Buffalo News

‘“I think he’s a highly competitive player that has also adjusted his game to the modern NFL game,” coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday. “And he knows when it’s time, and he knows when it’s not time. You’re never going, to me, to take someone’s athleticism away from them. I just think Josh is in a good, healthy spot with it. And he’s done a great job this year of taking care – when he’s had opportunities to slide or get out of bounds, he’s done that. I think he’s really doing a great job with it.”’

‘The Bills’ offense ran the football 68% of the time, controlling drives with 6 more minutes in overall time of possession. The Bills scored five touchdowns and finished drives when they needed to. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady had another excellent game plan as he was able to use a sixth offensive lineman to consistently gain a power advantage while causing the 49ers to adjust with base defensive sets and eight-man fronts.’

‘That’s how it was in the days of limited rosters, when kickers and punters typically came from the ranks of position players. The Bills would herald the age of the kicking specialist when they brought in Pete Gogolak, pro football’s first so-called soccer-style kicker, in 1964. That’s when Buffalo traded Yoho to Boston, where he played one season for the Patriots before retiring.’

‘The Bills put quarterback Josh Allen in a shotgun formation on the first five snaps of the game. After that, Allen went under center on 39 of the final 51 plays. The Bills also continued their successful use of Alec Anderson as a sixth offensive lineman. They used him as the third tackle on 17 plays, and ran 15 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns, according to Buffalo News charting.’

‘“We said it in the locker room: ‘This is not the finish line,’ ” he said. “There is still a lot of games where we can get better and roll into the playoffs. Obviously, it feels good clinching a playoff spot like that this early on, but this isn’t the finish line. We’ve still got a lot of ball left. We’re excited.”’

‘The Buffalo Bills’ veteran linebacker played 37 defensive snaps in the 35-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. That was 77% of the team total in Milano’s first game since October 2023.’

‘The Bills, however, are protecting the ball better than ever under McDermott. Buffalo has just seven giveaways, second behind the Los Angeles Chargers (six). Buffalo had 28 giveaways last year (23rd fewest) and 27 in 2022 (30th). The last time the Bills were among the top 10 in fewest giveaways was McDermott’s first season, 2017.’

‘The Bills bulked up with big personnel groupings on 68% of the offensive snaps in the win over San Francisco. It made perfect sense, given the snowy field conditions. The Bills used extra offensive lineman Alec Anderson as a jumbo tight end in a three-receiver formation with no traditional tight end on the field (10-plus personnel) on 10 plays. It worked. James Cook’s 65-yard touchdown run came out of that grouping. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady had run 10-plus personnel only three plays in the first 11 games of the season.’

‘“NBC Sunday Night Football” play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico seems to enjoy calling Buffalo Bills games as much as the players enjoy playing in them and fans enjoy watching them.’

‘As a steady lake-effect snowstorm pounded Orchard Park, the Bills did the same to the visiting San Francisco 49ers. Led on the winter-white ground by running back James Cook, the Bills piled up 141 rushing yards in the first half of a 35-10 wipeout that surely looked picturesque on NBC’s nationwide broadcast. The win improved the Bills to 10-2 and clinched their fifth straight AFC East championship. It also kept them seeded second in the AFC playoff picture, one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs.’

‘But the real work now begins. They have disposed of their incompetent division rivals so early that we’re still nibbling on Thanksgiving leftovers and thinking about what kind of Christmas tree to get.’

‘“It was dope,” added pass rusher Von Miller. “The real 58. I know what it’s like to overcome injury and get back on the field. I was just happy for him. I love Matt.”’

‘It was no surprise the Bills whipped an injury-riddled San Francisco team. But fans are going to remember this one for a long time, given that it played out amid a big snowstorm. Then add the fact Josh Allen and Amari Cooper made a play that had never happened in team history – a lateral TD to the quarterback.’

‘Let’s face it, the Bills got a break when 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey departed early in the second quarter with a non-contact knee injury. He had already gained 53 yards on seven rushes and 14 yards on two catches – he was going to match plays with Cook on a night when the offense had the advantage on a slick field.’

‘But before officials blew the play dead, Cooper lateraled to Allen, who was following the play. Niners safety Malik Mustapha swooped in to assist on the tackle of Cooper and made a diving attempt to stop Allen. But the Bills’ QB shrugged him off and outraced two Niners to the left pylon for the touchdown.’