'Superman' Takes Flight as the Bills Punch Their Ticket to the Divisional Round
The AFC’s sixth-ranked Buffalo Bills, sitting at a 12-5 record, made a trip to EverBank Stadium to play the third-ranked 13-4 Jacksonville Jaguars in a tightly contested playoff matchup. The two teams have a lengthy playoff history, playing against each other three times in the postseason since 1996. All matchups have taken place in the Wild Card round, with the Bills getting their first victory on Sunday afternoon by a score of 27-24. The Bills will now wait to see who they will play in the Divisional round, with games between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans yet to conclude.
Josh ‘Superman’ Allen Earned His Nickname
Coach Sean McDermott has gotten the term complementary football embedded into Bills fans’ minds for years to come. However, the football being played against the Jags was far from complementary. Jacksonville proved that having the league’s top-ranked rushing defense can even shut down the leading rusher from this season. James Cook’s 46 rushing yards were the lowest total he’s assembled since Week One against the Ravens, showing how fearsome the Jaguars’ defensive front is. Luckily for the Bills, they have a six-foot-five, 237-pound reigning MVP to lead the offense. Josh Allen compiled 306 total yards while completing 80 percent of his passes and scoring three touchdowns. Though he’s still been searching for a consistent number one receiver on the outside, he completed 12 passes to his slot receiver, Khalil Shakir, and threw completions to eight other players.
McDermott’s Bend, Don’t Break Defense Came Forth Again
After a regular season of ups and downs, the defense seemed to be more trustworthy than the offense despite an abundance of injuries at every position. The veterans took over this defense and have shown that experience matters a lot in terms of winning football games. While in danger of suffering a 14-3 deficit, 11-year NFL veteran Shaq Thompson forced a turnover on downs on a Trevor Lawrence run, making a huge play to prevent another score. Also, Tre’Davious White returned to Buffalo’s secondary after spending a season away, but has proven to be more than just a placeholder for first-round pick Maxwell Hairston. He made two big plays: a crucial third-down stop to force a field goal in the third quarter and the last defensive play of the game to break up a pass that went for the game-ending interception to Cole Bishop.
Looking Ahead to the Future
Even with the victory, the Bills still have a long road ahead of them. As the sixth seed, the team would only have the chance at a single home playoff game, which depends on meeting the Chargers in the AFC Championship. After all, the Bills are the last team that needs to prove themselves in the Wild Card round, going undefeated in every Wild Card game since 2021. Without Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson to compete with, is this finally the year that the Bills get over the hump?
