Fantasy football Sleepers, sits, starts, ahead of Week 14.
It’s crunch time in fantasy football.
A little scouting and you can avoid a crucial late-season loss or do just enough to cross the finish line with a win this week. We’ve got you covered with a quick scouting report to help you out.
Here are five sleepers to start and five starters you’ve got to sit in fantasy football Week 14:
Starts
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
QB Tom Brady
Things aren’t going well for the Patriots. Correction: Things aren’t going well for the Patriots offense. Their defense had led them to their 10-2 record. But this could be a good game to have faith in Tom Brady. The Chiefs have an offense that could put up some points even against a stout defense such as New England’s, plus Brady played well against the Kansas City defense twice last season. He had 340 yards and two scores in that game, which was also a home game for him.
Six storlyines for the Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens during the NFL’s Week 14 slate.
The Bills and Baltimore Ravens will get after it in Week 14 at New Era Field. It’s not just your run of the mill game, though.
Nobody thought prior to the season that this one could have home field advantage implications taking part in the festivities, but alas, here we are with the 10-2 Ravens visiting the 9-3 Bills.
With that, here are six storylines to follow during the Bills’ Week 14 game against the Ravens:
That’s the question nobody has had an answer for yet in the NFL and the most obvious storyline heading into this game for the Bills. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson hasn’t been stopped at all this season. Yes, the Ravens have two losses, but they’re on an eight-game winning streak currently.
Jackson’s talents of a dual-threat quarterback are much like the ones the Bills have in Josh Allen, but Jackson’s elusiveness as a playmaker while running the ball are next level. With 977 rushing yards already this year, he’ll top 1,000 yards against the Bills. But exactly by how much is the real question.
And even then, Jackson has two games this season where he’s tossed five touchdown passes in a single game. Like Allen, his arm is questioned a little bit in comparison to his running skills, but to a much lesser extent since… did we mentioned Jackson has tossed five touchdowns in a single game two times this year?
The “Thanksgiving Special” helped launch the Bills into the national spotlight on Thanksgiving.
There’s a good chance that if you watched the Buffalo Bills-Dallas Cowboys game on Thanksgiving that you took a moment from your plate and yelled at the television.
And it didn’t matter if you were a Bills fan, Cowboys fan, a general football of football, or just needed a distraction from the inlaws. Your interest peaked just after the two-minute warning in the first half.
The Bills were driving into Cowboys’ territory. With the score tied at seven, Buffalo could take a lead into halftime with some clever play-calling and execution. The Bills defense shut down the Cowboys after the initial drive of the game, so Buffalo could be aggressive with their playcalling.
On fourth down at Dallas’ 30-yard-line, the Bills passed on a second field goal attempt which would have been a long 48-yard attempt, as their first one was unsuccessful. Quarterback Josh Allen fumbled the snap and jumped Superman-style over the defensive line to secure the first down.
However, this play only set up the play of the season for the Bills.
Rather than run the clock down to ensure that they would have the lead going into halftime, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll took the bull by the horns (purposeful Cowboy comparison) and threw caution into the wind.
Daboll called what is affectionately being called the Thanksgiving Special, culminating with a pass and the final lead change of the game.
Allen handed off to Andre Roberts, who was already in motion. The wideout then pitched to John Brown, who was returning across the field on a reverse. Brown then delivered a perfect pass to Devin Singletary, who ran a wheel route and was lost among the trickery of the play.
While the play was exciting, it’s the greater symbolism of the call that makes it important. Buffalo stepped on the throat of an opponent when they had the chance. This wasn’t done against a team working toward a top-ten draft pick, this occurred against the NFC East divisional leaders in front of a nationally-televised audience.
The Bills, at this moment, decided to announce the NFL-viewing audience that the team should be taken seriously.
The ball traveled through several players whom the Sean McDermott-Brandon Beane regime brought to the team in various capacities.
