CBS Sports

‘Ford was penalized 15 yards for an illegal blindside block on Houston Texans linebacker Jacob Martin as Bills quarterback Josh Allen was scrambling to his right on a third-and-9 from the Texans’ 42-yard line. Allen scrambled for four yards that would have put the Bills in position to kick a 56-yard field goal for the win, but Ford’s penalty backed them into their own territory and took Buffalo out of field goal range.’

‘Did Allen improve? Yeah. But he didn’t improve nearly as much as the narrative suggests. While his raw numbers look better across the board than they did last year, the advanced metrics indicate the improvement was marginal at best. A year ago, he ranked 33rd in DYAR and DVOA, and 26th in total QBR. This year, he finished 27th in DYAR and DVOA, and 26th in total QBR. Here’s where it’s worth noting that Trubisky was 28th in DYAR and DVOA, and 30th in total QBR. In other words, Allen was only barely better than Trubisky, at least according to the advanced metrics.’

‘Gore is just 1,379 yards away from Payton for second on the all-time rushing list, likely needing two more seasons to pass him based on his playing time this season. At this point, Gore is likely a backup running back in the NFL with the durability to stay healthy (missing just 14 games over his career).’

‘The Bills took a step forward this past season, and despite the quality production from free-agent signees John Brown and Cole Beasley, Buffalo clearly needs another receiver (or two) heading into the 2020 season. Given Jerry Hughes’ age, Lorenzo Alexander’s retirement, and Shaq Lawson’s status as a free agent, the defensive end spot should be addressed, and the efficient Devin Singletary will likely need a new running mate in the backfield with the expiration of Frank Gore’s one-year deal.’

‘The Texans were dead. But what is dead may never die.’

‘On second-and-6 from the Texans’ 16-yard line, Allen took a shotgun snap and immediately pitched the ball to John Brown, and that’s when this happened:’

‘Up 13-0, the Bills took the field to kick off to the Texans to open up the second half. Kick returner DeAndre Carter waved off his blockers — letting them know he wasn’t going to return the kick — caught the ball and then nonchalantly tossed the ball to the official. The referee surprisingly treated it as a live ball and stepped away, which allowed the Bills to recover the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.’

‘”I could continue to play on and on and on,” Alexander said, via NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones, “but that deters me being able to be there for my kids, obviously emotionally, spiritually, and then physically, because the more I play, the more injuries that I will succumb to eventually just because of age and wear and tear. I really want to be an active dad, hanging out with them, playing with them, taking them on trips. I don’t wanna be a guy that’s old and can’t do too much because I played too long. So I’m happy about walking away. I’m at peace with it because I’m choosing my kids and my family and my wife versus not choosing football.”‘

‘”I think this one is going to be a defensive matchup, and I think Allen and the Bills are still underrated. That’s why I’m picking them to beat the Texans in Houston this weekend.” — Jordan Dajani on why he has the Bills winning 24-20.’

‘Daboll and the Bills travel to Houston to face the Texans in the Wild-Card round of the NFL Playoffs Saturday. Buffalo finished with a 10-6 record chasing the Patriots within the AFC East. Daboll’s offense finished in the NFL’s bottom 10 in points per game and yards per game. However, the Canadian born coach is credited with the development of second year quarterback Josh Allen. He, and other coaches in the playoffs, are not permitted to interview until after their respective seasons end.’

‘What makes Allen such a tantalizing player is that he’s capable of making the kind of jaw-dropping plays we associate with someone like Patrick Mahomes. What makes Allen such a frustrating player is that in between those jaw-dropping plays, which he can make as both a passer and a runner, he makes the kind of mistakes that we associate with someone like, say, Mitchell Trubisky.’

‘There isn’t really one gigantic reason, and that’s indicative of a team capable of taking the Patriots to the wire, as they did back in Week 4. A couple that stand out, though: Coaching, for one. Sean McDermott is a good leader, but little things — like refusing to use a timeout after Allen was sacked on third down with seconds remaining in the game — affected their chances. Another issue: Running. Allen did his best to keep drives alive, extending plays with his legs and averaging six yards a carry, but he got no help from Devin Singletary or any other running back in Foxborough.’

‘”The Bills are a great football team,” Belichick said. “They’ve had a really solid year. They’re very good in all three phases of the game. They present a lot of problems. They’re obviously very good defensively and they have a lot of good skill players and they’re good in the kicking game. So, it’s gonna be a challenge for us. It’ll be a good test.”‘

‘”We’re trying to get guys who love playing for their teammates. It’s not about ‘me,’ it’s about the ‘we.’ Smart and dependable guys and tough guys who are resilient,” Beane said in the visiting locker room of Heinz Field. “Sometimes it’s not always the guy who’s most athletically talented. We’re shooting for guys who even when our backs are up against the wall, nobody’s pointing the finger when bad stuff happens.’

‘Some fans commented that this photo is the new Mona Lisa. Others replied to the tweet saying the only thing that would make this even better is if Allen posed for a selfie with his selfie.’