How much do you dislike “The Bangles” (Bengals)
- Thread starter sukie
- Start date
Bill Polar
Well-known member
I have this love hate thing with them.
The 81, 88, and 2022 losses in the playoffs sucked. On the other hand they did beat Baltimore to end our drought. Also, I will never forget the most important comeback I ever needed back in 2010. Yeah, the day after my love's funeral, I needed some hope, something to BILLieve in if you will and they were way down and I was just even more pathetically sad than I already was and then they roared back. I needed that one.
Joe Burrow? I can't stand him. He is so damn arrogant. I don't mean Pat Mahomes arrogant, at least the Frog has a reason to be arrogant, Burrow just strikes me as a jackoff. I can't stand him.
The 81, 88, and 2022 losses in the playoffs sucked. On the other hand they did beat Baltimore to end our drought. Also, I will never forget the most important comeback I ever needed back in 2010. Yeah, the day after my love's funeral, I needed some hope, something to BILLieve in if you will and they were way down and I was just even more pathetically sad than I already was and then they roared back. I needed that one.
Joe Burrow? I can't stand him. He is so damn arrogant. I don't mean Pat Mahomes arrogant, at least the Frog has a reason to be arrogant, Burrow just strikes me as a jackoff. I can't stand him.
Bengals at Bills: How to watch, weather, odds, what to know
The Buffalo Bills host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a meeting of two AFC teams with a recent history of December dominance, and a quarterback showdown between Josh Allen and Joe Burrow.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen throws a pass during an AFC divisional playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 22, 2023, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
Joseph Cooke, Buffalo News
The Buffalo Bills host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a meeting of two AFC teams with a recent history of December dominance, and a quarterback showdown between Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. The Bengals are a combined 14-3 in regular-season games played in December and January since the 2022 season. Meantime, the Bills have a league-best record of 23-4 in the regular season's closing months going back to 2020. Buffalo is 8-4 and enters the weekend sitting seventh in the AFC. The Bengals aren't out of the playoff picture just yet. At 4-8, Cincinnati is still in the hunt to catch AFC North leaders Baltimore and Pittsburgh, who are 6-6.
Here is the TV info and other basics for Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills:
WHO: Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) at Buffalo Bills (8-4)WHEN: 1 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park
TV: Fox (WUTV-TV, Ch. 29 in Buffalo). On the call: Joe Davis, Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver
RADIO: Bills Radio Network (WGR-AM, 550 in Buffalo). On the call: Chris Brown, Eric Wood, Sal Capaccio
LINE: Bills by 5½ (Over/Under: 53½)
WEATHER: 32 degrees and overcast, with winds from the west-southwest at 9-10 mph, according to AccuWeather. The forecast calls for a 50%-60% chance of snow during the game.
Bills numbers to know: 4 trends to watch for Buffalo's game against Cincinnati
70.45
In one career regular-season game against the Bills, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow completed 70.45% of his passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns. Burrow was sacked once and averaged 8.82 yards per attempt in Cincinnati's 24-18 win over Buffalo on Nov. 5, 2023. Both of his touchdown passes were thrown to tight ends. The Bills have not allowed a touchdown to a tight end this season since their Week 2 win over the Jets. In his return from an injury last week, Burrow threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns to beat the Ravens.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has not faced the Bills since the 2023 season.
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
153.3
The Bengals' defense ranks 31st in rushing yards allowed per game (153.3). They have given up 43 runs of 10-plus yards, sixth-most, and the fourth-most yards before contact per attempt (1.80). Opponents have scored at least two rushing touchdowns in three of Cincinnati's last five games, and the Bengals have surrendered at least 100 rushing yards in each of their last 11 games. Bills running back James Cook is second in the NFL in rushing (1,228), 54 yards behind the Colts' Jonathan Taylor, and Cook is averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
Bills running back James Cook III ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards (1,228).
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
26
Josh Allen should be in line for a big game. The Bengals are last in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game, and they have given up the second-most touchdown passes (26). Their pass rush, down injured star Trey Hendrickson, has the third-fewest sacks and blitzes at the lowest rate. No team has allowed more yards after the catch (1,980), and Cincinnati is particularly vulnerable against tight ends. The position group has totaled at least 128 receiving yards in four of the Bengals' last six games. Their last two opponents, Baltimore and New England, targeted tight ends 20 times.41
In their only regular-season matchup, the Bills held Chase to four catches on eight targets for 41 yards. He will likely be shadowed Sunday by Buffalo's top cornerback, Christian Benford, who's had success recently against his opponent's No. 1 receiver. Over the past three games, Benford has faced DK Metcalf, Nico Collins and Emeka Egubka, yet Benford allowed just five catches for 54 yards combined. Last week, Burrow's first game back from injury, Chase was targeted 14 times. He caught seven passes for 110 yards.
