MITCHELL HORUCY
Asst. Sports Editor
After an exciting Super Wild Card Weekend, the Bills and the other seven remaining teams advance to the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs.
The Steelers-Bills game, originally scheduled for this past Sunday at 1 p.m., was moved to Monday at 4:30 p.m. due to the lake effect snow in the area.
Personally, I was upset at the decision to postpone the game and potentially take away a legendary snow game, but as the snow started to come down Saturday night into Sunday, I realized it was the right call.
Despite the postponement, the efforts to clean the stands were unsuccessful.
I went to the game and was greeted with two feet of snow covering my seat upon arrival.
The field was cleared off and ready to go, which made for a great game.
About the game itself, I thought the Bills played well throughout.
The offense scored often and early, providing a good lead for the banged up Buffalo defense.
The Bills’ first drive was a ten-play, 80-yard drive capped off with a seven-yard Dawson Knox touchdown, setting the tone early.
On the ensuing drive, Pittsburgh wide receiver George Pickens fumbled, giving the Bills the ball at the Steelers’ 29-yard line.
They capitalized on the turnover with a one-play drive, a 29-yard strike to rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid, and the Bills never looked back.
The highlight of the game, and possibly all of Super Wild Card Weekend, came in the second quarter when quarterback Josh Allen broke off a 52-yard rushing touchdown.
It was the second longest rush by a quarterback in postseason history.
It was also very cool because I was sitting in the endzone in which he scored, which made for a very cool view and celebration.
After a few Steelers scores, the Bills made it a two-score game again after a highlight reel touchdown from receiver Khalil Shakir.
This play also happened right in front of me, but I looked away after I thought Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick had Shakir wrapped up, so I missed the best part of the play unfortunately.
The Bills won 31-17, but despite the score, the game was never close in my opinion.
Moving onto this week’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, this may be the biggest Bills game in my 19 years of living.
The only other game that comes to mind is the 2020-21 AFC Championship against Kansas City, but I believe you can make the argument this is bigger.
The Bills have had Kansas City’s number in the regular season, beating them three straight times at Arrowhead, but the Chiefs have beat them when it matters — in the playoffs.
However, the biggest storyline of this game is that it will be in Orchard Park, making it the first time Patrick Mahomes has played a road playoff game.
In Mahomes’ first six years of starting, he has never played a playoff game anywhere other than Arrowhead, except for the Super Bowl which is a neutral site.
This will also be the first time Mahomes will have to play in Buffalo with Bills Mafia in the stands.
The Chiefs came to Buffalo during the 2020 season, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, there were no fans allowed in the stands.
For the Bills, they have to get healthy on the defensive side of the ball.
Starting linebacker and emerging star Terrel Bernard was carted off the field during Monday’s game with an ankle injury.
Head Coach Sean McDermott said Bernard is “day-to-day” which is a huge positive, and that “there’s a hope” that he could play Sunday.
Bernard got X-rays at the stadium after the game which were negative, as well as an MRI which didn’t show any major injuries.
Just as important as Bernard’s injury, Taron Johnson, the Bills’ lone All-Pro, left the game with a head injury and entered concussion protocol.
The slot cornerback has been as important as anyone on this Bills defense over the past few years and would be a huge loss if he isn’t able to go.
He was also listed as day-to-day as he goes through the league-implemented concussion protocol.
On the bright side, cornerback Rasul Douglas and linebacker Tyrel Dodson were close to playing last week, and look like they will play Sunday.
With the defense banged up, the offense needs to do what they’ve been doing — run the ball.
If they can run the ball successfully, they can have long, time-consuming drives and keep Mahomes and company off the field.
Running the ball successfully will also set up the play-action game that Josh Allen has excelled at.
Similar to what I said last week, the Bills have to score touchdowns.
The Bills come into the game with the sixth best red zone scoring percentage in the NFL.
However, the Chiefs have a top-ten red zone defense.
If you settle for field goals against this Chiefs offense, they will make you pay.
Especially with the defense hurt, you have to give them as much help as you can.
Even with the defense missing key players, McDermott has done an excellent job calling the defense this year, and will need to continue to do that Sunday.
The defense has to do two things on Sunday in order for the Bills to come away with the win — generate pressure and get a turnover.
The Bills rank fourth in sacks this year and eighth in pressure percentage.
If they can get after Mahomes and get him and his inexperienced wide receivers off schedule, I think that will lead to the next thing the Bills have to do — get at least one turnover.
Patrick Mahomes has thrown the most interceptions in his career this season, and the Chiefs are ninth in the NFL this year with 28 turnovers.
If the Bills can steal a possession or two in a game like this, I think that’ll go a long way.
I think we’re gonna find out a lot about both of these teams, but more importantly both of these quarterbacks.
This will be the game of the playoffs — the Chiefs have ended your season twice, and now they come to your house.
It’s up to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to get rid of any narrative used against them this season and send the Bills to the AFC Championship.
The 5th Quarter Divisional Round Predictions!
Current standings:
Mitch: 5-1
Matt: 5-1
Parker: 3-3
Houston vs Baltimore (Saturday, Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m. on ABC/ESPN)
Favorite: Baltimore -9.5
Mitch: 31-27 Baltimore
Matt: 34-30 Houston
Parker: 30-24 Baltimore
Green Bay vs San Francisco (Saturday, Jan. 20 at 8:15 p.m. on FOX)
Favorite: San Francisco -9.5
Mitch: 30-21 San Francisco
Matt: 37-24 San Francisco
Parker: 38-27 San Francisco
Tampa Bay vs Detroit (Sunday, Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. on NBC)
Favorite: Detroit -6.5
Mitch: 35-31 Detroit
Matt: 31-24 Detroit
Parker: 33-28 Detroit
Kansas City vs Buffalo (Sunday, Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. on CBS)
Favorite: Buffalo -2.5
Mitch: 28-27 Buffalo
Matt: 23-20 Buffalo
Parker: 27-24 Buffalo