Niagara Gazette

‘Thursday’s full practice will bring more clarity as to who will be available to play against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional playoff game Sunday and that includes Bernard, who recorded a team-high 143 tackles to go along with 6 ½ sacks and three interceptions. Bernard’s injury appeared devastating when he was taken off the field on a cart after making a tackle against the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday.’

‘That idea, though, was built more on myth than any facts to support such a claim. Some of it is an assumption that the Bills are a high-scoring offense centering on the quarterback, so they can’t run the ball, while the Steelers averaged 155.7 yards rushing — on just 4.1 yards per carry — in their three wins to end the regular season and some of it is simply the Steelers logo because of course, they must be a good running team.’

‘If the Bills want to win Round 3 with the Chiefs, putting the ball in Allen’s hands seems to be the most logical solution.’

‘In a press conference with Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Hochul announced Buffalo’s wild-card game has been moved from 1 p.m. Sunday to 4:30 p.m. Monday. The game will still be broadcast on CBS.’

‘“This year we rode a roller coaster a little bit as far as having wins and having losses,” Bills receiver Stefon Diggs said. “I’m not going to say we got hot at the right time, but we start winning at the right time towards that (time) in a year when you start finding yourself, what kind of team you got, the character of your team, too, as far as — when we were losing, nobody really kind of jumped out of the wheelbarrow.”’

‘The Bills are 11-2 this season when rushing for 100 yards and they are 18-5 since 2019 when rushing for 150. And it may be wise for Buffalo to control the clock, considering the risk of fluke plays induced by the weather.’

‘Outside Flyby Cafe in the town of Wheatfield, owner Herminio Cruz Jr. has his prediction for the Bills to win the Super Bowl on full display, predicting they beat the Dallas Cowboys with a final score of 17-10.’

‘Buffalo also has several veterans with contracts that expire following the 2024 season, some of whom may be salary cap casualties for a roster that currently projects to be more than $40 million over the cap next season, according to Spotrac.com.’

‘The Bills love to use the “next-man-up” phrase, but this year it’s not just patching holes and hoping to hide them. Buffalo has found unlikely performances throughout its five-game winning streak and it has been a big reason for the late-season turnaround.’

‘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.’