Bills-Bengals: Who you got? Buffalo News writers make their predictions for Sunday's game
Bills-Bengals: Who you got? Buffalo News writers make their predictions for Sunday's game
Members of The Buffalo News sports staff make their picks for the winner of this week's Bills-Bengals matchup.
Jay Skurski
The Bills have a tendency to make every opposing defense they face sound like the ’85 Bears. It makes sense. There is no reason to give another team bulletin-board material, but let’s just keep it 100: The Bengals’ defense is bad. Like, bad bad. Cincinnati is allowing an average – average! – of 410 yards and 31.2 points per game. Both of those totals are last in the NFL. Joe Burrow’s return at quarterback for Cincinnati changes the calculus of this one a bit. There can be no excuses for the Bills’ offense Sunday – it has to get the job done. Bills, 33-27.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen could have a field day against the Bengals' porous defense on Sunday.
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
Katherine Fitzgerald
The Bills are lucky that defensive end A.J. Epenesa's Thursday foot injury wasn't more serious, as they are already quite thin at the position. The Bills' defense will need to find ways to get to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who made his return from injury a game ago. The Buffalo offense can't afford a slow start like it had in Pittsburgh if it's going to keep up with Cincinnati. Look for the Bills to get running back James Cook going early, especially if there's a wintry mix in Highmark Stadium. The Bengals are hungry, but the Bills get it done. Bills, 34-30.Lance Lysowski
This is a difficult matchup for the Bills' defense. They are without their best pass rusher, Joey Bosa, for a game in which Joe Burrow had extra time to rest and prepare. Bengals running back Chase Brown has totaled at least 100 yards in six consecutive games. It will be a shootout if Buffalo can't stop the run. If it can, then we're looking at a blowout win for the Bills. Burrow will create a few explosive plays − look for Sean McDermott to use Christian Benford to shadow Ja'Marr Chase − but his defense won't be able to stop Josh Allen enough times for Cincinnati to keep up. Bills, 35-24.Steve Trosky
We know that the Bengals' Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are a formidable trio. Running back Chase Brown has improved as the season has gone on. Cincinnati is going to score. But we also know that the Bengals have the worst defense in the league. Cue Josh Allen and James Cook. With occasional snow in the forecast for Sunday, look for Allen and Cook to continue to be successful on the ground. I expect the Bengals to score at least three touchdowns. But if Buffalo stays away from turning the ball over, this could be a shootout. Bills, 41-31.
4 keys for the Buffalo Bills to beat the Cincinnati Bengals
4 keys for the Buffalo Bills to beat the Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has returned, and that will make things more difficult for the Buffalo defense.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen, left, and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow could put on a show Sunday in Orchard Park.
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
1. Brace for Burrow
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has returned, and that will make things more difficult for the Buffalo defense. Coach Sean McDermott calls it a “different team, different offense” with Burrow at the helm, and his players are ready for the challenge. “They got their franchise guy back, right?” said Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson. “Burrow’s one of those guys who could rip it anytime he wants to. He’s a smart quarterback. He could pull down and run. He has both his weapons back. He has good tight ends. He has a good running back. So, it’s gonna be a challenge for us, but at the end of the day, we got to go out there and play Buffalo Bills way.”2. Chase and Chase
Bills defensive backs praised the connection that Burrow has with standout receiver Ja’Marr Chase this week. Chase needs just 29 receiving yards to reach the 1,000-plus mark for a fifth consecutive season. But the Bills also have to be ready for running back Chase Brown, who’s a threat in the run and pass game. “One of those short, shifty guys who could give you a one, two step and hit you with a burst of speed,” Thompson said of Brown. “His low center of gravity. He’s gonna make you miss good, little stiff arm. He’s a great back that can break tackles, right? So, we got to get there, swarm him and just try to get the ball out.”3. Ground control
The Bills’ 1,868 rushing yards this season lead the NFL. Running back James Cook has spearheaded that, but quarterback Josh Allen credited the offense as a whole in the ongoing dominance. “I think it's obviously our O-line doing a great job,” Allen said on Wednesday. “But it's our skill position players, too, the willingness to go in there and block and get hands on safeties and stars and linebackers. We're asking our tight ends to do a lot in the run game and they've done it exceedingly well. And we're gonna continue to need that moving forward, especially once the weather gets like the weather it gets here – being able to run it when the opposing team knows that we're gonna run it.”4. Embrace the pressure
The Bills know that the 4-8 Bengals are desperate. But the Bills (8-4) also have their backs against the wall. Allen thinks that can be a good thing. “It's the best time to play football,” he said. “It's when the stakes are high and you gotta go out there and you gotta perform your job. I feel like that's a big part of this team of we want that pressure. We wanna go out there, we wanna perform for each other and share that love that we have for each other.” There’s a sense of urgency for the Bills as they enter December, a month that has served them well in recent history. On Sunday, they need to respond to that pressure.
