Here are the Buffalo Bills, down 21-0 to the upstart New England Patriots on a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon in Massachusetts. Maybe the gravity of the moment didn’t hit the Bills at that time, but the perceptions from the outside looking in say a window is closing, and the opportunity to seize a moment is slipping away before our eyes. See, Buffalo has been knocking on the door of at least a Super Bowl appearance, only to see the Kansas City Chiefs (among other AFC counterparts) keep them from breaking through. The prevalent thinking says as long as the Bills have Josh Allen playing quarterback for them, the window for a title remains open, but over time, the teams Buffalo has been better than start to catch up. In other words, opportunities are precious, and if one gets missed, there’s no guarantee another is coming. As the Bills looked at what was in front of them, perhaps that thought crossed their minds, and they reacted like a team who understood what was needed for the current moment.
Before getting into the details of what happened in the game, let’s take a look at the big picture. The Chiefs, who have made at least the AFC Championship Game every year since 2018, are officially eliminated from playoff contention for this season. The Baltimore Ravens, who came in right there with Buffalo as a major candidate to dethrone Kansas City, are sitting at 7-7, struggling to win the weaker-than-normal AFC North. Yes, teams like the Patriots and Denver Broncos (the Jacksonville Jaguars can get thrown into the mix) are ascending as new contenders, but questions about how viable they can be ring loud. That brings us back to the Bills, who came into their second game with New England (the Patriots won the first contest 23-20 in western New York) at 9-4, needing a win to keep their hopes of reigning over the AFC East alive. Because of the numerous playoff scars, it’s logical to think they’re more tested than the aforementioned new kids on the block, and their main contenders are in a weakened state. It’s about as perfect of a scenario the Bills can hope for, and it looked dangerously close to being squandered a bit, or at least harder to take advantage of the situation.
But sometimes, it’s forgotten there are four quarters in a football game, and plenty of time remained for Buffalo to get it together. Did they ever, as they were able to erase that 21-point deficit to take the lead 28-24. New England running back TreVeyon Henderson broke off a 65-yard touchdown run to give the Pats the lead back, but the Bills would respond to land the final blow and solidify a 35-31 victory. Suddenly, a season (and perhaps the best title opportunity remaining) that looked to be on the brink of collapse is alive and well for Buffalo. After a squad wins, it’s normal to hear how it was the ultimate team effort, but it’s especially true in this case. Allen (who had 193 passing yards with three touchdowns) didn’t have to put on the Superman cape, because they remembered they have James Cook to run the football (107 yards with two touchdowns). A kickoff return by Ray Davis set the comeback in full swing, putting the Bills in position to quickly cut into a 24-7 deficit coming out for the second half. Finally, a much-maligned defense stood up and held New England to just seven points after getting ran through in the first half.
As it stands right now, the Patriots are 11-3, still a game up on Buffalo in the AFC East, but because they couldn’t finish Sunday, the pressure to hold on to the lead could start to heat up. One thing the Bills have in their favor is experience in crucial games, and it was apparent they leaned on that in this contest. Who knows? Buffalo might still be a wild card that would have to win three games on the road to make the Super Bowl, but the comeback on New England serves as a reminder of how dangerous they are. They might not have home-field advantage, but it would be hard to find a team excited about having the Bills visit for a one-and-done playoff game, especially with the reigning league-MVP on their side. Throw in the urgency factor, combined with past heartbreak, and there could be a certain intensity unmatched by anyone else.
During title runs, there’s always a turning point where things lock in. For Buffalo, this would be the moment if they are the last one standing in February, and this looks to be the best chance to finally bring a championship back to their passionate fan base. Understanding things are falling in their favor (mainly the struggles of the Chiefs and Ravens) might have been what woke the Bills up last Sunday. Maybe the team got together to look at a hard truth. Either way, at least for now, Buffalo is aware of the opportunity in front of them, and it’s imperative they cash in, because nothing is promised for the future.
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