Words From The Herd: Bills Leap Into Bye Atop AFC

He did it AGAIN! Josh Allen victimized another NFL player Sunday evening, as he hurdled Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid late in the fourth quarter while trailing by three. This, in part, propelled the Buffalo Bills to an incredible 24-20 victory, giving them sole possession of first place in the AFC standings.

Reid now joins a lengthy list of players who have been hurdled, stiff-armed, trucked, or juked by Allen over the last four and a half years. (There are many other minor victims, but these are the main guys who we need to pray for.)

Josh Allen’s List of Victims (Updated):

Anthony Barr
Kiko Alonso
Kyle Van Noy
L’Jarius Sneed (X2)
De’Vante Bausby
Nick Scott
Justin Reid#BillsMafia

— Kevin Siracuse (@ksiracuse5) October 17, 2022

With the Buffalo Bills trailing 20-17 with exactly two minutes left, Josh Allen did what he does best: put the game in his hands and the team on his back. On 1st and 10 from the Chiefs 28-yard line, Allen took the snap, ran to the outside, juked out CB L’Jarius Sneed (who he hurdled last year) and then hurdled Justin Reid to set the Bills up at the 12-yard line.

As our very own Pierre Kingpin said, this dude is DIFFERENT.

Who is this Josh Allen dude? This sh*t isn't normal😱#AirAllen – #BillsMafia #BillsVsChiefs (HURDLE) pic.twitter.com/pQVUKY7PUc

— Pierre Kingpin (@Pierre_Kingpin) October 17, 2022

Two plays later, Allen found TE Dawson Knox in the left corner of the end zone for what proved to be the game-winning 14-yard touchdown pass. Oddly enough, Allen was directing Knox to cut back to the middle of the end zone, where it appeared he would have had a much easier path to a touchdown. Knox admitted during his post game press conference that he didn’t see the signal. But, when you have a QB as good as Josh Allen, sometimes it doesn’t matter where you run to.

Josh Allen to Dawson Knox game-winning TD pass. Talk about threading the needle. #Billsmafia pic.twitter.com/VCBLNNHc6f

— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) October 17, 2022

Two plays later, after the ensuing kickoff, NCB Taron Johnson picked off QB Patrick Mahomes at the Kansas City 32-yard line to seal the deal. Talk about an all-around team win.

What Was Said

Starting with Monday’s press conference, Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that it’s been awesome to watch Allen grow and mature and to see him become a face of not only the Bills, but the NFL.

“He’s the face of the franchise, face of the organization, and he’s just grown leaps and bounds through his career to this point and it’s been fun to watch having a front row seat to watch his development, watch his growth. He seems so comfortable in his own skin off the field, on the field… his leadership and his influence on our team, on our organization… it’s just really fun to watch.”

Sean McDermott on Josh Allen’s development

Sunday evening, McDermott said that it’s tough to win in the NFL, especially against a team like Kansas City, but that his team handled the adversity well.

“I was real proud of the guys and the way they executed in the final moments of the game there.”

McDermott on the final defensive play

One of those guys who executed was DE Von Miller, who the Bills signed for games like this; to be the finisher and to get Mahomes on the ground, which he did twice.

McDermott said that Miller was “phenomenal.”

“You could feel him. Whether or not he was actually sacking Mahomes, he was affecting him.”

McDermott on Von Miller’s performance

Miller said that he knows that’s why the Bills signed him.

“Man honestly, every team that I’ve been on, that’s why I had been there.”

Von Miller on pressuring Patrick Mahomes

Although he knows what his role is on this Buffalo Bills defense, he also realizes that their success comes from every man doing their job.

“I made an inside move, he flushed out, and we had Taron Johnson right there for the interception, so [it was a] great team play. It’s just a great team win and I’m happy for Bills Mafia because they deserve wins like this.”

Miller on Buffalo’s final defensive play

The two-time Super Bowl champ said that one of the main reasons he decided to sign with Buffalo was because of Josh Allen.

“He’s just a creature, man. Huge reason why I came here.”

Miller on Josh Allen

Complimentary Football

If you were to think of a big moment in the game, you would probably think of the hurdle, the touchdown passes, or the game-winning interception. While those were all great, a huge sequence of the game came in the final two minutes of the first half.

The Chiefs had the ball on their 46-yard line up 7-3. With 1:53 left, Miller sacked Mahomes and pushed Kansas City back nine yards, bringing up a 3rd and 19. An incomplete pass forced the Chiefs to punt, giving the Bills the ball back deep in their own territory with 1:29 left. After two penalties, an Isaiah McKenzie dropped pass, and a one-yard loss by Allen on a keeper, the Bills faced a 3rd and 13 from the one-yard line.