Injured offensive tackle Spencer Brown participated in practice all week. Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Images
The Buffalo Bills raced out to a 4-0 start to begin the 2025 season, but it’s certainly felt like an entirely different year given how things have gone recently. Since that Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints, the Bills have been the definition of average.
Four wins, four losses. Sometimes the offense took its turn as the lesser unit, and other times it was the defense. Inconsistency has reigned supreme over the last eight games, and it’s left the Bills 2.5 games behind in the AFC East race, and only in the final AFC Wild Card spot.
Especially after a big Week 13 win, the Bills know they have an opportunity to challenge how things have gone recently. And head coach Sean McDermott stressed urgency to begin the week.
“I don’t think we can afford to be inconsistent. Not now. Not that you can ever be, don’t get me wrong, but our backs are against the wall. That’s the way it is and that’s our mindset,” McDermott said Wednesday. “I think we’re all aware of some of that [inconsistency], but there’s no time for that right now. So, we’ve got to go.”
Awaiting them in a Week 14 home matchup will be a Cincinnati Bengals team that has notoriously given the Bills problems in recent years and is attempting to claw back into the playoff race.
As the Bills get ready for that test, here’s our Week 14 Bills notebook and how their team might look this weekend:
Where do things stand with Bills’ injured starting OTs?
The Bills were without left tackle Dion Dawkins and right tackle Spencer Brown against the Steelers, but they made the most out of the situation. The game plan had a heavy emphasis on running the ball, and as the film uncovered, they gave left tackle Ryan Van Demark and right tackle Alec Anderson help at a higher rate than they had this season with Dawkins and Brown. The Bills got through that game and blew out the Steelers in the second half, but that might be the only game they’re without that pairing.Dawkins and Brown each practiced on Wednesday and Thursday. Both players were limited on Wednesday, though it improved for Dawkins on Thursday. When players are in concussion protocol like Dawkins has been since the Texans game, they are always in a non-contact jersey if they are still considered to be “limited.” However, Dawkins was in a normal practice jersey on Thursday, signaling that he’s graduated to full participation and seemingly close to being out of concussion protocol. Dawkins was indeed listed as a full participant on Thursday, putting him on track to play against the Bengals barring any setbacks. Brown might be more in question than Dawkins at this point due to his shoulder injury, but the right tackle participating the entire week is a solid indicator that he could be active. The Bills have previously taken it slow with some starters who have practiced the entire week, but given the stakes and the matchup, Brown is likely pushing very hard to play.
A dire DE situation developing with Joey Bosa’s injury
In the late stages of the Bills’ win over the Steelers, the Bills suffered yet another injury to a position that has been ravaged by them recently. Joey Bosa, one of the team’s starting defensive ends and one of Buffalo’s most important defenders, left the game with a hamstring injury and was classified as “week-to-week” by the Bills. Although McDermott didn’t know exactly how long Bosa would be out, he seemed to indicate that the defensive end would likely be out for at least a game or two. For a room that has already lost Michael Hoecht and Landon Jackson to Injured Reserve with long-term injuries, the Bills were already in a spot where they had to use defensive tackle T.J. Sanders at defensive end for the last three games. That might have to continue given yet another development at defensive end.Veteran A.J. Epenesa, who was ticketed to not only start in Bosa’s place, but to also likely play a huge role for defensive snaps, was a sudden non-participant during Thursday’s practice. Epenesa, who was not listed on the injury report on Wednesday, popped up Thursday with a foot injury. That now puts Epenesa’s availability for Sunday in clear doubt, and puts the Bills in a real bind at defensive end.
If Bosa and Epenesa cannot play, the only healthy defensive end on their roster they trust with a ton of snaps is Greg Rousseau. He likely takes on a humongous role Sunday — possibly one of the most significant single-game roles we’ve ever seen for a defensive end from the rotation-heavy Bills. Rousseau will be joined by Sanders, who will need to play defensive end again out of necessity and Javon Solomon, who primarily plays on special teams.
