The Buffalo Bills (8-4) won convincingly over the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) in Week 13 NFL action. The victory halts a two-game slide for the Bills.
Buffalo did most of their action on the ground, piling up 249 yards.
Defensively, the unit allowed a season-best 58 yards against Pittsburgh’s running attack.
Cornerback Christian Benford scooped an Aaron Rodgers fumble by the Steelers QB to give the Bills their first touchdown.
Josh Allen found receiever Keon Coleman on a one-yard pass to extend the lead. Allen rushed for an eight-yard score to prolong a dominant second-half performance.
With that, here is Bills Wire’s analysis of the 26-7 win:
What went right?
Buffalo’s run attack was tremendous. They imposed their will on a usually stout Pittsburgh defense. All told, the Bills rushed for 249 yards. James Cook piled up 144 yards on 32 carries, while Ray Davis added 62 yards on nine rushes.
More impressively, the Bills did this without their starting tackles. Ryan Van Demark and Alec Anderson filled in for Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown.
The offensive line did not allow a sack as well.
Buffalo’s offense scored on all three of its offensive series. Josh Allen rushed for a touchdown. Keon Coleman was on the receiving end of an Allen touchdown. Matt Prater added three points on a 37-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter
The defense had an all-around great evening against the Steelers. Buffalo’s defense surrendered a touchdown on the drive following a James Cook fumble. Pittsburgh capitalized on a short 39-yard scoring series.
The unit turned up the heat in the second half. Joey Bosa sacked Aaron Rodgers on the first offensive play of the third quarter, forcing a fumble. Christian Benford returned the fumble for a touchdown.
On the next defensive series, Benford intercepted Mason Rudolph. Buffalo would then score on the following drive. All told, the Bills scored 14 points off Steelers turnovers.
Buffalo allowed only 166 total yards to Pittsburgh’s offense. The Bills gave up a mere 58 yards on the ground.
What went wrong?
Buffalo had a very slow start in the first half. Josh Allen threw an interception on Buffalo’s opening drive. James Cook fumbled in the second quarter. Pittsburgh would score on the subsequent series. Buffalo could only muster three points in the first half.
Things flipped in Buffalo’s favor in the second half. They played a nearly flawless second half. The only miscue fell at the foot of Matt Prater, who missed a PAT after Buffalo’s second touchdown.
What’s the bottom line?
It was a gutsy performance by the Bills. Buffalo was missing a slew of starters due to injury. Buffalo was down 7-3 at halftime. The offense struggled to move the ball through the air, and the unit committed two turnovers.
The second half was a different story. The defense forced turnovers on the first two Steelers series. The offense sustained two long scoring drives to give the Bills a three-score lead.
All in all, the game restored some faith in the multiple aspects of Buffalo’s team. The beleaguered defense stepped up. The ground game ran with both James Cook and Ray Davis finding space. Furthermore, the playcalling on both sides of the ball was superior to what the Steelers could offer. It was a welcome change from the past couple of weeks for Buffalo.
Buffalo remains thoroughly entrenched in the Wild Card standings. The Bills sit two games behind the New England Patriots as of Sunday night’s schedule. The victory keeps Buffalo in shouting distance of the Patriots for the divisional lead. In addition, the win keeps Buffalo a game ahead of Houston in the playoff picture.
What’s next?
The Bills host the Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) next Sunday at Highmark Stadium. The Bengals are hanging on for their playoff lives, sitting two games behind AFC North divisional leaders Baltimore and Pittsburgh. The Bengals defeated the Ravens on Thanksgiving night to keep the team in the hunt for the postseason.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Analysis: What went right, wrong in Bills win at Steelers
