TONY’S TAKE – FIVE THOUGHTS ON BILLS-STEELERS

by Tony Fiorello

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 07: a Buffalo Bills helmet rests on the field before the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, January 7, 2024 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

1.       It hasn’t been talked about enough how Sean McDermott has continued to have the Buffalo Bills’ defense play so well this year through all the injuries they’ve had. He’s essentially held them together with duct tape, and given that they had so many guys banged up against Pittsburgh no one would have blamed them if they fell apart. Not only did they continue to play outstanding, but they’ve been much more aggressive than they were at any point during the Leslie Frazier era. McDermott’s done a phenomenal job on that side of the ball.

2.       When I was growing up, I was a huge fan of Brett Favre (as a quarterback he was awesome, off the field not so much but that’s another story) and I always wanted the Bills to have another Favre under center. Through six years of watching Josh Allen, I have determined this – if Favre and John Elway had a baby together (perhaps they did the deed at Super Bowl XXXII?), their offspring would be Allen. His leadership, athleticism, toughness and physical traits are exceptional and reminiscent of the two, and Buffalo should be so grateful to have him under center after so many years of trying to find a worthy successor to Jim Kelly.

3.       Also not talked about enough is the level that offensive line coach Aaron Kromer – one of the best at coaching the position – has his charges playing at. They allowed the least amount of sacks in the NFL this season, they’ve been healthy for most of this season (in fact, they became the first Bills offensive line to start every game in a season together since 1989 when Will Wolford, Jim Ritcher, Kent Hull, Joe Devlin and Howard Ballard did the deed) and they’ve been excellent at executing their assignments in both pass protection and on various run-blocking concepts. A tip of the hat to Kromer, you can’t have a successful offense without a great line.

4.       The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve come to realize that the Bills are in a similar situation to what the San Francisco 49ers found themselves in during the 1994 season. After losing back-to-back NFC Championship Games to the Dallas Cowboys and about to face them in a third straight, there was no telling what could have happened to their star-studded roster (with names like Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders) had they lost to them a third time. The Bills are now in that same predicament against the Chiefs – yes they’ve beaten them in each of their last three regular season matchups. But the playoffs are all that matters, and Kansas City has won against Buffalo twice when it’s mattered the most.

5.       If Allen and the Bills want to get over the hump and win a Super Bowl, David’s opportunity to slay Goliath is staring them in the face. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts had Tom Brady and the New England Patriots as their Mount Everest to climb – they also lost to them twice in the playoffs before overcoming them in the 2006 AFC title game. Allen and Buffalo’s Mount Everest is Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. It’s time.