tackle, suffering an apparent shoulder injury. He returned on the next series, and his interceptions from tonight give him six on the season, which is tied for the league lead.
The game followed the script if the Bills were to be successful. The defense led the way, dominating the game. The offense, while not necessarily a juggernaut, finalized drives when it was most needed. Pittsburgh’s defense is very good, and the Bills were able to punch in two touchdowns when needed.
The defense put the ball in the hands of Devlin Hodges and without a doubt, that worked into Buffalo’s favor. They forced four interceptions and thwarted virtually every attempt the Steelers made in the red zone.
It was an impressive performance for Buffalo, as now they are playoff-bound for the second time in three seasons. The Bills hit double-digits in the win column for the first time in two decades.
Buffalo travels to Foxboro next Saturday to face off against the New England Patriots. The Bills still have an outside shot at winning the AFC East, so a victory Saturday and some help along the way could give the Bills a chance at a home playoff game.
Five takeaways from the Buffalo Bills’ 17-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Buffalo Bills did it again with the national spotlight on them. The Bills topped the Pittsburgh Steelers 17-10 on Sunday Night Football in Week 15.
It wasn’t smooth sailing the entire way, but when it was all said and done, the Bills proved themselves in front of the country.
Here are five takeaways from the Bills’ win over the Steelers:
Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer. Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
Winning team, playoff bound
The Bills took lumps this season. The Bills took criticism this season. The Bills said to hell with all of that against the Steelers.
With their win over the Steelers, the Bills are in. Buffalo has locked up a 2019 playoff berth. It’s the second time in three seasons that the Bills have made the postseason under head coach Sean McDermott. Buffalo now sits at 10-4 with two games to play.
On top of that, the Bills have been knocked all year for not beating a team with a winning record. The only other one was the Titans, who still had yet to start Ryan Tannehill when the Bills beat them, much earlier this season. The Steelers entered this game at 8-5..
Folks might need to be awfully quiet following this one.
Buffalo Bills opponent information on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Bills find themselves in a wonderful predicament, but could be all for naught if they can’t find a win over the next three weeks. The 9-4 Buffalo Bills meet the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, their first appearance in that primetime slot in some time. Major playoff implications are at stake here, as a Bills loss can knock them back a spot in the Wild Card Race, though still in by a hair.
This is easily the biggest Bills-Steelers match up in some time, so let’s get into their history, statistics and more:
The Bills and Steelers first met on Oct. 11, 1970, in Pittsburgh, with the Steelers winning 23-10.
They met in the 1974 postseason, with Pittsburgh taking a 32-14 win in that game.
The Bills won five straight games against Pittsburgh, from Nov. 9, 1986 to their 1992 AFC Divisional Round Game on Jan. 9, 1993.
Buffalo and Pittsburgh also met in the 1995 AFC Divisional Playoff Game, with the Steelers winning 40-21.
The Bills have not defeated the Steelers in the 21st Century, with their last victory over them on Oct. 10, 1999, in a 24-21 victory.
Buffalo had an opportunity to make the post-season in the 2004-05 season. In a “win and your in” scenario. The Bills starters failed to defeat the Steelers backups, who were 14-1 heading into the final game of the season. Pittsburgh beat Buffalo 29-24, in Buffalo.
Their most recent encounter was a 27-20 win for Pittsburgh, in Buffalo.
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series, 16-9, including playoffs.
2019 So Far
In what has been a challenging year for the Steelers, including their fallout with Antonio Brown, losing Le’Veon Bell, and Ben Roethlisberger succumbing to season-ending injury in Week 2, somehow, the Steelers are still in the playoff picture, and have some favorable circumstances going for them. This season has been a massive testament to Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s ability to lead men on a football field, and is certainly a candidate for Coach of the Year.
Pittsburgh began the season with a blowout loss to the Patriots in the opening Sunday Night Football game for 2019. A 33-3 loss on primetime was no way to start the season, especially with many questioning how Pittsburgh would be effected by the losses of Bell and Brown. From there on, two more losses, a close one against Seattle, 26-28, their last game with Big Ben under center for this year, as well as a 20-24 loss to the 49ers. All three quality teams, and playoff teams at that, right now, in Week 15. Not too shabby for a team of backups despite the losses.
They earned their first win on Monday Night Football in Week 4 against the Bengals, a dominant win against a team that only has one win to it’s credit so far this season. This is also when the Steelers traded for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, a trade that turned around their defense.
However, since that Bengals win, Pittsburgh has only lost twice. To the Baltimore Ravens, a 23-26 loss in overtime, and to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11, a 21-7 loss that ended in a chaotic situation.
Pittsburgh has defeated the Chargers, Dolphins, Colts, Rams, Bengals again, Browns and Cardinals, and face a relatively favorable schedule these last three weeks. They hold criteria over a few teams that are breathing down their neck, and a win over the Bills would nearly secure their playoff aspirations.
Currently, Pittsburgh is the 29th ranked offense, with 3,771 yards of total offense. They are 31st in passing, with 2,541 pass yards and 25th in rushing with 1,230 yards on the ground.
It’s truly impressive how successful that Pittsburgh has been, especially with their personnel under center. Three quarterbacks have taken snaps for the Steelers in 2019. Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, and most recently and successfully, Devlin Hodges. The Bills had four last season and their season was not a success.
Rudolph’s tenure as starting QB was enough for him to be at 31st in the NFL in passing yards with 1,636 passing yards, 12 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions. He had a 5-3 record as a starter. In three starts, Hodges is 3-0, and 39th in passing yards with 682 passing yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Roethlisberger had 351 passing yards, zero touchdowns and one interception in his tenure.
