WGR

‘”It was a learning experience all along, and as the stakes were raised, the stress-level was raised. Hopefully Josh Allen doesn’t get it, hopefully [Stefon] Diggs. Any of these guys that really could impact what we do an offense or defense or whatever. You’re praying to the good Lord that the guys can avoid it.”’

‘”Next year is a new year,” Beane said. “Nothing we did will matter when we start this offseason or start [training] camp. Every team is built up of new players, so we’ll have to hit the reset button. We’ve got a lot of work to do to try and get this thing going and build a team that can earn its way back to where we were, and hopefully further.”‘

‘”It’s just not one answer that solves that problem. We all have to, starting with me, continue to ask ourselves the hard questions of the what ifs, and the whys and the hows. We, as a staff, have to get better and improve. We have to improve our roster. We have to improve our operation in what we do.”‘

‘It comes down to two things: Cap space and other, more important needs.’

‘The disappointing part was the performance of the Bills offense and the coaching.’

‘I don’t think most of us got to a place where we thought about the season ending, and what it would look like, and what it would feel like. Especially not the way it did – with a team that just didn’t look the same as what we’ve seen most of the season. A team that seemingly coached not to lose instead of being aggressive to give them more of a chance to win. A team that couldn’t execute on offense at nearly the same level they had for most of the season. An MVP-caliber quarterback who looked uncomfortable at times, and wide receivers who couldn’t get open like they have for most of the last 18 games.’

‘But, in the end, they came up just a bit short against a team where there’s little to no margin for error.’

‘Kelce was seemingly uncovered all night. The tight end finished with a game-high 13 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, with nine of those grabs coming in the first half. Hill, who also managed to find open space time and time again throughout the game, caught nine passes for a game-high 172 yards.’

‘The Bills quarterback just looked really uncomfortable all night, not seeing the field well and not reacting to what the Chiefs were doing defensively, causing him to hold on to the ball too long at times, as well. Allen’s final stat line read 28-for-48 (58%) for 287 yards, a pair of touchdowns and one interception. He also ran 7 times for 88 yards. Allen has been sensational this season, but it was not a good night for the QB.’

‘Both players are now eligible to be active for the game, but there is still no guarantee either will be. Stills is most likely insurance in case wide receiver Gabriel Davis can’t play due to his ankle injury. Davis missed two days of practice this week, then was limited on Friday and officially listed as “questionable” for the game.’

‘When the two teams played back in Week 6, the Bills didn’t blitz a single snap on defense. Their focus on the Chiefs’ passing game led to Kansas City rushing for 245 yards. But it wasn’t just that the Bills didn’t blitz, they were passive all night and never really attacked. Linebackers were too stationary or dropped back too much and often, and looked like they were just waiting for the play to come to them instead of attacking the offense like we’ve seen most of the last couple months. That can’t happen again this weekend. Of course the primary focus should still be on stopping the Chiefs’ passing game, but they’ll have to find a way to do that while also making sure they don’t allow that big rushing game. Also, with Patrick Mahomes’ playing on an injured toe, the Bills should want to test to see how well he can move in, around, and out of the pocket, which means even more aggressiveness and some blitzing.’

‘Mahomes has also been dealing with a nagging toe injury that has hampered his play recently, but that will not keep him from playing for the chance to return to the Super Bowl for a second-consecutive year.’

‘In all 16 games played this season, Allen set a number of franchise single-season records in Buffalo, throwing for 4,544 yards, 37 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions, while also completing 69.2% of his passes. The 24-year-old also accounted for a franchise record 46 touchdowns this season, as he added eight rushing scores, as well as a receiving touchdown in Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals.’

‘For the second straight day, neither Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis (ankle) nor defensive tackle Vernon Butler (quad) participated in practice, as the team gets set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City for the AFC Championship.’

‘In Beane’s fourth season as general manager, the team went 13-3 in the regular season and is playing in the AFC Championship Game this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. It will be Buffalo’s first appearance in the AFC title game in 27 years.’