Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘Having a stud running back is a nice luxury, but it continues to be proven time and again in this new era of quarterback-driven, pass-heavy offensive football that you don’t need a first-round running back to succeed.’

‘“At the end of the day we didn’t make enough plays,” said quarterback Josh Allen, who struggled mightily from start to finish. “We have to be better in that aspect.”’

‘The way the Bills contained Lamar Jackson — if allowing him to throw three TD passes can be considered contained — they very well could have pulled off an upset had they gotten anything from Allen and the rest of his pals on offense. If the Bills contained Jackson, the Ravens suffocated Allen.’

‘After pondering how his team gave the Ravens two short fields to score touchdowns after an Allen fumble and a 29-yard Corey Bojorquez punt, how too many passes were dropped, how Allen was sacked six times and hit 12 other times, McDermott wanted no part of having his feelings massaged.’

‘It wasn’t a brilliant performance at New Era Field for Jackson, a credit to a swarming Bills defense, but as he’s done all season Jackson made the plays when it counted.’

‘It was an egregiously bad day for the offensive line as it had no answers for Baltimore’s non-stop blitzing tactics.’

‘Houston lost to Denver, Oakland lost to Tennessee, and Indianapolis lost to Tampa Bay. It would have been the perfect storm for Buffalo, that is until Marcus Peters broke up Josh Allen’s fourth-down pass over the middle from the Ravens 16 with 1:03 left to play to secure Baltimore’s victory which, by the way, enabled it to clinch its own playoff berth.’

‘“I don’t know what it means exactly, if it means are they going to solve him as a player or shut him down, no I don’t think that’ll ever happen until he retires because he’s just that good,’’ Harbaugh said of Jackson, who has accounted for 32 touchdowns, 25 passing and seven rushing.’

‘Ravens 19, Bills 17.’

‘“Yeah,’’ said Allen. “Obviously we’re going against a great team and it’ll be a four-quarter grudge match, it’ll take 60 minutes to go get this thing. But it’s just another one on our schedule. We’re not trying to make one game any bigger than the rest. They’re playing lights out right now and we have to come in and game plan. We’ve had a couple extra days. We’re going to trust the process that Coach McDermott likes to preach, trust the game plan that we set forth, and just kind of go out there and play football the way we know how to.’’

“We’ve been able to start hitting our stride just a little bit with scheme and doing some different things and changing up from week to week and getting it right,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re getting some experience working together, probably a big part of it, and it’s just week to week. We have to be consistent with everything we do, and we’re probably more consistent than we were early, I would say.”’

‘“Not a lot of thinking, I’ve just been going out there and playing the ball free,’’ Lawson said. “I have to keep it going. I have four more weeks, five, six, hopefully seven or eight. You feel me? Other guys have put me in position to make plays and I just have to make them.’’’

‘They’re No. 1 in the NFL in scoring at 33.8 points per game, No. 2 in total yards at 420.8 per game, and No. 1 in rushing yards at a whopping, nearly unprecedented level of 207.8 per game, which is nearly 60 yards ahead of the No. 2 team, the 49ers.’

‘McCloud was the Bills’ sixth-round draft pick in 2018 out of Clemson and saw action in 10 games last season, mostly on special teams. He was cut during training camp in August, was signed by the Carolina Panthers, and when they cut him, the Bills brought him back on Oct. 17 to their practice squad where he’s resided ever since.’

‘But here’s the good news: As long as they avoid a colossal collapse which would entail losing their last four games, the Bills are nearly a shoo-in to earn their second postseason berth in three seasons under Sean McDermott. And assuming they get there – they currently have a 95 percent chance according to the New York Times playoff machine – the Bills could be a team that wins a January game. Dare we dream, maybe two.’