Bills Ground Game Rips Through the Steel Curtain
By Gregory Brown
PHOTOS BY MARLON MARTIN
In a season that started with such promise, the sputtering Buffalo Bills found themselves in an almost must-win situation against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road at Acrisure Stadium, the land of the ‘Terrible Towels.’ To make matters worse, the Bills were down their two starting offensive tackles, Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown, both of whom were casualties in the bruising battle against the Houston Texans.
On a cold, blustery late November night, this was a chance for the Bills to show themselves and the world the stuff of which they are made. With few exceptions, Sean McDermott coached teams usually show-up for games like this. And fortunately, the Steelers were no exception.
Buffalo’s much maligned defense stepped up in a big way, while the Bills rushing attack led by James Cook, ripped the Steelers defense for a record 249 yards in a 26 - 7 win that keeps them in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
The Steelers have a well-deserved reputation as a hardnosed football team that simply does not allow other teams to run on them. Never before had they given up the record 249 yards on the ground, which is what they allowed the Bills. Although James Cook did most of the damage, the forgotten Ray Davis was a nice side dish. Davis gashed the Steelers for 62 yards on only 9 carries and was the perfect complement to Cook’s quick, slithering runs off tackle.
But let’s set the record straight on the Bills. They are not a Super Bowl caliber team. Overall, they lack the defense to stop any of the better teams in the NFL, especially those with a strong run game. However, when Josh Allen is truly on point and Cook is working in the kitchen, they have an offense that can compete with just about anyone. Unfortunately, it’s simply not enough to make up for their weakness on the defensive side of the ball, which has been decimated by injuries.
Fortunately, however, against Pittsburgh they faced an aging gunslinger in QB Aaron Rodgers, who is just about out of bullets and now seems ready to ride off into the sunset. Not only did the Bills “D” put the hammer on Rodgers, but they also bottled up the Steelers run game, which is usually their calling card. After the Bills finally stopped beating themselves with first half penalties and turnovers, they were able to turn the tide in the second half. They did so by turning the tables on the turnover battle by getting two of their own; the first being a strip sack by DE Joey Bosa followed by an 18-yard scoop and score touchdown by CB Christian Benford. Even though it only put the Bills up 10 – 7, it was the clear turning point in the game.
Looking ahead, the Bills must count every remaining game on their schedule as a must-win. Next up, the bottom feeding Cincinnati Bengals come to town looking rejuvenated now that their premier quarterback, Joe Burrow, is back in the saddle. After missing nine games due to an early season turf toe injury, Burrow looked as though he hadn’t missed a beat in a surprisingly easy Thanksgiving Day win over the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore.
The Bills stand last in the current 7-team AFC playoff race, which continues to be a dogfight. The Bills cannot afford to stumble, especially with upcoming games against the AFC East Division leading New England Patriots and the NFC East Division leading Philadelphia Eagles.
The road ahead will not be easy, but the Pittsburgh game showed that the Bills still have heart. If they can play with the same kind of grit and determination that they displayed against the Steelers, Bills Mafia will still have plenty to cheer about, even if the Bills don’t get over the Super Bowl hump.