However, even that isn’t enough. With Bosa out at minimum, the most likely practice squad defensive end to get the call-up in some capacity is Morgan Fox, who is now in his fourth full week with the team. Shaq Lawson would likely receive some consideration if Epenesa can’t play, despite Lawson only being back for less than two weeks. The Bills could also consider using DaQuan Jones at defensive end a bit and having Phidarian Mathis active to play defensive tackle if they don’t feel Lawson is ready for game action just yet.
Much like last week at offensive tackle, the Bills are likely just going to try and get through it as best they can if they don’t have Epenesa. A heavy dose of Rousseau, possibly near the 90-percent of snaps mark, plus a flat amount of snaps for the rest of the defensive end options, could be their optimal play given the extreme circumstances.
Dalton Kincaid could have a big impact on the Bills’ offense if he is healthy enough to play against the Bengals.Jeff Romance / Imagn Images
It’s a Dalton Kincaid game if he plays at full health. Will he and is he?
As the Bills will look to keep pace with the explosive Bengals offense, tight end Dalton Kincaid could be a major player. When healthy, Kincaid is one of their best pass-catching targets and the only player who consistently challenges defenses in the intermediate to deep middle areas of the field. Even though his snap counts are usually low, his route percentages are very strong because the Bills generally use him in passing situations the vast majority of the time. Along with that, the Bengals have struggled significantly against pass-catching tight ends all season long. Throughout 2025, the Bengals have allowed the most targets, catches, receiving yards and touchdowns to tight ends in the NFL. They have allowed 256 more receiving yards to tight ends than the second-worst team in the league, while also allowing five more touchdowns to tight ends than the next closest defense. The opportunity is ripe for Kincaid to be that guy for the Bills this week.However, uncertainty surrounds him, just as it has at different stages of his Bills career. Just as it seemed like Kincaid was turning the corner on a hamstring injury that cost him his last three games, he popped up on the Bills’ injury report with an added knee injury to go along with his hamstring. Then, during Thursday’s practice, Kincaid was sporting a sizable brace on his knee, which puts his potential output into question. Even if Kincaid can play Sunday, it is worth remembering that knee injuries plagued him during the second half of his 2024 season and ultimately ate into his usual role on the team. The Bills may just be overly cautious, but the steps they took on the injury report and in giving him the knee brace make you think there is at least some level of hesitation about that new injury distinction. After getting through the week of practice, it’s an encouraging sign that he’ll actually be available Sunday. However, it’s something worth monitoring to see if he changes his role against the Bengals if active.
No Darius Slay. Now what?
Not since the days of Dri Archer in 2016 have the Bills put in a waiver claim on a player, only to be rebuffed by them and told they wouldn’t be showing up. That’s the case with cornerback Darius Slay, who informed the Bills that he would not be reporting as he takes some time to mull retirement. That’s the reason given, though many are postulating that Slay, who turns 35 in less than a month, was hoping to get back to the cornerback-needy Philadelphia Eagles. Slay had spent five seasons with the Eagles before signing with the Steelers for 2025. Regardless, the Bills — at least for now — still retain Slay’s rights while he ponders his future. There was nothing more to the Slay claim than the Bills looking for an insurance policy at cornerback, and to upgrade the fourth cornerback on their roster — Ja’Marcus Ingram, who they released. If Slay has a change of heart and reports to the Bills, that’s the role he would fill.The good news for the Bills is that they likely won’t have to stay in a holding pattern with Slay regarding their roster flexibility. The team will have the option to place Slay on the reserve/did not report list, which should grant the Bills the 53-man roster spot that Slay previously filled. Although they will eventually get the roster spot back, Ingram still had to go through waivers. And in another tough development for them in this situation, Ingram was claimed by the Houston Texans. The Bills were quite likely to try and get Ingram back, possibly on the practice squad, but that is no longer an option, making practice squad cornerback Dane Jackson the new No. 4 on the depth chart. Ingram getting claimed very well could increase the odds that the Bills just hang on to Slay’s rights until the player decides to report or retire.
