With their backs against the wall, the Buffalo Bills made a key stop late in the fourth quarter that allowed them to earn their first playoff victory since 1995 and advance to the second round of the AFC playoffs.
In their 27-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts, which is their first playoff win since they defeated the Miami Dolphins 37-22 in the AFC Wild Card game in 1995, Josh Allen threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns while three different Bills combined for 96 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
Although a shaky defensive start had the Bills trailing through the first part of the game, the offense was able to give the Bills a small lead heading into halftime.
With 1:49 left in the first quarter, Allen capped off an eight-play, 85-yard drive with somewhat of a shot put type to pass to tight end Dawson Knox after a QB sweep to the right side failed to develop in time. It was the type of pass that Allen is known for pulling off as it had fans screaming in anger, then cheering in joy.
Well, that was wild.
After the Colts answered with a nine-play, 65-yard drive in the second quarter, Allen capped off their last drive of the first half with a five-yard rushing touchdown for his ninth of the season.
Buffalo’s rookie kicker, Tyler Bass, finished off Buffalo’s first drive of the second half with a 46-yard field goal.
Then, after Bass’ counter-part, Colts rookie kicker Rodrigo Blankenship missed a 33-yard field goal to pull his team within four points, Allen and the Bills offense answered with a nine-play, 77-yard drive and never looked back.
Allen capped off that drive with a 35-yard bomb to Stefon Diggs, who finished with six catches for 128 yards just a day after becoming the first Buffalo Bills receiver to earn a first-team All-Pro selection.
That Allen to Diggs connection. 👌
The Colts didn’t go away though as they immediately responded when Philip Rivers hit Zach Pascal with a nine-yard touchdown pass to pull his team within eight after a failed two-point conversion.
Bass then stepped up again late in the game as he hit a 54-yard field goal, which was ultimately the deciding factor as the River ended up hitting tight end Jack Doyle in the end zone to pull his team within three points.
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Bills Overcame a Questionable Call at the End of the Game
As the Bills were marching down the field late in the fourth quarter, Rivers hit Pascal with a 17-yard pass on the right side of the field. But the play went under review after Pascal was stripped of the football when tried to get up and advance the football after not being touched down by a Bills defender.
This should be a fumble. Pascal never gives himself up and tries to continue the play. #Bills
After review, Pascal was ruled touched down and the play was ruled an incomplete pass. But, Bills fans were not happy about it on social media and even former NFL referee and Current Rules Analyst for CBS Sports Gene Steratore said the play should have resulted in a fumble.
IMO, this should’ve been overturned to a fumble. The visual evidence appears conclusive that the first contact from the Buffalo defender occurs after Zach Pascal’s knee is lifted from the ground. Since there’s also a clear, immediate recovery, Buffalo would have got the ball.
Three of Rivers’ final passes were incomplete and the Bills were able to break up a hail mary pass at the end of the game to secure the win.
Rookie Gabe Davis Makes Two Key Catches in Big Performance
Davis has been big for the Bills all season long, but he came up big on Saturday catching four passes for 85 yards while averaging 21.3 yards per catch. Two of his catches stood out though as he was able to extend Buffalo’s final drive in the first half, which resulted in a touchdown.
Both of his catches, a 37-yard grab on the right sideline followed by a 19-yard grab on the left sideline two plays later, were both toe-tapping grabs that went under official review in the final two minutes of the half.
It was Davis’ second-best performance of the season after catching two passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo’s regular season finale over the Miami Dolphins.
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Bills Avoid Late Obstacle To Earn First Playoff Victory Since 1995