It hasn’t been a great year for last year’s emerging rush sensation, James Conner. Conner was a certified stud in 2018, filling in seamlessly for the boycotting Bell. This year has been drastically different, with injuries. James Conner is currently ranked 44th in the NFL amongst rushers, leading Pittsburgh with 390 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Benny Snell is next up in rushing leaders for Pittsburgh with 320 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Snell is ranked 49th in rushing.
Pittsburgh’s highest ranked receiver in yardage, is James Washington, who is currently ranked 50th in the NFL. He has accrued 611 yards receiving on the year, Next in line, Ju-Ju Smith Schuster, who is ranked 63rd in receiving yards, with 524 yards. Schuster has dealt with injuries all year, and has not been able to handle the workload of being a No. 1 WR with Brown leaving, and it has harmed him statistically.
One aspect that is keeping the Steelers alive and well in the playoff race is their defense, which is star studded. They are the fifth ranked defense in the NFL, allowing 4,042 yards of offense against them. Pittsburgh is also the fifth ranked passing defense, allowing 2,727 yards by air, and they are eighth in rush defense with 1,315 yards allowed.
Their defense is led by talents of T.J. Watt, Joe Haden, Bud Dupree, Cameron Hayward, Fitzpatrick, and many others.
Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary attends Buffalo Sabres game.
To our knowledge, he’s never been asked.
But as a Florida native who grew up playing against Lamar Jackson and attended FAU to play his college ball, it’s safe to guess that Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary isn’t much of a hockey guy.
What is he then? A Buffalo guy and on Thursday, he did what any Buffalo guy would do. He went to the Buffalo Sabres’ home game against the Nashville Predators.
The Sabres even put the Bills’ rookie rush on the big screen, and he got himself a new jersey, a Rasmus Dahlin one. Check it out:
The Sabres official Twitter account tweeted out the above photos. Here is Singletary on the jumbotron during the game:
The Sabres took the game 4-3. Hopefully Singletary’s presence was a “One Buffalo” one, which will have the same effect on his team as the Bills visit the Steelers this weekend.
Six stats to know from the Buffalo Bills’ loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Spoiler alert: There will be no talk of moral victories, no rousing motivation, nor wistful second-guessing. The Bills, though holding its own, were beaten by a better opponent Sunday in the Baltimore Ravens, 24-17.
The Ravens certainly didn’t look like world beaters, but they found a way to win — as good teams tend to do. The best thing Buffalo can do now is turn its attention to Week 15.
Here are six key stats to know from the Bills’ loss to the Ravens on Sunday:
209
Baltimore held Buffalo to a season-low 209 yards of total offense Sunday.
The Ravens held Josh Allen to just 146 passing yards and a touchdown on 17 of 39 passing. Baltimore was content letting Allen complete short passes, but took away the intermediate and deep ball. Allen was just 2-for-14 on attempts longer than 10 yards.
Devin Singletary eclipsed the century mark in total yards, going for 89 yards on 17 carries and snagging six receptions for 29 yards. Prior to Sunday, the Bills’ worst offensive output of the season came in a 31-13 loss to the Eagles in Week 8.
195
Baltimore’s defense definitely lived up to its billing in Sunday’s victory, though Buffalo’s defense certainly held its own.
The Bills held MVP candidate Lamar Jackson to a season-low 195 yards of total offense. Jackson did throw three touchdowns, including a 61-yard strike to Hayden Hurst on a busted coverage assignment early in the third quarter.
Remember, no moral victories to take away here, but Buffalo’s defense to 257 total yards – the fewest by the Ravens this season. That didn’t affect the outcome, but it’s empirical evidence that the Bills’ defense can hang with anyone.
23.5%
Buffalo struggled to extend drives, converting just four of its 17 third down attempts (23.5 percent). The Bills entered the game converted 38.4 percent of its third downs; its current 37 percent conversion percentage ranks 18th.
61.1 percent
In the event Buffalo was able to get into the red zone, the Bills settled for field goals all too often. Buffalo has a 61.1 percent red zone conversion rate on the season, 10th best in the league.
On Sunday, the Bills converted just one of its three red zone drives into a touchdown. Buffalo had a chance to tie the game on its final drive, with a first down at the Baltimore 18, but the drive ended with three straight incompletions after a 2-yard run on first down.
One
The Bills need one win over the next three games to clinch a playoff berth.
No hypotheticals, no complex scenarios; just win…once.
Buffalo’s first crack at a win-and-in starts on the national stage in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have won three straights games – albeit against the Browns, Bengals and Cardinals – and seven of their last eight.
Pittsburgh, one of three AFC teams with an 8-5 record and nipping at Buffalo’s heels in the wildcard race, boasts the league’s fifth best defense in yards allowed, sixth best in points allowed and best in turnovers forced.
+1.5
Buffalo opened as a small underdog (+1.5) for the Sunday night game at Heinz Field. The line has since moved out to +2.
The Steelers are one of the hottest teams in football and are getting surprisingly solid quarterback play from third-string quarterback Devlin Hodges, who replaced backup Mason Rudolph , who replaced injured starter Ben Roethlisberger.
Still with me? Good.
The Steelers (8-5) are 7-4-2 against the number on the year; both teams are 3-1-1 in their last five games against the spread. Buffalo is 5-0-1 against the number away from New Era Field; Pittsburgh is 4-2-1 at Heinz Field. The Over/Under is set for 36.5.
