Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘Yet, here we are, picking up the pieces from a 22-19 overtime defeat that, by all rights, should not have happened, especially if the defense did what it had been doing all year.’

‘Under McDermott and Washington, the Panthers finished in the Top 10 in overall defense four times. The Panthers were No. 1 in sacks in 2013 with 60, led by defensive ends Greg Hardy with 15 and Charles Johnson with 11. Carolina ranked No. 2 in sacks in 2016 and No. 3 in 2017.’

‘“Offensively, we did show some improvements,” said general manager Brandon Beane. “Josh improved, and we scored more points, but at the end of the day we didn’t score enough points.”’

‘Mom: Yeah, but they’re not a team, they don’t give a team effort. When one part is good, the other part isn’t. We need a team, not one person.’

‘“I wish I could go and give our fans an explanation, but I don’t want to go there, I can’t go there right now,” McDermott said. “The part I’ll say is that we had a chance to go up 20-0, and it got ruled that way at first and then it got changed. I have to go with what the ruling got changed to, that’s the way our league works.”‘

‘“The game did not end the way we wanted it to end, it did not go the way we wanted it to go,” said McDermott. “Because of that, it has been a painful couple of days for all of us. I recognize that, and my hope is that in time, if it’s handled the right way, the pain will turn into strength and that strength will turn into growth.”’

‘McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane have made it clear they want to draft, develop, and then re-sign their guys, but they didn’t draft any of those players. If there was no such thing as free agency, I’m sure they’d like to re-sign several from this group, but the fact is there aren’t many can’t-live-without players.’

‘In his first playoff action, Allen was both brilliant and boneheaded, taking the Bills on a ride worthy of the bucking broncos at the Houston stockyard. He had 372 yards from scrimmage, including catching a 16-yard touchdown pass, completing some throws very few NFL quarterbacks can make.’

‘They have to refine Allen’s undeniable physical skills with better mechanics which should improve his accuracy, and continue the process of developing him into a fully functional player on the mental side, which hopefully will lessen some of the brain cramp moments.’

‘In what became the latest in unconscionable Buffalo playoff failures, the Bills, dominating for the first 40-plus minutes of the game, unraveled in absolutely epic fashion and lost 22-19 in overtime to the Houston Texans on Saturday afternoon at NRG Stadium.’

‘You watch professional football long enough, and you will see finishes that even Hollywood can’t script. And what we witnessed Saturday will stack right up there in the colorful playoff history of these two original American Football League cities, where football isn’t a game, but a way of life.’

‘When Daboll interviews for the Browns head coaching job on Sunday, he’s going to have to explain why his offense — once again — was unable to break the 20-point barrier. Why, against a mediocre Houston defense, was it only able to score one touchdown, that on a trick play?’

‘While Buffalo fans clad in jerseys could be spotted all around NRG Stadium and the massive Astrodome area complex, the place to be was a private parking lot at Greenbriar and Fannin Street.’

‘Ask any professional football fan in western New York or the greater Houston/Nashville area who are of a certain vintage about “The Comeback’’ and “The Music City Miracle’’ and they’ll know. Their eyes will light up like a can of Sterno under a pan of chicken wings or barbecue ribs. Or sink to the ground should they remember those famous games as “The Choke’’ and “Illegal Forward Pass.’’’

‘“He hasn’t been in a playoff game,” offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said when he was asked whether the past month playing on big stages against playoff-level competition has steeled Allen for what he’ll encounter in Houston.’