Josh Allen shrugged off a pair of defenders and delivered a bullet touchdown pass with the casual nature of a throwaway. Micah Hyde hauled in an over-the-shoulder interception in the end zone.
Those were only on the first two drives. The plays set the tone for a dominant 47-17 win for the Buffalo Bills over the New England Patriots in their Wild Card matchup at Highmark Stadium on Saturday.
The Bills will either host the fourth-seed Cincinnati Bengals or visit the second-seed Kansas City Chiefs during the Divisional Round, depending on the outcome of the Wild Card game between Kansas City and Pittsburgh on Sunday night (8:15 on NBC). The scenarios are as follows:
· KC win = Bills at Chiefs
· PIT win = Bengals at Bills
The time slots for the Divisional Round are 4:30 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 22 and 3 and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 23.
Buffalo has earned playoff wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the franchise went to four straight Super Bowls from 1990 to 1993.
The game was billed as a rubber match between two division rivals who had jostled for AFC East supremacy all season. The Patriots had won on a windy night in Orchard Park during Week 13, only for the Bills to respond with a victory in Foxborough only three weeks later.
Buffalo saved its best for the playoffs. The Bills led 27-3 at halftime, becoming the first team to score 25 or more points in the first half against a Bill Belichick Patriots team. It was also the first time the Patriots trailed by 20 or more points at halftime of a playoff game under Belichick, according to NFL Research.
Playing in front of Orchard Park's first full-capacity playoff crowd since 1996 – and in single-digit temperatures colder than all but one playoff game in Bills history – the Bills offense amassed 481 yards against the Patriots No. 2 scoring defense.
Allen completed 21 of 25 passes for 308 yards and became the first Bills quarterback to pass for five touchdowns in a playoff game. The Bills rushed for 173 yards, including 81 from running back Devin Singletary (who had two touchdowns) and 66 from Allen.
Knox had a team-high 89 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Emmanuel Sanders, Gabriel Davis, and offensive lineman Tommy Doyle also caught touchdowns.
The Buffalo defense – ranked atop the NFL in both yards and points allowed during the regular season – registered three sacks and two interceptions.
Scroll to see photos from the Buffalo Bills Wild Card matchup with the New England Patriots on January 15, 2022.
Dawson Knox (88) touchdown. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Spencer Brown (79) puts the football over the crossbar. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Devin Singletary (26) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Tyler Bass (2) kicking a field goal. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Isaiah McKenzie (19) catch. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Micah Hyde (23) interception celebrates with A.J. Epenesa (57) Greg Rousseau (50) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Dawson Knox (88) touchdown. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Dawson Knox (88) touchdown. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Dawson Knox (88) touchdown. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Siran Neal (33) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Emmanuel Sanders (1) touchdown celebration Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Emmanuel Sanders (1) touchdown celebration Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Devin Singletary (26) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Craig Melvin
Emmanuel Sanders (1) touchdown Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) reacts to Devin Singletary (26) touchdown Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jim Kelly Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) lifts Devin Singletary (26) following his touchdown Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (19) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (19) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Mario Addison (97) and Jerry Hughes (55) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dawson Knox (88) second touchdown Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Greg Rousseau (50) and Matt Milano (58) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Siran Neal (33) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Siran Neal (33) and Jake Kumerow (15) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Emmanuel Sanders (1) touchdown celebration with Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Dawson Knox (88) touchdown Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dawson Knox (88) touchdown Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Taiwan Jones (25) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) lifts up Devin Singletary (26) after scoring a touchdown. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Josh Allen (17) touchdown pass to Dawson Knox (88) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah McKenzie (19) signals first down. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Josh Allen (17) runs. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Micah Hyde (23) interception. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Dawson Knox (88) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Dawson Knox (88) touchdown. Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Matt Haack (3) and Tyler Bass (2) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots - Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium, January 15, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
