3 Ways Bills Have Re-Emerged As Super Bowl Contenders Despite Josh Allen’s Average Night

Josh Allen and his Buffalo Bills went from preseason Super Bowl favorites to having a run of games where major question marks about the team’s state started to make headlines.

Many believed the quarterback was flying blind, and the offense was struggling with the lack of targets, which is necessary for the reigning league MVP to have an impact.

Keon Coleman‘s decline was alarming, and with him struggling to get open, some analysts pleaded with the front office to get some wide receivers in before the trade deadline.

That did not happen, and it became evident that the Bills were going to battle through and improve as a team. Many Bills players talked about how they hope Coleman would improve over time.

That has still not happened, which saw the Bills lose to the Houston Texans on the road. Next, they were to face a resurgent Pittsburgh Steelers defense, and surprisingly, the away team ended up staging a second half comeback to win despite Josh Allen‘s struggles.

Even though the offense is still a work in progress, this Week 13 game gave football fans a glimpse of what can go right for the Buffalo Bills. Those reasons could eventually make them Super Bowl contenders again.

Josh Allen and his offense are starting to find their rhythm

In the first drive of this game, Josh Allen threw an interception. At that point, everyone probably thought this was going to be the story of the game.

His struggles of late have been well-documented, and his entire performance in the first half proved that the recently-married QB was not going through a good phase.

Then there was a James Cook fumble in the 2nd quarter, and after a touchdown on the next drive, Steelers fans were starting to believe they were going to have a good night of celebration. In the second half, Josh Allen took advantage of a short field and connected with Keon Coleman for a touchdown. By now, the away team was in control.

On the next drive, Allen, who was starting to get comfortable, drove his team down the field and then ran it in on his own to register his second score of the night.

In their final drive of the game, the 29-year-old quarterback joined forces with his star running back to use short gains to stretch the clock to avoid giving their opponents a chance to stage a comeback.

Such wins are the reason why the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles have become champions. It is not always about the electric deep ball or the thunderous runs. It is also important to step up when it matters and win in any way possible.

Bills’ defense is proving to be a standout unit

For most of the first half of this season, all the focus was on Josh Allen and his offense’s struggles. Behind the lines, the defense was also trying to find its rhythm, as it was not completely taking advantage of its offseason acquisitions.

Then came this game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the unit effectively kept Aaron Rodgers and his weapons at bay. Then in the second-half, they took their play up a notch.

It started with Joey Bosa bear-tackling Rodgers. The hit jarred the ball out of the 4-time MVP’s hands, which cornerback Christian Benford scooped up and ran it all the way to the Steelers’ end zone to score their team’s first touchdown.

Rodgers was injured on that hit and had to visit the medical staff. The Bills’ defense then forced an interception, again with Benford making the play, out of his backup, Mason Rudolph, on the very next drive.

Those takeaways might have been the highlights of the game, but the away defense was standout all through. Other than a rushing touchdown, they effectively shut the Steelers down for the night.

Admittedly, the home team is also struggling on offense. But even then, to stop them in that manner was impressive, and more importantly, it looked like a defense that could help the team win its first Super Bowl.

Josh Allen and his Bills are proving they can manage the game clock

One of the biggest criticisms of the Bills’ teams has been their inability to manage the clock. They have lost games, both in the regular season as well as in the playoffs, due to that.

Last season, they lost the AFC Championship game to the Chiefs due to their inability to get yards when it mattered. Many were quick to blame the officiating, but Josh Allen knew he and his team did not do their job well.

When playoffs come around, it is not just the highlight-worthy plays that matter. Teams win and lose Super Bowls based on how they manage the dogfight.

In this game against the Steelers, the Bills proved they could manage the clock on both sides of the ball. The defense did it well throughout the game, forcing the Steelers into turnovers and creating situations where they could not reach scoring positions easily.

On offense, Josh Allen and his unit’s final drive was a testament to clock management, eating up 9 minutes, and still scoring a field goal. If they can consistently do this in their next few games against top defenses, it will bode well for the playoffs.

The Bills have an advantage heading into the postseason, as the other big guns, the Chiefs, Eagles, and Ravens, are struggling. With a few newcomers entering the fray, the franchise can start believing in its chances at winning their first-ever Vince Lombardi trophy.

Also Read:

• LeSean McCoy Feels the Cowboys Won’t Be a Threat in Playoffs Despite Consecutive Wins Against Eagles and Chiefs
• Jerry Jones Claims He Nearly Sent Micah Parsons to Jets in Blockbuster Quinnen Williams Deal