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Dallas Co Farmers Exchange – Buffalo, Fair Grove, Urbana |
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01/11 15:34 CST Josh Allen leads Bills over Jags 27-24 for Buffalo's first road
playoff victory in 33 years
Josh Allen leads Bills over Jags 27-24 for Buffalo's first road playoff victory
in 33 years
By MARK LONG
AP Pro Football Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) --- Josh Allen took a pounding, doled out punishment
and delivered Buffalo its first road playoff victory in more than three
decades, 27-24 over Jacksonville in the AFC's wild-card opener Sunday.
With linebacker Devin Lloyd bearing down on him, Allen found Brandin Cooks for
36 yards just before the two-minute warning and then capped the go-ahead drive
with a 1-yard touchdown run in which Jacksonville let him score.
On the play before his score, Allen gained 10 yards on a sneak, refusing to go
down while being pushed and pulled to the goal line.
"Just trusting everybody on the field," Allen said. "Great win, great team win.
All we've got to do is play our game, find a way to win a football game. We're
on to the next."
Buffalo will play at Denver or New England next week, a chance to build a road
winning streak after a decades-long skid.
"We got to go do it again. We got to go do it again," Allen said.
Focused on getting rid of the ball quickly and negating Jacksonville's pass
rush most of the game, Allen completed 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and a
touchdown. He ran for two scores, was sacked just once and played turnover-free
football. Khalil Shakir caught 12 passes for 82 yards for the Bills.
It was necessary considering NFL rushing leader James Cook was mostly bottled
up, finishing with 46 yards on 15 carries.
"You know, we're going to play for each other, we're gonna fight to the very
last second, and you saw that here today," Allen said.
Buffalo (13-5) intercepted a deflected pass on Jacksonville's final drive to
seal the victory.
The Bills had been 0-5 on the road in the playoffs under coach Sean McDermott,
starting with a 10-3 loss at Jacksonville in the 2017 wild-card round. The
Bills had dropped eight consecutive postseason games on the road since winning
at Miami in the 1992 AFC championship game. It had been the NFL's
second-longest, active road playoff skid.
The Jaguars (13-5) took the lead with 4:03 to play on Trevor Lawrence's third
TD pass of the game, but they couldn't hold it against the NFL's reigning MVP.
Lawrence completed 18 of 30 passes for 207 yards, with TD throws to Brian
Thomas Jr., Parker Washington and Travis Etienne. Washington finished with
seven catches for 107 yards.
Coach Liam Coen surely will get questioned for not running the ball more
against one of the league's most porous run defenses.
Etienne and rookie Bhayshul Tuten combined for 118 yards on just 14 carries.
Allen, meanwhile, showed his toughness. He twice ended up in the medical tent
in the first half but didn't miss a snap. He got hammered in the head twice
during one play, with Josh Hines-Allen landing on the side of his helmet right
after teammate Travon Walker tackled him to the ground. His left ear appeared
to be bleeding, but he got checked out and returned.
Allen later slammed his right hand into the helmet of right guard O'Cyrus
Torrence after releasing the ball. And he completed the injury trifecta when
his left leg got bent awkwardly on his 2-yard TD run.
Allen stayed on the ground following that last hit from Hines-Allen and
gingerly walked to the sideline and back into the tent. But, as usual, the
6-foot-5, 237-pounder powered through and was back on the field making plays.
A Little left and a missed opportunity The Jaguars had a chance to tie the game at the end of the first half, but Cam Little was wide left on a 54-yarder. The miss ended a streak of 20 consecutive field goals made for the second-year pro from Arkansas. Little kicked the two longest field goals in NFL history this season --- a 68-yarder at Las Vegas and a 67-yarder last week against Tennessee. He got a chance after the Bills were flagged for being offside following a 34-yard completion that got Little into range.
Key injuries Bills S Jordan Poyer (hamstring) was ruled out to start the third quarter, a huge loss for an already banged-up secondary. It left the Bills to play with rookie Jordan Hancock and second-year Cole Bishop. WR Gabe Davis, who played for Jacksonville last season, injured his left knee in the fourth and was carted to the locker room and ruled out. WR Tyrell Shavers injured his left knee during a punt return but returned in the second half. Jaguars RG Patrick Mekari (back) left in the third. LG Ezra Cleveland also was banged up and alternating plays with rookie Wyatt Milum. WR Parker Washington was evaluated for a concussion in the first half and cleared to return.
Up next The Bills will play at Denver or New England next weekend. The Jaguars will turn their attention toward improving a roster that lacked enough difference-makers on both sides of the ball. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
A Little left and a missed opportunity The Jaguars had a chance to tie the game at the end of the first half, but Cam Little was wide left on a 54-yarder. The miss ended a streak of 20 consecutive field goals made for the second-year pro from Arkansas. Little kicked the two longest field goals in NFL history this season --- a 68-yarder at Las Vegas and a 67-yarder last week against Tennessee. He got a chance after the Bills were flagged for being offside following a 34-yard completion that got Little into range.
Key injuries Bills S Jordan Poyer (hamstring) was ruled out to start the third quarter, a huge loss for an already banged-up secondary. It left the Bills to play with rookie Jordan Hancock and second-year Cole Bishop. WR Gabe Davis, who played for Jacksonville last season, injured his left knee in the fourth and was carted to the locker room and ruled out. WR Tyrell Shavers injured his left knee during a punt return but returned in the second half. Jaguars RG Patrick Mekari (back) left in the third. LG Ezra Cleveland also was banged up and alternating plays with rookie Wyatt Milum. WR Parker Washington was evaluated for a concussion in the first half and cleared to return.
Up next The Bills will play at Denver or New England next weekend. The Jaguars will turn their attention toward improving a roster that lacked enough difference-makers on both sides of the ball. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