That’s when Allen scrambled and found WR Gabe Davis for an 18-yard gain to extend the drive. Four plays later, Allen found Davis again for a 34-yard TD strike to make the score 10-7. This finally gave the Bills some momentum going into halftime (even if the Chiefs marched down the field AGAIN to kick a game-tying field goal).

Davis finished the night with 74 yards and a TD on three receptions; most of which came on that final first half possession.

Allen said that OC Ken Dorsey has a lot of trust in his players to execute their plays.

“Dorsey has a lot of faith in our guys to go out there and do the right things… Gabe did a great job of getting to the sticks and making a play.”

Josh Allen on the execution of Gabe’s TD

QB1, WR1, & TE1

WR Stefon Diggs had himself a typical Stefon Diggs game, catching 10 passes for 148 yards and a 17-yard TD which put the Bills up 17-10 with 7:03 remaining in the third quarter. Allen showed some more love to his WR1 in his post game press conference.

“He is who he is for a reason.”

Allen on Stefon Diggs

As for Dawson Knox, he has been struggling this year between injuries and with the tragic loss of his brother. Going into Sunday’s game, Knox only had 12 receptions for 111 yards and 0 TDs.

However, he finished the game with three catches, 37 yards, and a touchdown. His 14-yard TD catch was one of the biggest plays of the game, if not his career. McDermott said that it was awesome for Knox to score that touchdown in that moment.

“You watch guys go through the journey of life off the field, and he’s been through it and he’s stuck with it, been resilient. And then he’s been banged up a little bit and you just knew his time was coming. You just knew he was going to make a big play and he did and my hat goes off to him.”

McDermott on the significance of Dawson Knox’s game-winning TD

Knox said afterwards that that play shows how and why Allen is the best QB in the league. (He was asked about about the play from a football standpoint, not a personal one.)

“Josh just threw a dime… [He] just put it to where no one else could get it.”

Dawson Knox on the game-winning TD pass

More Adversity

Another guy who has battled through a ton of adversity this year is Jordan Poyer, who DROVE 15 hours to Kansas City Friday night/Saturday morning and then 15 hours back Sunday night/Monday morning after not being medically cleared to fly in an airplane.

Bills source tells me team rented a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van to take Jordan Poyer and his family from Buffalo to Kansas City for the game.

The condition that prevented Poyer from flying was still-healing pneumothorax (collapsed lung) from his rib injury two weeks ago.

— Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) October 17, 2022

McDermott expressed his gratitude yesterday towards Poyer’s toughness.

“What a level of commitment for him to drive out there… just that level of commitment and dedication I think goes a long way on our team and he’s not the only one – we’ve got a lot of guys who I think would do that as well.”

McDermott on Jordan Poyer’s toughness

Poyer played all 67 defensive snaps Sunday to help hold the number one scoring offense to just 20 points. DC Leslie Frazier and staff threw many different packages at the Chiefs, including a dime look with six DBs.

After giving up 10 points in the second half and seven in the third quarter, the Bills are now outscoring their opponents 84-17 in the second half and 51-7 in the third quarter this season.

What’s Next

The Buffalo Bills have their bye this week before hosting Aaron Rodgers and the stumbling Green Bay Packers for Sunday Night Football on Halloween weekend.

Although they were the healthiest they had been since Week 1 on Sunday, the Bills will use this time to get even healthier; to let their bodies heal from any injuries, bumps, dings, bruises, etc. Currently, WR Jake Kumerow (high ankle sprain) is the only player with a lingering injury. CB Tre White was activated off the PUP list, so there is a good chance he returns to face the Packers. Meanwhile, CB Xavier Rhodes can get activated off the Practice Squad IR in a couple of weeks. Additionally, OG Ike Boettger and WR/KR Marquez Stevenson should return later in the season.

As for how some of the guys are going to spend their week off?

“I’m staying right here in Buffalo, baby.”

McDermott on his bye week plans

Although he didn’t specify where, Allen has one thing in mind.

“Get away from it for a week and try to clear your mind, I think it’s necessary in this game. It’s a long season, so to be able to get away from it, and do something else, do some hobbies whether it’s golf or… golf.”

Allen on his bye week plans

QB1 deserves to golf as much as he wants this week.

*All quotes come from the postgame and/or Monday afternoon press conferences (via the Buffalo Bills YouTube channel).

Feature Image: Peter Aiken/AP