Bills projected roster moves: Place Darius Slay on Reserve/Did Not Report list, sign DE Morgan Fox to the 53-man roster
Bills projected practice squad elevations: LB Baylon Spector
Bills projected inactives vs. Bengals**: WR Joshua Palmer, OT Chase Lundt, OT Tylan Grable, DE Joey Bosa, DT Phidarian Mathis, LB Terrel Bernard
(**Subject to change after Friday’s practice)
Prediction: Bengals 31, Bills 27
The Bills’ defense has been playing much better, but a few factors suggest this could be a high-scoring affair. The Bills are going to be up against a desperate Bengals team that just got Joe Burrow back into the lineup last week and scored over 30 points in his return, and they might get Tee Higgins back this week. The Bengals are coming off a huge victory, and with the Ravens and Steelers meeting this weekend, they know they need a win to stay within two games of the division lead. If there’s more reason for McDermott saying what he said this week, it’s likely because he knows the Bengals will bring extreme urgency to the matchup. On top of that, the Bills will be without their best pass-rushing defensive end, the Bengals’ offensive line has been playing much better as of late for their run game, and Cincinnati could have the rare excellent second receiver who can exploit the Bills’ second cornerback position in ways they’ve been able to avoid recently. Burrow has also played the Bills’ defense well in those matchups.I think the Bills’ offense will also be able to exploit a Bengals defense that has largely struggled this season, and is without the defensive coordinator who gave Josh Allen problems in previous matchups. However, with how inconsistent the Bills have been on that side, it is fair to wonder if they can truly exploit the Bengals through the air the way that other teams have this season. Ultimately, I think Burrow’s unique ability to challenge the Bills’ usual defensive structure and receiver skill gives them the slight advantage. Still, it should be a close, fun contest between two of the best quarterbacks in the league.
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Bill Polar
Well-known member
Balls:
Josh
Prater
Benford
Epenesa
Hee Hawes
Shakir
Goats:
D Holy shit is that defense bad. I mean a win but damn they stink
Van Demark, if superman wasn't in a Josh Allen costume his fuck ups could have been fatal
Cook: dust if off dude, but please don't fumble at the goal line
Ty Johnson, the snow tackle
Josh
Prater
Benford
Epenesa
Hee Hawes
Shakir
Goats:
D Holy shit is that defense bad. I mean a win but damn they stink
Van Demark, if superman wasn't in a Josh Allen costume his fuck ups could have been fatal
Cook: dust if off dude, but please don't fumble at the goal line
Ty Johnson, the snow tackle
FULL BOX SCORE
- REWATCH: Bengals-Bills on NFL+ Premium
- Bills demonstrate toughness in comeback. Buffalo spent most of Sunday chasing after Joe Burrow and the Bengals, who started the game as emphatically as possible with three straight touchdown drives. Cincinnati appeared to be in control in the fourth quarter, too, until Josh Allen galloped through a wide stretch of open field for a 40-yard touchdown, and Christian Benford picked off an awkwardly delivered Burrow lob and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bills a 32-28 lead that seemed unlikely, if not impossible just a few minutes earlier. One more interception on the very next play gave the Bills the opportunity they needed and they didn't waste it, converting a fourth-and-goal from the Cincinnati 3 via a touchdown pass from Allen to Jackson Hawes. On a day that felt like a playoff setting, the Bills overcame inclement weather and a stiff challenge from the desperate Bengals to emerge victorious, notching a win that is as valuable for team morale as it is for their AFC playoff seeding.
- Bengals' meltdown overshadows entertaining performance. Burrow and Allen spent much of Sunday afternoon attempting to outduel each other, delivering two of the most impressive quarterback performances you'll see in such unfavorable weather conditions. To Burrow's credit, before his consecutive, game-altering interceptions in the fourth quarter, he played excellently, powering Cincinnati's offense with pinpoint passing that capitalized on the return of Tee Higgins and relied on Mike Gesicki's ability to make contested catches on key downs. The Bengals didn't convert 10 of 12 third downs by accident, and for much of the contest they looked the part of a playoff team that was embarking on an unbelievable climb from the depths of the division cellar to the top. Almost all of the credit for that was due to Burrow, making his two-play meltdown that much more disappointing. Instead of recording a landmark victory that would have put the rest of the AFC North on notice, the Bengals essentially kissed their postseason hopes good bye in brutal fashion.
- Benford, Allen power Bills to another impressive win. Buffalo's Week 13 triumph over the Pittsburgh Steelers was built on an assortment of second-half clutch plays, beginning with a Benford fumble return for a touchdown and ending with an amazing touchdown pass from Allen to Keon Coleman and an 8-yard Allen touchdown run. Week 13 followed a similar format. Allen sparked the Bills' comeback effort with his 40-yard touchdown run -- the longest by a Bills quarterback in franchise history -- and Benford followed that with his athletic, instinctive interception returned for a touchdown, almost instantly flipping what was a 10-point deficit into a four-point lead. The Bills haven't been remarkably consistent in 2025, but it's very encouraging to see their key contributors produce in the biggest moments, a development that is creeping toward becoming a trend. On a day in which they couldn't rely as heavily on James Cook (who fumbled into the end zone), this was crucial -- and could be a sign of a team peaking at the perfect time.