From the snap of Mitch Morse, brought to Buffalo to help improve a struggling offensive line; to Josh Allen, drafted to give the Bills a legitimate game-breaking quarterback; to Andre Roberts, making his way to Western New York to help a pitiful special teams unit; to John Brown, signed to give Allen a real weapon in the passing game; to Devin Singletary, an overachieving diminutive running back who simply gets the job done and support the running game; the play encapsulated so much about the Bills process over the past two-and-a-half years in an eight-second play.
That play essentially crushed the spirit of Cowboys Nation while simultaneously vaulting the Bills into the national spotlight.
It’s quite a place to be for Buffalo as they make their push into the playoff run. This drive and play epitomize the team’s overachieving status this year.
What we learned, Buffalo Bills vs. Dallas Cowboys, NFL Week 13
The Buffalo Bills and their fans couldn’t have imagined a better Thanksgiving Day if they tried. The Bills went down to Dallas and had a Thanksgiving feast in front of the entire nation in a statement win that will have the rest of the league taking notice.
It was a Turkey Day that won’t soon be forgotten in Buffalo as the Bills grabbed the spotlight on the national stage and announced they’ve arrived with a 26-15 victory over a reeling Cowboys team. The final score actually makes this game appear a bit closer than it actually was. Between an opening Cowboys’ touchdown drive and a Dallas garbage-time touchdown, the Bills dominated this game.
Buffalo got two huge takeaways from its defense in the first half to help stem the tide after a slow start. Josh Allen enjoyed his most efficient passing day of the season (19-for-24 passing, 231 yards) and tossed a touchdown to former Cowboy Cole Beasley. The Bills also pulled off an all-time memorable play when John Brown threw a pass off a reverse for a touchdown to Devin Singletary.
Allen scored his eighth rushing touchdown of the season in the third quarter and the Bills squeezed the life out of Dallas from there. The Bills enjoyed themselves in the Lone Star State as Allen and Tre’Davious White got to enjoy a bite of turkey leg from CBS’ Tracy Wolfson after the game and the team carried Beasley around in the locker room in celebration of his big return to AT&T Stadium.
Thursday’s game was as memorable and enjoyable a win as the Bills have had in a very long time. In the short term, the Bills improve to 9-3 and get 10 days to prepare for a huge showdown with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. In the big picture, the Bills are now almost certain to find themselves playing in January as they are on the cusp of their second playoff appearance in three seasons.
Here are four things we learned from a joyous, unforgettable Thanksgiving evening in Dallas:
The Buffalo Bills won big on Thanksgiving, landing their first “statement win”, against the Dallas Cowboys with the world watching. Buffalo, for the last 20 years, has been a team that collapsed when the national spotlight was placed on them, but …
The Buffalo Bills won big on Thanksgiving, landing their first “statement win”, against the Dallas Cowboys with the world watching. Buffalo, for the last 20 years, has been a team that collapsed when the national spotlight was placed on them, but this was different.
The Bills delivered in a big way, and embarrassing the Cowboys, in their home stadium, and in a game that they have played in every year, since the 1960’s. I’ll admit, that it was strange to watch the Bills in a scenario like this, and a player in a Bills jersey eating a turkey leg to close out the game.
The offense fired on all cylinders, with Josh Allen moving the ball efficiently, by air, connecting with Cole Beasley, who was out for revenge against his former team. Devin Singletary caught a touchdown pass himself, as well as dominating on the ground. Allen looked like the franchise quarterback that Buffalo has long awaited, for the first time. It was certainly a defining game.
The Bills defense handled itself well. Giving up touchdowns to Dallas on their first and last possessions only, they did well, disrupting the number one ranked offense in the NFL. Dak Prescott, in an important contract situation this season, turned the ball over several times. He had defenders in his face all night, and even Ezekiel Elliott couldn’t get anything going.
