Damien Cox: Bills feel like they’re going backward after playoff loss to Bengals
team has a 26-year-old franchise quarterback, perhaps the best in team history, the window for success never really closes on that team as long as that signal caller is playing.A 13-3 regular season and an unimpressive playoff victory over Miami got the Bills another home playoff date on Sunday, but it was there they ran into a snowy brick wall in the form of the Cincinnati Bengals. Once again, a Bills season ended in defeat.
This year, coming off a thrilling playoff game lost in overtime last January to Kansas City, it seemed like the next step was in the cards. The first two regular-season games, lopsided wins over the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams and the very sturdy Tennessee Titans, seemed to confirm that. Buffalo’s spectacular offence, meanwhile, just never showed up in the non-stop, heavy snowflakes that greeted both teams at the opening kickoff. The footing was poor, but Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and the rest of the Cincinnati offence looked sure-footed and confident all day as they dominated their way to a second consecutive visit to Kansas City for the AFC title game.
The superstar Buffalo quarterback, who was laid out by Bengals defensive back Mike Hilton late in the fourth quarter, was a decent 25-of-42 passing for 265 yards. But he and the Bills offence were forced to play uphill all day after the Bengals scored on two long drives in the first quarter to jump to a quick 14-0 lead.
Yes, the Bills should be able to remain an elite AFC squad as long as they have Allen. More of a commitment to running the ball in order to complement the quarterback’s passing may be part of the answer. More beef on the defensive line seems to be a must, and the mid-season loss of Von Miller left Buffalo without a convincing edge rusher when it mattered most. Perhaps the 33-year-old Miller can bounce back in the second year of his six-season deal next year.
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