NFL Research: Sunday's electric showdown between the Bengals and Bills featured just two total punts, tying for the second-fewest combined punts in any game in 2025 and representing the first game in which the Bills did not punt since Week 1 of the 2022 season.
sukie
Well-known member
The pass D had to be instructed to play 10+ yards off . It was infuriatingly obvious that it was a bad idea.
The catches in the first have were sick almost superhuman catches. Can’t blame defenders. It was crazy for a while.
Tackling at the line was also an issue. But part of that is good hard running.
Benford is a blessing.
Knox finally had a key focus in the passing game.
The catches in the first have were sick almost superhuman catches. Can’t blame defenders. It was crazy for a while.
Tackling at the line was also an issue. But part of that is good hard running.
Benford is a blessing.
Knox finally had a key focus in the passing game.
Report Card: Josh Allen's heroics lead to high marks for Bills' offense in comeback victory
Report Card: Josh Allen's heroics lead to high marks for Bills' offense in comeback victory
Buffalo News sports reporter Jay Skurski grades the Buffalo Bills after their 39-34 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Grading the Buffalo Bills in their 39-34 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Highmark Stadium …
Running game: A
The Bills used their cheat code Sunday, as quarterback Josh Allen rushed nine times for 78 yards. Included in that were two of the biggest plays of the game – his 40-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter that cut the Bills’ deficit to three points at the time, and his 17-yard scramble on third-and-15 with just about a minute left that allowed the offense to run out the clock. When Allen goes into beast mode like that on the ground, he is borderline impossible to defend.Running back James Cook had 80 rushing yards on 18 carries, but he lost a costly fumble near the goal line. Cook has had some spectacular games this season, but this wasn’t one of them. Ty Johnson should have had a long touchdown run in the first quarter, but lost his footing on the snowy turf.
In large part because of Allen’s brilliance, the Bills rushed for 183 yards as a team, guaranteeing they’ll enter Week 15 with the No. 1-ranked rushing offense in the league.
Passing game: A
Allen became the first player in NFL history with three seasons of 20-plus passing touchdowns and 10-plus rushing touchdowns. He finished 22 of 28 for 251 yards and three touchdowns – a quarterback rating of 139.7 – in outplaying his Bengals counterpart, Joe Burrow, who was also excellent.The Bengals had a reputation of being terrible defending tight ends, and that was well deserved. All three of Buffalo’s players at the position – Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes – scored, with Knox catching a two-point conversion, and the other two reaching the end zone.
It was a quiet game for the wide receivers. Gabe Davis led the group with two catches for 21 yards. Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir each finished with two catches for 16 yards, while Brandin Cooks was not targeted, although he did draw a defensive pass interference penalty.
Safety Cole Bishop and the rest of the Bills' defense limited the Bengals to just 62 rushing yards Sunday.
Derek Gee, Buffalo News
Run defense: A
The Bengals finished with a scant 19 rushing attempts for 62 yards. There was an element of “Why run, when you can throw?” to that total, but the Bills' defense didn’t allow a run of 10 yards.Middle linebacker Shaq Thompson ended the first quarter with a great stop on Chase Brown for a loss of 3 yards. Thompson, starting again in place of the injured Terrel Bernard, finished with six tackles.
The Bills’ only other tackle for loss came on a sack, but the run defense did make two tackles for no gain. Rookie defensive tackle T.J. Sanders had one of them, while Cole Bishop and Deone Walker combined for the other.
Of the Bengals’ 19 rushing attempts, 11 of them were held to 3 or fewer yards. That is a pretty strong effort for a unit that has struggled at times this season.
“They had one run that went for, like, 8 yards or something, and then after that, we kind of got into them a little bit,” Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips said.
Pass defense: C
Burrow threw for four touchdowns, so it is hard to give this group a better grade than this. Of course, two interceptions means it is hard to give it a worse grade, either. Christian Benford’s leaping pick-six in the fourth quarter will go on not just the season highlight reel, but is one of the best plays made in Highmark Stadium in recent memory.The Bills defended seven passes, with rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston leading the way with two. Benford also had the Bills’ only sack of the game on a well-called cornerback blitz. Other than that, the pass rush struggled, at times, to generate enough pressure without the injured Joey Bosa.
