Niagara Gazette

‘A coach whose defining moment came in 13 seconds in Kansas City didn’t seem to know how to close out close games after moving to 29-28 in one-score games as a head coach. The Bills had less than 20% odds to make the playoffs Nov. 27 and McDermott vowed to get to the bottom of the late-game struggles.’

‘They are maddening. They are inconsistent. They can be downright baffling. They are also perseverant.’

‘It’s a common theme because the Buffalo Bills too frequently still put Allen in those situations. Two dreadful plays and a delay of game put the Bills in that predicament with 3:12 left on the clock, nursing a 21-14 lead and unwilling to give the ball back to the dangerous Miami Dolphins offense.’

‘Should the Bills lose and the Jaguars and Steelers both win, Buffalo will be watching the postseason from home, snapping a four-year playoff stretch. The Bills can clinch a playoff spot regardless of their result against Miami if either of the Jaguars or Steelers lose or tie, or if the Texans-Colts game ends in a tie.’

‘It took Metzelaars 11 NFL seasons to set his record at 33 years old. Yet, Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid, a player 29 years his junior, needs just three catches to break Metzelaars’ record in his rookie season, one that began with general manager Brandon Beane making a polarizing decision to trade up to draft him in the first round.’

‘But Buffalo seems to have found ways to blitz more efficiently and at less costly moments during its four-game winning streak. According to Gazette studies, the Bills have blitzed at least 11 times in three of the last four games and 42 times total, allowing one touchdown pass and five interceptions.’

‘During Buffalo’s four-game winning streak, Allen is averaging 183.3 yards passing per game and failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 24 games — and for the sixth time in 65 games — in the Bills’ 27-21 win over the New England Patriots Sunday.’

‘Cook heads into the final week of the regular season third in the NFL with 1,066 yards rushing, becoming the first Bills running back since LeSean McCoy in 2017 to surpass 1,000 yards in a season. The second-year player is also fifth in the league with 1,515 yards from scrimmage, while scoring six touchdowns.’

‘The Bills can’t afford to rely on help from an already-clinched Ravens team that faces the Steelers in Week 18 and a five-win Titans team to beat the Jaguars.’

‘The Bills didn’t have Rasul Douglas nine weeks ago.’

‘It was the Bills who had the superstar quarterback who needed to do just enough and the Patriots who had the inferior quarterback who made critical mistakes that cost New England the game.’

‘The last player to win the award on a team that wasn’t a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the playoffs was Adrian Peterson — the last non-quarterback to be named MVP — in 2012. And the last quarterback to do so was Peyton Manning in 2008.’

‘Jones is in the second week of his 21-day window to return from injured reserve, but the Bills cleared space on the active roster by releasing offensive lineman Germain Ifedi Thursday. Jones will have to officially be signed to the active roster before playing Sunday.’

‘He later said “all of it’s incorrect” except news he and his girlfriend are expecting a third son. Miller did not provide any specific details to dispute the charges, but said that everything with his girlfriend is still the same as before the arrest. He called it “a crazy day.”’

‘But over the last six games, Rousseau seems more like himself again. He’s got five tackles for a loss and two sacks for a Buffalo defense that is allowing 96.3 yards rushing per game over the last nine weeks after giving up 133.7 in the first six, including a season-high 196 against the Jaguars when Rousseau was out.’