Buffalo looked good when the lights shined bright, but what lays in front of them is another challenge, in the form of the red hot Baltimore Ravens. It’s hard to not try and enjoy this win against Dallas on a special occasion. With 10 days to prepare for the offensive onslaught that Lamar Jackson has brought against the best of the NFL, there is a lot more work that has to be done before the real celebrating can commence.
Billswire Podcast host Matt Johnson explores the win and outlook towards Baltimore in Week 13:
A look at the Cowboys’ 26-15 loss at home against the Bills, through the lens of EPA and Win Probability metrics from nflscrapR.
The Dallas Cowboys 26-15 loss against the Buffalo Bills was not the worst Thanksgiving defeat in NFL history. That belongs to the Detroit Lions, who lost 47-10 against the Tennessee Titans in 2008. However, the Cowboys’ loss on Thursday seems surreal for a team that seemingly has all the tools be one of the best in the league. The Bills played a sound football game but they benefited from some careless turnovers from the Cowboys. On top of that, head coach Jason Garrett’s unwavering trust in kicker Brett Maher has continued to hurt the team.
It was a stunning loss for the Cowboys. After a score on their opening drive their offense was non-existent. On defense they had no answers for the dynamic duo of quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Cole Beasley. When looking at the biggest plays in the game, this couldn’t be more apparent.
Here is a look using Expected Points Added (EPA) and Win Probability (WP) models from nflscrapR. EPA measure the value of a play based on down, distance to first downs and field position.
No. 1 Dak Prescott pass short right to Jason Witten for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN
The game started out well for the Cowboys. On their opening possession they drove the ball downfield picking up 62 scrimmage yards and an additional 13 yards on penalties. The drive elapsed nine plays, but the team managed to pick up six first downs. The end result was a touchdown from quarterback Dak Prescott to Jason Witten on a well executed play-action pass.
The score gave the Cowboys the early lead at 7-0, but it would be the last time they scored while the game remained competitive. Things only got worse from here.
No. 2 Josh Allen pass deep right to Cole Beasley for 29 yards
After a successful special teams play from the Cowboys, the Bills were pinned back in their own territory with abysmal field position. They began the drive at their own 2-yard line. In spite of the circumstances, the Bills made the most of the situation. Their biggest play of the drive came on an improbable pass from Allen to Beasley.
Allen was able to generate one of the biggest plays of the game thanks to some allusive movement in the pocket to avoid DeMarcus Lawrence off the edge. He delivered an accurate pass to Beasley and the play garnered 29 yards in total.
The Bills found the end zone on their third possession. They orchestrated their biggest drive of the game, gaining 85 yards and five first downs on nine plays. The drive was capped with a 25-yard touchdown from Allen to Beasley. It was a seamless play for the Bills as Beasley found the void in the Cowboys’ soft zone defense with relative ease.
Beginning their fourth drive of the game, the Cowboys’ WP odds stood at 53%. The game was tied late in the second quarter and both teams managed to avoid some costly mistakes to this point. However, it was the Cowboys that would commit the first turnover of the game. The play was a designed screen pass with Pollard being the intended target.
The pass might have reached Pollard, but Prescott was backpedaling and got hit by linebacker Matt Milano at the time of his release. Following the interception, the Cowboys’ WP was 40%.
After turning the ball over the Cowboys’ defense was able to absorb the blow. They held the Bills to minus-3 yards on the ensuing drive. The Bills settled for a 50-yard field goal attempt from kicker Steven Hauschka, but it was no good.
The Cowboys could breathe easy knowing their costly turnover didn’t result in any points scored. Unfortunately, the relief was short lived. Their next drive only lasted three plays and ended with a forced fumble from rookie defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
Prescott appeared to be locked in with Michael Gallup running an in breaking route on the right, but the play was slow to develop.
No. 6 John Brown pass deep right to Devin Singletary for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN
The forced turnover from Prescott was the biggest play of the game for the Bills. They were gifted with possession at the Cowboys’ 39-yard line. Later in the drive they flexed their creativity on a play that would give them a 14-7 lead. The Bills reached into their bag of tricks with a double reverse pass play with wide receiver John Brown throwing to a wide open Singletary along the sideline.