Special teams: B
You can’t take anything for granted on a slippery field. The special teams got the job done. After missing an extra point in consecutive games, kicker Matt Prater had no issues against the Bengals, hitting a 26-yard field goal and four extra points. The Bills did not punt in the game.Shakir had one return for 9 yards. The Bills’ kick returners, Ray Davis and Johnson, finished with six returns for 130 yards – an average of just 21.7 yards per attempt. The Bengals did a good job bottling them up in the return game, especially after that unit has looked dangerous lately for the Bills.
The defensive kickoff return unit didn’t have a great afternoon, allowing a 35-yard return by Charlie Jones. The Bengals’ average drive start after kickoffs was their 34-yard line, which is pretty good field position for Burrow.
Coaching: B
It is a glass-half-full, glass-half-empty situation for the defense, right now. On one hand, the coaches deserve credit for the in-game adjustments. On the other, the slow starts to games are troubling. The third-down issues absolutely have to be addressed.Credit offensive coordinator Joe Brady for going right at the Bengals’ weakness of covering tight ends. The Bills exploited that wonderfully. Brady stuck with the running game, even when it wasn’t opening holes the way it did last week. The end result was a much-needed victory. It wasn’t perfect, but it was gutsy. That has been written often this season. As McDermott said after the game, the Bills aren’t where they need to be, but the team finds a way late in the season. Buffalo is now 24-3 in December or January in the regular season, dating to the start of the 2020 season.
Victor7
Well-known member
Balls
Josh “motherfucking” Allen. Put on the cape, put on a show. An MVP type performance from the winter soldier. This team wouldn’t sniff 5 W’a without him. McD should have a shrine for Allen placed at OBD and his home
Benford. Shut down Chase and the obvious game changing play. Has as many touchdowns over the last 2 games as Lamar in the past 4. Lol
2nd Int. Lucky or not and also key as I’m sure Bungles would’ve scored like they did all game long
Tight Ends. All 3 got in on the action. Good job by Brady exploiting the biggest flaw in that defense.
OL. Couple of sacks but mostly a clean day for Josh.
Prater. Made all kicks and a couple of tackles !
Josh Allen. Just in case anyone missed the first mention
Goats
Defense. What defense ? Pathetic, soft, just awful. Don’t let the 2 turnovers distract you from that god awful showing. Depending on defensive touchdowns and batted ball picks is not a strategy. Burrow did whatever he wanted. Dishonorable mention to the overpaid bums on the Dline who once again generated zero pass rush.
Sean McDermott. See above. Great 3rd down defense Sean. You go girl !
Cam Lewis. Missed every tackle and every assignment. One of the worst games I’ve seen from a DB in a while.
Cook. 4 fumbles over the last 2 games. It’s a problem. Teams will be going for him. Needs to be corrected NOW.
Ty Johnson slipping. Cost 4 points.
Bengals doctors, independent dude from the league that allowed Tee Higgins to play after that hit. He was clearly not ok. Specially coming off concussion protocol.
Playcalling last drive. If not for Allen saving us maybe we are talking another L. They really were going to throw a screen on 2nd down. Just stupid.
Refs. As stated in the prediction thread. Brad Rogers is a below average ref and he delivered a below average performance. Bengals td to the runner was incomplete. PI on Taron was bullshit, Higgins td catch 1 was OPI
That was fun boys. Loved it. The stadium was insane after the Benford pick and the Josh long td run. Great memory to take home on my last visit. Now the hard pills …. As fun as that was. We are still deeply flawed. Our D can’t stop a girls flag football team. Depending on Benford tds and tipped passes on D and miracle 4th downs on O is not sustainable. Let’s never take Allen for granted. His greatness covers up for so many of the deficiencies. But make no mistake. A serious change is still needed. Fuck you Sean McDermott. Thank you HighMark stadium for so much. It was a pleasure. Go Bills !
Josh “motherfucking” Allen. Put on the cape, put on a show. An MVP type performance from the winter soldier. This team wouldn’t sniff 5 W’a without him. McD should have a shrine for Allen placed at OBD and his home
Benford. Shut down Chase and the obvious game changing play. Has as many touchdowns over the last 2 games as Lamar in the past 4. Lol
2nd Int. Lucky or not and also key as I’m sure Bungles would’ve scored like they did all game long
Tight Ends. All 3 got in on the action. Good job by Brady exploiting the biggest flaw in that defense.
OL. Couple of sacks but mostly a clean day for Josh.
Prater. Made all kicks and a couple of tackles !
Josh Allen. Just in case anyone missed the first mention
Goats
Defense. What defense ? Pathetic, soft, just awful. Don’t let the 2 turnovers distract you from that god awful showing. Depending on defensive touchdowns and batted ball picks is not a strategy. Burrow did whatever he wanted. Dishonorable mention to the overpaid bums on the Dline who once again generated zero pass rush.
