Where Else Would You Rather Be?
This game was back and forth.
It could have gone either way. Miami had the momentum going into the fourth quarter. Buffalo scored on the previous drive and with a 2-point conversation that had to go to replay to confirm. After that, the snow began to fall and the field went from green, to off color green-tintish, to white in about 8 minutes of gameplay time (about 20 minutes of actual time).
The BILLS got the ball back with 5:56 to play in the game. Josh Allen, 25/40 for 304 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, engineered a drive that may go down in Buffalo Bills football history in the coming months with some really hard running from Devin Singletary, 13 carries for 42 yards, averaging 3.2 yards per carry.
Below is a play-by-play of the drive that took all 5:56 seconds of the game to complete with a Tyler Bass 25 Yard Field Goal to win the game, capping a 15 play, 86 yard drive.
1st & 10 at BUF 7
(5:56 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Allen pass short right to G.Davis ran ob at BUF 21 for 14 yards.
1st & 10 at BUF 21
(5:31 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Allen sacked at BUF 13 for -8 yards (Z.Sieler). Penalty on BUF-R.Saffold, Offensive Holding, declined.
2nd & 18 at BUF 13
(5:13 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Allen pass short left to G.Davis to BUF 28 for 15 yards (N.Igbinoghene).
3rd & 3 at BUF 28
(4:43 - 4th) (No Huddle, Shotgun) J.Allen pass short left to S.Diggs to BUF 34 for 6 yards (X.Howard).
1st & 10 at BUF 34
(4:05 - 4th) (No Huddle, Shotgun) D.Singletary up the middle to BUF 36 for 2 yards (C.Wilkins).
2nd & 8 at BUF 36
(3:35 - 4th) (No Huddle, Shotgun) D.Singletary right guard to BUF 42 for 6 yards (C.Wilkins).
3rd & 2 at BUF 42
(3:02 - 4th) (No Huddle, Shotgun) J.Allen pass short left to I.McKenzie to BUF 47 for 5 yards (K.Kohou).
1st & 10 at BUF 47
(2:27 - 4th) (No Huddle, Shotgun) D.Singletary right guard to MIA 45 for 8 yards (K.Kohou).
(2:00 - 4th) Two-Minute Warning
2nd & 2 at MIA 45
(2:00 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Singletary left guard to MIA 38 for 7 yards (J.Baker, J.Jenkins).
1st & 10 at MIA 38
(1:28 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Singletary right guard to MIA 34 for 4 yards (J.Baker; J.Phillips).
2nd & 6 at MIA 34
(0:53 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Allen pass incomplete short middle to S.Diggs (J.Holland). Pass tipped at line.
3rd & 6 at MIA 34
(0:50 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Allen pass incomplete deep left to I.McKenzie [J.Baker]. PENALTY on MIA-K.Kohou, Defensive Pass Interference, 21 yards, enforced at MIA 34 - No Play. Penalty on MIA-K.Kohou, Defensive Holding, declined.
1st & 10 at MIA 13
(0:39 - 4th) B.Hart reported in as eligible. D.Singletary left guard to MIA 11 for 2 yards (A.Van Ginkel; R.Davis).
(0:39 - 4th) Timeout #2 by MIA at 00:39.
2nd & 8 at MIA 11
(0:29 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Singletary left guard to MIA 4 for 7 yards (K.Kohou).
(0:34 - 4th) Timeout #3 by MIA at 00:34.
3rd & 1 at MIA 4
(0:31 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Allen kneels to MIA 7 for -3 yards.
(0:02 - 4th) Timeout #2 by BUF at 00:02.
4th & 4 at MIA 7
(0:00 - 4th) T.Bass 25 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-R.Ferguson, Holder-S.Martin.
Penalty on MIA-K.Crossen, Defensive Offside, declined.
(0:00 - 4th) END GAME…
Devin Singletary, on this drive, had, 7 of his 13 carries on this last drive for 40+ yards. Each run was a hard, tough run. He dropped his shoulder a few times to gain extra yards. He made good cuts at the line of scrimmage. The run blocking on this drive was exceptional as well, as it has been lack luster for most of the game and almost all the big runs were by Josh Allen during the game. It was good to see Singletary take over when we needed him to do so.
This was a huge win for the team. Even with the Defense struggling with the first man to get hands on a Dolphin player would miss the tackle, time and time again. It was really making me nervous during the game, but the BILLS toughened up when they needed to in the fourth quarter.
This was a team win, all around.
Both games with the Dolphins were nail bitters and made me remember some of those Kelly/Marino matchups from yesteryears past. If Miami gets into the playoffs we may just see them again and it probably would be fitting that they do. A win next week on Christmas Eve at Chicago will give us our 3rd straight Division title.
Now we have to continue to get healthy.
We are still missing guys we need out there. We gotta really buckle down and get those fundamentals sorted and win these last 3 games to secure home field advantage in the playoffs. Plus that week bye will be helpful to get guys healthy so that we may have the best playoff push possible. Maybe we get a little help from Houston and Tampa Bay today in their games against losing clubs, probably not.
A whole lot has to happen before we can start really celebrating anything here. I probably only write about the Buffalo Bills once or twice a year and I do not believe I have really written anything about the team this season. I am sure with the playoff push coming in the next month there will be plenty to write about.
My first memory of me being #BillsMaffia was preseason, 1980. It wasn’t till the divisional playoff loss to Cleveland some years later till I was old enough to really understand Football from a spectating point of view. From there on out, I have followed the team in a more-deeper way. Being a Buffalo Bills fan has been a part of my life that defines part of my personality. Heavy Metal, ole school Professional Wrestling, Weightlifting, Buffalo Bills football, and FAMILY, all the things that make me up.
{Fight on, my men,” Sir Andrew Said “A little I’m hurt but not yet slain. “I’ll just lie down and bleed a while, “And then I’ll rise and Fight again.}
Author is never mentioned, but is famous from Hall of Fame NFL coach Marv Levy. He read this poem to the Buffalo Bills after losing their 1st Super Bowl. As history shows. The team rallied behind these words for years to come.