After the score, the Cowboys’ WP dropped to 26%. From this point on, the Cowboys failed to get a hold on the game. The Bills never relented their lead and despite their defense giving up a touchdown late in the game, it was never really a close contest.
The Buffalo Bills got their statement win. And, it occurred on a national stage.
The Buffalo Bills got their statement win. And, it occurred on a national stage.
The Bills knocked off the Dallas Cowboys 26-7 on Thanksgiving afternoon. The Thanksgiving triumph was Buffalo’s first turkey day win since 1975. In addition, the victory was Buffalo’s first win on a Thursday night since 2015.
Buffalo carved up the Cowboys throughout the game, winning battles in all aspects of the game. The Bills moved the ball at will offensively, with the Cowboys being a step behind on several plays. Defensively, Buffalo confused the top offensive in the NFL, allowing only one score to the NFC East leaders.
Above all, it was an exhibition in coaching, as Sean McDermott and his staff outsmarted the Cowboys’ staff, revealing a confused and oft-times struggling home unit.
The game started out inauspiciously for the Bills, as the Cowboys drove down the field on the opening drive of the game. Dallas went 75 yards on nine plays to put up seven points in less than five minutes into the game. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott found Jason Witten wide open for an eight-yard touchdown pass.
After that series, it was all Buffalo. Josh Allen found Cole Beasley for Buffalo’s first points of the day, a 25-yard touchdown pass in which the Wyoming product found the first-year Bill for a score against his former team. Beasley found a hole in the Cowboys’ secondary and Allen made a throw with pinpoint accuracy.
Buffalo’s offense kept things rolling along, adding another touchdown prior to the end of the first half. Many folks have been clamoring to see some more creativity from Brian Daboll’s play-calling, and it came in the form of a double reverse. John Brown ended up getting credit for the touchdown pass, as he found a wide open Devin Singletary for a 28-yard toss.
The offensive progress continued into the second half. Allen scored on a 15-yard touchdown run. It was a play that many are becoming familiar with seeing from Allen, as he found a space as the defensive end went too far up the field, leaving a gap for Allen to exploit.
When McDermott discusses complementary units, as the defense matched the offense’s dominance on the day. Star Lotulelei picked off a short pass from Prescott. On the subsequent drive for the Cowboys, Ed Oliver forced a Prescott fumble, which was recovered by Trent Murphy.
The Bills put constant pressure on Dallas’ offensive line. Prescott was under duress all afternoon, as Buffalo recorded four sacks and seven quarterback hits. Ed Oliver was tremendous on the day, recorded two sacks. Murphy added a sack, while Star Lotulelei and Jordan Phillips earned half a sack as well.
Buffalo deflected nine passes during the game. Tre’Davious White was in Amari Cooper’s face all game. Even though Cooper put up 85 receiving yards on eight catches, none really put the Bills defense in danger, aside from a few early yips.
Allen ended the day 19-of-24 for 231 passing yards. He added 43 yards on the ground. It was easily one of Allen’s best games in the NFL, as he led the offense with decisive and intelligent choices on the field.
Devin Singletary strengthened his case as the team’s No. 1 back, as the shifty rookie was a focal point for Buffalo’s offense. Singletary ran for 63 yards on 14 carries. He also caught three passes for 38 yards.
Beasley, in his return to Dallas, played like a man who had something to prove. He caught six passes for 110 receiving yards. He was borderline uncoverable, finding space in the Cowboys’ secondary.
The only downfall from the game was Stephen Hauschka’s kicking woes resurfaced. He missed a field goal and a PAT in the first half. He bounced a field goal attempt off the upright, which took a fortunate ricochet for the Bills. He ended two-of-three on PATs and the same stat line for field goals.