Sean McDermott. See above. Great 3rd down defense Sean. You go girl !
Cam Lewis. Missed every tackle and every assignment. One of the worst games I’ve seen from a DB in a while.
Cook. 4 fumbles over the last 2 games. It’s a problem. Teams will be going for him. Needs to be corrected NOW.
Ty Johnson slipping. Cost 4 points.
Bengals doctors, independent dude from the league that allowed Tee Higgins to play after that hit. He was clearly not ok. Specially coming off concussion protocol.
Playcalling last drive. If not for Allen saving us maybe we are talking another L. They really were going to throw a screen on 2nd down. Just stupid.
Refs. As stated in the prediction thread. Brad Rogers is a below average ref and he delivered a below average performance. Bengals td to the runner was incomplete. PI on Taron was bullshit, Higgins td catch 1 was OPI
That was fun boys. Loved it. The stadium was insane after the Benford pick and the Josh long td run. Great memory to take home on my last visit. Now the hard pills …. As fun as that was. We are still deeply flawed. Our D can’t stop a girls flag football team. Depending on Benford tds and tipped passes on D and miracle 4th downs on O is not sustainable. Let’s never take Allen for granted. His greatness covers up for so many of the deficiencies. But make no mistake. A serious change is still needed. Fuck you Sean McDermott. Thank you HighMark stadium for so much. It was a pleasure. Go Bills !
That was a nice write up. Fuck yiu Sean McPieceofshit indeed!! He needs to be let go along with Beane.Balls
Josh “motherfucking” Allen. Put on the cape, put on a show. An MVP type performance from the winter soldier. This team wouldn’t sniff 5 W’a without him. McD should have a shrine for Allen placed at OBD and his home
Benford. Shut down Chase and the obvious game changing play. Has as many touchdowns over the last 2 games as Lamar in the past 4. Lol
2nd Int. Lucky or not and also key as I’m sure Bungles would’ve scored like they did all game long
Tight Ends. All 3 got in on the action. Good job by Brady exploiting the biggest flaw in that defense.
OL. Couple of sacks but mostly a clean day for Josh.
Prater. Made all kicks and a couple of tackles !
Josh Allen. Just in case anyone missed the first mention
Goats
Defense. What defense ? Pathetic, soft, just awful. Don’t let the 2 turnovers distract you from that god awful showing. Depending on defensive touchdowns and batted ball picks is not a strategy. Burrow did whatever he wanted. Dishonorable mention to the overpaid bums on the Dline who once again generated zero pass rush.
Sean McDermott. See above. Great 3rd down defense Sean. You go girl !
Cam Lewis. Missed every tackle and every assignment. One of the worst games I’ve seen from a DB in a while.
Cook. 4 fumbles over the last 2 games. It’s a problem. Teams will be going for him. Needs to be corrected NOW.
Ty Johnson slipping. Cost 4 points.
Bengals doctors, independent dude from the league that allowed Tee Higgins to play after that hit. He was clearly not ok. Specially coming off concussion protocol.
Playcalling last drive. If not for Allen saving us maybe we are talking another L. They really were going to throw a screen on 2nd down. Just stupid.
Refs. As stated in the prediction thread. Brad Rogers is a below average ref and he delivered a below average performance. Bengals td to the runner was incomplete. PI on Taron was bullshit, Higgins td catch 1 was OPI
That was fun boys. Loved it. The stadium was insane after the Benford pick and the Josh long td run. Great memory to take home on my last visit. Now the hard pills …. As fun as that was. We are still deeply flawed. Our D can’t stop a girls flag football team. Depending on Benford tds and tipped passes on D and miracle 4th downs on O is not sustainable. Let’s never take Allen for granted. His greatness covers up for so many of the deficiencies. But make no mistake. A serious change is still needed. Fuck you Sean McDermott. Thank you HighMark stadium for so much. It was a pleasure. Go Bills !
sukie
Well-known member
Victor. It was glaringly obvious that the D was giving way too much cushion the entirety of the first half. Playing 10 yards off when they need 8 is never gonna work. Also the catches the Bengals were making in first half were super human. Humanity caught up second half with those catches… (T Higgins one handed grab excepted)
Victor7
Well-known member
That's not what I saw. We got 2 turnovers and that's the story. They scored after the Cook fumble and then after our 2nd touchdown. It took them like a minute and 4 plays.
For all I know we dont get those 2 picks and they scored both times.