The Buffalo Bills inch closer to clinching a playoff berth with their huge win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.
The most anticipated matchup of Week 14 was a battle of AFC powerhouses between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills. This was an opportunity for the Bills to make a statement against the previously undefeated Steelers. And did they ever.
After a slow start in the first half, the Bills dominated the Steelers in the second-half to win 26-15, thanks to a historic performance by star receiver Stefon Diggs and a stellar showing by the defense. What better way to celebrate arguably their biggest win of the season than by dancing on the sidelines!
Bills can clinch a playoff spot as early as Monday
A ton of credit can be given to Buffalo’s defense for the win. At one point, the Bills were down 7-3 and the offense showed no signs of life. All they needed was a spark, and that came in the form of a pick-six by cornerback Taron Johnson late in the second quarter to give the Bills a lead they would never relinquish.
In regards to that dance party on the sidelines, that took place in the fourth quarter. After the Steelers cut their deficit to 23-15 on a JuJu Smith-Schuster touchdown reception, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger tried to march down the field to get back in the game. On the third play of that drive, “Big Ben” threw a pass deep downfield to receiver James Washington, but it ended up in the hands of Levi Wallace for the interception that sealed the 26-15 win for the Bills.
But if there was one star on offense, it was Diggs. Bills quarterback Josh Allen targeted the former Minnesota Vikings wideout 14 times in this game, and Diggs hauled in 10 of them for 130 yards and a touchdown. With this performance, Diggs is now the second receiver in Bills history to record 100 receptions in a season, joining Eric Moulds, who recorded 100 on the nose in 2002.
With this win, Buffalo is in position to clinch a playoff spot without even taking the field. If the Cleveland Browns defeat the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night, the Bills will be heading to the postseason for the third time in four years. While a playoff berth is nice, you know that Buffalo is looking to win the AFC East for the first time since 1995. They currently hold a two-game lead over the Miami Dolphins, and can inch closer to that goal with a win over the Denver Broncos this upcoming Saturday.
Let’s be real, that dance party was a teaser for Buffalo’s huge celebration at regular-season’s end.