It’s a monster win for Buffalo, as it quiets those who criticized the team for their victories this year. The Bills move closer to cementing a playoff spot with this impressive win. Buffalo is now one-and-a-half games behind New England in the AFC East.
The Bills return to the field in ten days, as they face off against the surging Baltimore Ravens at New Era Field.
Sep 15, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) runs after a catch against the Washington Redskins during the second half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports For the first time since 1996, …
Sep 15, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) runs after a catch against the Washington Redskins during the second half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
For the first time since 1996, the Buffalo Bills are 8-3, and for the first time since 1994, they are playing football on Thanksgiving. Dallas has been a regular host of the Thanksgiving Day series since 1966, and the Cowboys have a rich history against the Buffalo Bills. It is one of the most anticipated games of Thanksgiving this year.
Here is everything that you need to know about the history of the Cowboys and Buffalo Bills, including their respective Thanksgiving Day stats:
The Bills and Cowboys first met on September 17, 1971, in Buffalo. The Cowboys won that game 49-37.
They met in two Superbowls, 27 and 28, with Dallas winning both encounters.
Their most recent encounter took place on December 27, 2015, and the Bills won that encounter 16 – 6.
The Cowboys lead the all-time series, including the two Super Bowl games, 8 games to 4 and have outscored Buffalo 280-181 over those 12 encounters.
The Cowboys played their first Thanksgiving Day game on November 24, 1966, defeating the Cleveland Browns 26-14.
Dallas would hold that tradition annually, with the exception of 1975 and 1977, in an effort to help out the St. Louis (Arizona) Cardinals boost stadium ticket sales.
Dallas is 31-18-1 on Thanksgiving.
Buffalo started playing Thanksgiving Day games while in the AFL. They played their first against the New York Titans (Jets) in a 21-14 loss.
The modern iteration of the Buffalo Bills have never hosted a Thanksgiving Day game, but played in five during their AFL years when no team had that home game guaranteed.
The Bills are 3-4-1 on Thanksgiving.
2019 So Far
Coming off of a 10-6 season and winning the NFC East for the second time in three years, the Cowboys are having a interesting year to say the least. Dallas lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Rams, and there were very high expectations coming into this season.
The Cowboys are currently 6-5, narrowly sitting atop the NFC East with Philadelphia only one game back at 5-6. As close as the race for the NFC East has been, both Philadelphia and Dallas are not being viewed as very competitive amongst the entire NFL, and are currently the worst team by record in the NFC Playoffs. A rather disappointing year that has many of the Dallas fan base calling for Jason Garrett’s removal as head coach, again.
2019 has been rocky from the start, as star running back Ezekiel Elliott held out for a bigger contract, a few years short of the expiration of his rookie deal. Considering the workload that has been put on “Zeke” over his very young NFL career, it was relatively fair, considering the toll that running back’s endure. However, the hold out led to some awkward moments and uncomfortable statements between Owner Jerry Jones and Elliott.
Also, a looming question heading into 2019 was quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract situation. Prescott has played relatively well in his tenure, sporting a 38-21 record as a starter with 14,309 yards passing, 88 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. He will most likely be extended with Dallas, as he’s given stability at his position that the Cowboys didn’t have during the latter years of Tony Romo’s career. Whether or not Dak has performed well in clutch moments, has been the question of his biggest detractors, and that is an area that he has lacked in.
Dallas began the season with three straight wins, defeating the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins. A great start, and Dallas looked like a top tier team and a definite Super Bowl contender, granted the strength of schedule. Prescott was having some of his best numbers, and the team, as a unit, was a well oiled machine.
However, it was the three games after that win streak that gave the Cowboys a stigma for 2019 that they “couldn’t beat good teams”. Losing to the New Orleans Saints 10-12, Green Bay Packers 24-34, and even a massive upset by the New York Jets, left Dallas feeling like an average team that couldn’t compete against the class of the division.
Since then, they’ve defeated the Eagles 37-10, completed the sweep of the Giants by winning 37-18, lost to the Minnesota Vikings 24-28, beat Detroit 35-27 and fell to the New England Patriots 9-13.
