Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘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.’

‘“Anthony Brown helps with that,” McDermott said. “The full answer is if you just put a mobile person back there when you’re planning and working on the scrambles or the quarterback run game, the defensive players know this is one of those plays if you just have to sub out one of our normal quarterbacks for a mobile player like that.’

‘Of the returning players, Milano might be the most important. After playing only four regular-season games before sitting out the Patriots finale with a sore groin, Milano started to look like the All-Pro Milano of old against Denver. He has missed so much time the last two years that sometimes you forget just how good he was before the injuries.’

‘Of course, the questions were perfectly fair because at times the Bills were not a good run defense and they finished the regular season ranked tied for 18th in the NFL in yards allowed per carry (4.5), and their 62 runs of at least 10 yards were the ninth-most in the league. And as for third-down defense, it was pretty awful as they ranked 29th with a conversion rate allowed of 43.8%.’

‘The room erupted in laughs except for an uncomfortable-looking Harbaugh, who seemingly regretted asking if Coleman had a problem with Bills fans. “… I apologize to the world,” Harbaugh says.’

‘Oh, the intensity will be high, with the overheated MVP debate – is it Jackson or Buffalo’s Josh Allen – riding shotgun to this high-stakes matchup that will send one team to the AFC Championship Game, and the other into a long, frustrating offseason. “It’s gonna be a bloodbath, man,” defensive tackle DaQuan Jones said.’

‘“I’ve been saying Ty Johnson’s the best third-down back in football,” Allen said. “The things that he’s able to do for us, the way we can communicate, him in the pass game blocking and running the ball, he does it all. I’m so proud of him. He made a heck of a play. It was fourth down, no point in holding it, taking a sack there. They played man and (I) just gave him a chance.”‘

‘One of the best ways to slow down a great pass rush, which Denver certainly has, is to run the ball and wow, did the Bills ever run it. James Cook had 90 yards in the first half and finished with 120 and a touchdown, Johnson had 44 tough yards, and Allen was his usual dynamic self as he finished with 46.’