Josh Allen lifts battered Bills to playoff win over Steelers (Observations)

Orchard Park, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills advanced to the divisional round of the AFC playoffs on Monday after dispatching the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-17, at Highmark Stadium.

The game was moved back a day after blizzard-like conditions made it impossible to host a football game at the stadium on Sunday. The conditions were ideal on Monday evening and the Bills went up early in the game and never gave up the lead.

The Bills now host the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend in a rematch of the 2021 epic divisional round showdown between the teams. The scene shifts from Arrowhead to Highmark Stadium this time around. It’ll be the first road playoff game of Patrick Mahomes’ career.

The win didn’t come without hardship for the Bills, who lost three defensive starters during the game.

Here are some instant observations from the game.

Josh Allen goes full superhero

Allen was unstoppable in the first half, slinging the football around the yard and then putting a stamp on the first 30 minutes with an insane 52-yard touchdown run. At one point on the run, Allen was surrounded by four Steelers defenders and he found a way to break out of the situation and take it to the house.

Allen’s touchdown pass to Dawson Knox on the opening drive was the first such score in over a month, dating back to when the Bills scored on the opening possession against the Dallas Cowboys. Allen completed 71% of his throws in the first half and got the Bills out to a three-touchdown lead before a late Pittsburgh touchdown closed the gap a bit before the break.

With 6:27 remaining in the game, Allen was sitting at 74 rushing yards for the game on eight carries. The vaunted Steelers running back duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for just 75 yards on 19 carries at the same juncture.

Allen finished the game with four total touchdowns (three passing) and didn’t turn the ball over. It’s the first game since the win over the Cowboys in December and just the fourth time this season where Allen didn’t have a single turnover in a game.

Khalil Shakir shines with Gabe Davis out of action

The Bills let the Steelers back into the game in the fourth quarter as they dealt with injuries that hampered their defense. The Bills were leaning on Allen and their run game early in the fourth as they marched down to the red zone.

Allen saw Shakir break open over the middle and hit him quickly, allowing him to make some magic. He broke a weak tackle attempt by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, juked out Mykal Walker, and then broke a late tackle attempt by Cam Heyward to score. Shakir’s field awareness, quickness, and elusiveness shined in one of the most important times of the game.

Davis missed the game with a knee injury that he suffered last week in the regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins.

Bills injuries pile up

Buffalo entered the game missing several starters and lost more before the end of the game against the Steelers. Cornerback Christian Benford left the game in the first half with a knee injury. Then in the second half, the situation worsened when starting middle linebacker Terrel Bernard (ankle) and Taron Johnson (head injury) left the game.

The Steelers took full advantage of the Bills’ situation on defense, picking on backup slot cornerback Cam Lewis on their second touchdown drive of the game early in the fourth quarter. Rudolph completed five passes on the drive after completing just 13 passes the rest of the game.

Starting linebacker Tyrel Dodson and cornerback Rasul Douglas were unavailable in the game and now the Buffalo defense is dealing with some untimely injuries with the Kansas City Chiefs offense coming to town this weekend. Taylor Rapp also missed the game, forcing the Bills to use Lewis in his role when they went to their dime package on third downs. When Johnson left the game, Lewis played in the slot, and safety Damar Hamlin got some action in the fourth quarter.

Kaiir Elam redemption

Elam entered the game for the Bills in the second quarter when starting cornerback Christian Benford was forced to leave with a knee injury. Elam had two rough snaps as he was settling in.

First, he was trucked over by Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth. Then he was flagged for defensive pass interference at the goal line to give Pittsburgh the ball at the Bills’ 3-yard line. A Steelers touchdown seemed imminent, but Elam had other ideas.

Mason Rudolph tried to fit in a throw to Diontae Johnson just past the goal line, but Elam was in coverage and flipped his head around just in time to locate the ball and intercept the pass. The pick was Elam’s second career playoff interception - an impressive stat for the Bills’ former first-round pick, who was benched earlier this season before an injured ankle cost him most of his season.

Many Bills fans hoped that general manager Brandon Beane would trade Elam at the deadline back in October, but a deal would have hampered Buffalo’s depth at the position. Tre’Davious White is out for the year after a season-ending torn Achilles and Rasul Douglas, who the Bills acquired at the deadline from Green Bay, missed Monday’s game with a knee injury. Elam now could be in line to start in the divisional round depending on the status of Douglas and Benford.

Dalton Kincaid was a factor

Kincaid made a big-time play for the Bills when he hauled in the first playoff touchdown of his career in the first quarter to put the Bills up by two touchdowns early in the game. Kincaid also had a few plays where he couldn’t grab a catchable throw from Allen. That’s one area of the rookie’s game that needs continued growth as the Bills push forward in the playoffs. Knox also had a bad drop in the game on a first-down throw.

One play that will fly under the radar in the game was a 34-yard catch from Deonte Harty, who seemed to play the most snaps on offense he’s played all season. Allen found Harty down the field and the speedy receiver made a few guys miss to produce some run after the catch.

More Buffalo Bills News

Talk about the Bills

Be sure to check out and subscribe to “SHOUT! The Buffalo Football Podcast” with beat writers Matt Parrino and Ryan Talbot. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly updates about Bills news in your inbox. Check out the links below.