Dallas currently ranks first in “Team Offense” earning 4,767 yards over their first 11 games. They are the number one passing offense as well, with 3,339 passing yards. They are the eighth ranked rushing offense with 1,428 rushing yards, nearly 1,000 yards behind the Baltimore Ravens who sit at first.
Dak is currently the number one passer in the NFL, with 3,433 yards passing, tied at fourth in passing touchdowns with Kirk Cousins at 21 and tied for fifth in interceptions at 10 with Jimmy Garoppolo, Matt Ryan, Sam Darnold and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
“Zeke” is ranked seventh in rushing with 919 yards on the ground and tied at seven rushing touchdowns with Nick Chubb, Josh Jacobs, Todd Gurley and Bills QB Josh Allen. Dak Prescott has 197 rushing yards to his credit, good enough for 60th in the NFL, as well as three rushing touchdowns of his own.
Amari Cooper comes in at sixth in receiving, amassing 886 yards and he’s tied for fifth with touchdown receptions, at seven. Michael Gallup is the next best receiver, sitting at 21st in the NFL with 733 receiving yards. Randall Cobb at 39th with 581 yards.
As a defense, Dallas sits sixth in the NFL, allowing 3,503 yards against them and the seventh most points scored against them at 210. They are sixth in passing defense, giving up 2,350 yards by air and 12 touchdowns. The weakest aspect of their defense is against the rush, with 1,153 yards ran against them, good enough for 15th in the NFL.
How they match up with Buffalo?
There is certainly some intrigue with this game. Both Dallas and Buffalo are teams with stigmas. They can beat who they are supposed to beat, but can’t get the job done against winning teams. It rings true, as Dallas has not yet defeated a team with a winning record as of Week 13. The only team that Buffalo has defeated with a winning record currently, is the Tennessee Titans.
The Bills rush defense is at great risk this week, although it has improved the last few weeks. Ezekiel Elliott is one of the best running backs in the game, and an excellent pass-catching back. We all watched the defense that New England brought forth on Dallas last week, limiting the best passing offense to no touchdowns. The Bills have a tough defense as well, and it will be interesting to see if the Bills can duplicate or come close to New England’s performance.
Offensively, the Bills moved the ball effectively against Denver, who is ranked in the Top 10. Smart, calculated football to keep moving the chains with more usage for Singletary and Gore. The Cowboys weak rush defense should be a target for Buffalo in this game. Also, Cole Beasley is making his big return to the team where he had spent many years at. Beasley was excellent in the short to mid-range passing game last week, and it would be a good idea to continue to build off of that.
The Cowboys obviously have home field advantage on their side, and that typically bodes well with teams on short weeks. Traveling teams are 5-7 on the year, which aren’t terrible odds for the Bills.
Enjoy this game, and the other two throughout the day, with family and friends, the best way to enjoy football. Happy Thanksgiving from myself and the rest of the Billswire staff to you and yours!
Eight stats and numbers to know from the Buffalo Bills’ 20-3 win over the Denver Broncos.
Week 12 saw another inferior opponent pay a visit to New Era Field.
The Bills, for the second week in a row, turned in a dominating performance en route to a 17-point victory – this time a 20-3 thumping of the Denver Broncos.
While at a lowly three wins, the Broncos have a stout defense, but you wouldn’t know from the way Buffalo’s offense came to play.
With that, here are eight stats to know from the Bills win over the Broncos in Week 12:
15,289
It feels inappropriate to start with anything else. Running back Frank Gore rushed for 65 yards on 15 attempts, which brings his career total to 15,289 yards – bypassing Barry Sanders (15,269) for third all time.
In his first season in Buffalo, the 36-year-old Gore has amassed 541 yards through the team’s first 11 games. He is now 1,437 yards behind Walter Payton (16,726) for second-most all-time.
