1. These three Bills were named to PFF's team of the week
Three Bills players were selected for PFF’s team of the week for Week 14. Stefon Diggs on the offensive side of the ball, along with Taron Johnson and Jordan Poyer were selected this week by Pro Football Focus. Diggs had 10 catches for 130 yards, and now has 100 receptions this season which ties a franchise record. Johnson had a 51-yard pick-six which flipped the momentum of the game in the Bills favor. Poyer led the team with eight tackles, had a forced fumble and a pass defensed in Sunday's game. Poyer said after the game that even though they didn't play a perfect game this defense is getting better and playing good football in December.
"We're just continuing to get better," Poyer stated. "It don't matter the situation, it don't matter the circumstances, in sudden change moments, we understand what we got to do as a defense. To come on the field and either force a takeaway, force a punt or force a three-and-out. We got put in a couple of sudden change situations today and I felt like we handled them extremely well. We didn't play a perfect game at all. Some things that we can still do to get better, but definitely want to keep continuing to play good football in December and keep continuing to get better."
2. The biggest threat to Kansas City is …
NFL.com contributing columnist Adam Schein wrote about nine truths around the NFL that were confirmed after Week 14. The number one truth on his list was that the Bills are the biggest threat to the Chiefs in the AFC. Sunday night's win puts them one game behind the Steelers for the second seed in the AFC. The Bills are currently two and a half games behind the Chiefs for the No. 1 seed in the AFC standings.
Buffalo is the biggest AFC threat to Kansas City
Buffalo beat Pittsburgh because Buffalo is better than Pittsburgh. I know what the records said entering this Sunday Night Football matchup, which pitted the 11-1 Steelers against the 9-3 Bills, but if you'd been paying attention to recent results, Buffalo's 26-15 win was hardly a surprise.
The Bills' defense was excellent, limiting the Steelers to 224 total yards and a 1-for-10 conversion rate on third down. Taron Johnson's pick-six right before halftime changed the game. On offense, Josh Allen continued to show off his rare skill set, leaning on bountiful trade acquisition Stefon Diggs (10 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown) much of the evening. Sean McDermott's team is buttoned up. Brandon Beane put together a fantastic club that can beat anyone. Buffalo has earned this 10-3 record.
Meanwhile, Mike Tomlin's team cannot run the ball at all. They can't catch the ball. Ben Roethlisberger looks fatigued, short-arming passes. The defense misses Bud Dupree and Devin Bush. Pittsburgh's record is impressive, but the team just isn't. It'll be tough to believe in these Steelers come playoff time. In fact, I expect Pittsburgh to have its hands full with Indianapolis and Cleveland down the stretch. The Colts and Browns can absolutely win those games in the regular season's final fortnight.
3. Bills find third quarter offensive success
The Bills offense got out to a slow start Sunday night against a talented Steelers defense. In the first half, Josh Allen was 10-23 for 76 yards and threw an interception as his arm was getting hit. A defensive touchdown put them up two points going into halftime, and the team reset and came out with so much momentum through the third and fourth quarters. In the second half, Allen was 14/20 for 162 yards and two touchdowns and led the offense on a seven-minute drive to seal the win for the Bills. Brian Daboll talked about what was said in the locker room during halftime and the change in momentum from the first half to the second half.
"There were going to be times whether it was the first quarter, the third quarter, or the fourth quarter, whatever it may be, we knew we were going to have to stick together," Daboll stated. "And compliment the defense, who played an outstanding game, and I can't give them enough credit. They had an interception there that changed a little bit of momentum, so going in at halftime, it was a 9-7 game, and we were up two points. We missed some opportunities in the first half and, we missed some opportunities, but I say they made us miss them too with the way they played. So, we talked about doing your job. There was no yelling and screaming or anything like that, I gave them a few things that we wanted to try to accomplish there in the third quarter, at the beginning of it. And again, all the credit, it will always go to the players for going out there and executing it and they did."
