Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘The team’s best cornerback, Christian Benford, remains in concussion protocol; perhaps its best linebacker, Matt Milano, is battling hamstring soreness; and its best safety, Taylor Rapp, has a hip injury. However, there was good news on Thursday as both Benford and Milano were on the field.’

‘Well, maybe Hamlin will get recognized a year too late because he really didn’t comeback from anything this season. What he did, though, is win a starting job after being active for only five games in 2023, and as he heads into the AFC Championship Game Sunday, he has 101 tackles, two interceptions, one sack, a forced fumble, and a recovery in 16 games (all starts) counting the postseason.’

‘Not that the Bills and their fans need another reason in their desperation to win Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, but going to the Super Bowl would keep Brady away from any of these teams for another two weeks, and they may not decide to exercise patience if he’s truly a candidate. Teams want to get on with their preparations for next season, and waiting until mid-February is not ideal.’

‘“Pray hard,” Babich said with a smile. “We just got to sit down as a staff and come up with a plan. You know this is the Kansas City Chiefs, and we know what they’ve done in the postseason. We know what they’ve done to us in the postseason, sent us home multiple times. So we got to do a great job of putting together the best plan, and not only to handle all the weapons that they do have because they have a tremendous amount of weapons, but one that our guys are able to execute.”’

‘The team’s best cornerback, Christian Benford, remains in concussion protocol; perhaps its best linebacker, Matt Milano, is battling hamstring soreness; and its best safety, Taylor Rapp, has a hip injury.’

‘You can’t tell by looking at his diminutive 190-pound frame, but wide receiver Khalil Shakir has been gorging himself at the Bills’ buffet as he led the team with 76 catches for 821 yards, and has since added 12 catches (tied for the most in the NFL this postseason) for 128 yards in Buffalo’s two playoff victories.’

‘But in their 30-21 victory over the Chiefs in November, the Bills managed just 104 rushing yards and 3.4 per attempt with 26 yards coming on that incredible Josh Allen TD scramble late in the fourth quarter. In that game, Allen completed 27 of 40 passes for 262 yards and he needs to have a similar-type performance if the Bills are going to win.’

‘Well, here we go as the Bills defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-25 on a night not even an ice cube could enjoy, a pulsating, down to the final minute thriller, and Buffalo will indeed get the chance to exorcize its postseason demons against a dynastic Chiefs team that has ended its season in three of the previous four Januarys.’

‘But when the game’s biggest moment arrived with 1:33 left to play, the Bills benefited from an incredibly fortunate for them and ill-timed for the Ravens muff. Mark Andrews, one of the best tight ends in the league, got wide open at the right front pylon of the end zone and probably 99 times out of 100, he catches the Lamar Jackson that would have completed a game-tying two-point conversion.’

‘Sal’s prediction: Bills 34, Ravens 31.’

‘Play-by-play: Jim Nantz. Analyst: Tony Romo. Sideline reporters: Tracy Wolfson, Jay Feely.’

‘While Buffalo’s injury report lists 12 players, all but two have participated fully in practice this week and will be ready to play. And those two players who have been limited, running back Ray Davis (concussion) and offensive lineman Alec Anderson (calf), have a good chance to play.’

‘Of course, Allen and Jackson don’t care about the MVP award, especially Jackson since he already has two. All that matters to them this week is winning Sunday’s AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium, and beyond that, a Super Bowl. Not only have neither of them won a ring, they haven’t even gotten to the big game thanks to Patrick Mahomes becoming this era’s AFC death star and championship-hogging version of Tom Brady.’

‘Chuck Knox (1980) is the only Bills coach in the NFL to have won the AP award, though Lou Saban won the AFL version of the AP award in 1965. Marv Levy won the 1988 Sporting News Coach of the Year honor, and he also won the 1988 and 1993 United Press International award, though that has been defunct since 1996.’

‘No team has used six offensive linemen more than the Bills as they bring in Alec Anderson to help an already excellent five-man blocking group. Anderson was on the field for 29% of the snaps against Denver.’