106
From one ground game accomplishment to another. Rookie Devin Singletary tallied his first-ever 100-yard game in Sunday’s victory over Denver, going for 106 yards on 21 carries.
Singletary is up to 490 yards on 84 attempts in eight games as a pro, and is averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
171
Josh Allen’s streak of passes thrown without an interception ended at 171, when his first-down pass was intercepted by Justin Simmons.
Allen redeemed himself nicely after the errant throw, finishing with 185 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 15-of-25 passing – highlighted by a 34-strike to John Brown with 11:14 to go in the fourth quarter to all but put Denver away. The QB also rushed for 56 yards on nine carries.
39
John Brown saw his streak of 11 games with at least five receptions and five yards come to an end Sunday; he finished with two receptions on four targets for 39 yards and a score, while primarily going up against Denver’s All-Pro cornerback Chris Harris.
On the other side, Denver’s break-out receiver Courtland Sutton was held to just one reception on eight targets for 27 yards against Tre’Davious White.
White got the best of the matchup, snagging his fourth interception of the year. That ties a single-season career-high for him.
134
Buffalo held Denver to just 134 yards of total offense, including just 49 net passing yards with their four sacks of Broncos QB Brandon Allen combined.
The Bills defense held Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay to 57 yards on 13 carries. As a team, Denver only had 14 rushing yards after the first quarter. It was another impressive performance from the third-ranked Buffalo defense that’s needed to, and gotten, improved from their run defense.
424
Buffalo racked up 424 yards of total offense in the victory, matching its season-high – albeit only a week prior – from Nov. 17 at Miami. The Bills converted 50 percent 8-of-16) of their third downs in the win.
While Buffalo moved the ball and sustain drives against Denver’s eighth-ranked defense, penalties were again an issue. The Bills were flagged 12 times for 90 yards. Buffalo is tied for the seventh-most penalized team, having been flagged 85 times for 669 yards through 11 games.
1996
This one, you already know. Buffalo is 8-3 for the first time since 1996, and just the fifth-time overall. The Bills are 3-2 all-time in this spot, with wins coming in 1974 and in 1996.
Buffalo went on to win at least 10 games in all but one season after starting 8-3, with 1974’s 9-5 regular season record coming in a 14-game schedule.
+7
The Bills make their 2019 national television season debut on Thursday, squaring off with the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Buffalo opened as seven-point underdogs ahead of the Thanksgiving Day battle with Dallas (6-5).
The Bills are 7-3-1 against the spread this season, while Dallas is 7-4 ATS. Buffalo is 4-0-1 against the spread on the road, while Dallas is 3-2 at home against the number. The over/ under is set for 45.
What We Learned, Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos, NFL Week 12
The Buffalo Bills find themselves in unfamiliar territory heading into Thanksgiving: comfortably in a playoff position with one of the best records the AFC.
The Bills improved to 8-3 for the first time since 1996, Jim Kelly’s final season with the team, with a workman-like 20-3 victory over the Denver Broncos. It took a while for the Bills’ offense to get going, but once they did they were able to pull away from a Denver team that never seriously threatened Buffalo in this game. The Bills racked up over 240 yards rushing and Josh Allen tossed a pair of touchdown passes, including a 34-yard rainbow to John Brown that should satisfy fans who have been calling for Allen to deliver on a deep ball.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo defense was dominant, holding Denver to just nine first downs and 134 total yards. Young Broncos’ signal caller Brandon Allen tallied just 82 passing yards on 25 attempts. The Bills also sacked him four times, and the yardage from those sacks brought Denver down to just 49 net passing yards for the day. The run defense also held Phillip Lindsay and company to just 85 yards on the ground.
There was little to criticize from a complete effort from this Bills’ team as they find themselves in strong position heading into the final stretch of the regular season. The schedule does get considerably tougher beginning on Thanksgiving Day Thursday in Dallas.
Here are four things we learned as the Bills won for the second week in a row to continue their playoff push:
