Getty Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen celebrates against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3
The 2020 Buffalo Bills season has been filled with historic moments for a franchise that is on a verge of turning over a new leaf.
There was the AFC East changing victory over the New England Patriots in Week 8 and the shootout against the Seattle Seahawks a week later.
Then there is the four-game winning streak that Buffalo is currently on, which includes three primetime wins over the San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Denver Broncos. Their victory over the latter gave the Bills their first AFC East title in 25 years.
It’s been a season full of moments that could turn a franchise for the better. So after the Bills dominated the Broncos, and Allen delivered something that meant so much to the city, the young quarterback was asked if there was a certain moment from this season where he knew the Bills were for real.
He didn’t pick one of the most recent moments, where the rest of the country started to jump on the Bills bandwagon, and he didn’t pick a cheesy moment from the offseason. Allen picked one of the most important moments of the season.
“I think it was the Rams game, being up 28-3, then going down 32-28,” Allen said in his post-game video conference call.
The Bills had dominated in the first two weeks of the season and for the first half of that Week 3 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, it looked to be the same. They outscored the Rams 21-3 in the first half and scored again on their first drive of the second.
Slowly but surely though, the Rams worked their way back into the game though as they took advantage of two Bills turnovers and a quick three-and-out.
All of a sudden, the Rams took a four-point lead with 4 minutes, 30 seconds remaining. To fans, it looked it like was going to be the same old Bills. Giving away a big lead and coughing up a primetime opportunity to seal a victory.
Except this Bills team was different.
The Bills marched down the field for an 11-play drive. Allen hit Cole Beasley in a crucial 3rd and 22 situation. Then, they connected again three plays later for a 19-yard gain. Two plays later, Allen was called for an offensive facemask, and the Bills were faced with a 3rd and 25.
Allen battled. He dropped back and hit Stefon Diggs with a 17-yard pass that put the Bills on Los Angeles’ 13-yard-line.
Facing a 4th and 8, Allen dropped back and threw a pass to rookie Gabe Davis but there was a defensive pass interference called. The Bills had another opportunity and Allen took advantage, hitting tight end Tyler Kroft with a 3-yard dart for the game-winning touchdown.
“I think that was the game because when you’re up 28-3 and you have a couple of turnovers and you let the other team back in, most teams fold in that situation,” Allen said on Saturday. “But our guys are resilient and I think that was the game where I realized okay we have some dudes here.”
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The Bills Have Had Growing Pains Too
While the Bills have had their bright moments, they’ve also gone through their growing pains as well. After they beat the Raiders for their fourth straight win at the beginning of the season, the Bills lost two straight games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans.
After Allen lit the league on fire through the first four weeks, throwing for 1,326 yards and 12 touchdowns, opposing teams started to figure the Bills out. The Chiefs and the Titans threw soft zones at the Bills and took away Allen’s ability to go over the top with big splash plays. The Bills didn’t score more than 17 points in either game and Allen threw three interceptions.
The Bills have bounced back since and have only lost one game since their loss to the Chiefs, which came on a last-second hail mary against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10.
A Team That Continues to Improve
While the Bills have suffered their bumps and bruises, they’ve learned along the way and have made the proper improvements that will increase their chances of succeeding down the road.
As of late, their defense has become one of the best in the NFL. They’ve created turnovers in the past nine games and tallied a season-high against the Seattle Seahawks. They’ve created at least one turnover since their matchup against the Chiefs and they’ve also limited three of their past four opponents to less than 100 yards rushing.
The Bills have also been able to improve their running game as they’ve rushed for 100 or more yards in three of their past four games. They rushed for 182 yards this past Saturday against the Broncos, which is their second-highest total of the season.
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