NFL

Bills Handle Patriots, But Steelers Still Miss Playoffs

Dan Angell   |  

Updated: Jan 8, 2023

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FINAL, Bills 35, Patriots 23: The Steelers got the help they needed from the Buffalo Bills, who defeated the New England Patriots to lock up the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs. However, the New York Jets did not come through, ending Pittsburgh’s season despite the Bills’ assistance.

Instead, Miami will finish as the No. 7 seed in the AFC and face Buffalo in the wild card round. Had the Dolphins lost to the Jets, the Steelers would have owned that spot and faced the Bills.

2:00, 4th: We’ve hit the two minute warning, but with the Dolphins escaping the Jets, it doesn’t matter for the Steelers now.

4:52, 4th: Steelers fans can probably switch over to Jets-Dolphins now. MacJones throws just beyond Hunter Henry into a tight window, and Matt Milano intercepts it and takes it back to the Buffalo 38. Barring something crazy, Buffalo’s got this sealed.

8:22, 4th: OK, not yet. Buffalo muffs a punt and New England still has some life. The Patriots have a fresh set of downs on the Buffalo 34. If the Bills can turn the Patriots aside, this one’s safe.

8:51 4th: TOUCHDOWN, BILLS: That might be the final blow that the Steelers needed, at least from this game. Stefon Diggs gets a step down the sideline and Josh Allen drops the pass in the perfect spot.

Bills 35, Patriots 23

11:37 4th: TOUCHDOWN, PATRIOTS: It’s Parker again, as the Patriots first convert a critical 4th and 1 and then take a shot into the end zone. It’s a 26-yard pass to pull the Patriots to within one score. New England goes for two but fails, and the Bills lead it by five now.

Bills 28, Patriots 23

END THIRD, Bills 28, Patriots 17: This might be secure if Buffalo can get one more stop on the Patriots. I can’t see New England getting back into this if the Patriots have to try to stop the Bills again without getting points themselves.

1:43 3rd, TOUCHDOWN, BILLS: John Brown reintroduces himself to the end zone on a 42-yard strike from Josh Allen. That was a great connection, and that was a big pass for the Steelers. New England’s got a tough task ahead of it now to get back in this.

Bills 28, Patriots 17

6:53 3rd, TOUCHDOWN, BILLS: And Nyheim Hines comes up big again. This time, he goes back for 101 yards for a touchdown, and Buffalo has come up with the answer it needed. This is absolutely insane. As the announcers have stated, prior to today, there were only four kickoffs for a touchdown all season going into this game, and now Hines has two today.

Bills 21, Patriots 17

7:11 3rd: FIELD GOAL, PATRIOTS: That could have been a lot worse for the Bills and the Steelers after Buffalo fumbled on the 11-yard line. It could have been seven, but it’s only three, and the Bills really need to get going now. Cincinnati is crushing Baltimore, so the Bills have plenty of motivation to get moving and rescue the Steelers’ playoff hopes.

Patriots 17, Bills 14

HALFTIME: Bills 14, Patriots 14

New England has hung around, thanks to a rather poor decision on Josh Allen’s part. The Patriots will get the second-half kickoff and have to feel good about where this game is sitting.

0:14: Josh Allen tosses one of the worst interceptions I’ve seen this season, as Devin McCourty doesn’t even have to move to catch the pass. The Bills turn it over in the red zone, and that definitely won’t help the Steelers’ cause.

https://twitter.com/BeyondtheMnstr/status/1612169498408230913

2:00: All three games are level right now. This clearly won’t be easy for the Steelers. On the plus side of the ledger, at least Pittsburgh won’t go down to literally the last play of the regular season sweating out its fate again this year.

3:45: TOUCHDOWN, PATRIOTS: New England answers back with a 74-yard drive, capped off with a two-yard pass from Mac Jones to DeVante Parker. Patriots are back on terms after taking more than five minutes on that drive.

Bills 14, Patriots 14

https://twitter.com/FTBeard7/status/1612165643775934466

14:15: TOUCHDOWN, BILLS: Dawson Knox finds a hole in the Patriots’ second level in the end zone, and that’s good for a four-yard touchdown. Buffalo goes back on top.

Bills 14, Patriots 7

END FIRST: Buffalo ends the first quarter with Josh Allen firing a dart to Gabe Davis inside the Patriots’ 5. The Bills will have a first and goal to start the second quarter.

5:45: TOUCHDOWN, PATRIOTS: Jakobi Meyers makes an outstanding catch in the corner of the end zone and barely manages to get both feet down on blue. The play is under review, but it was ruled a touchdown on the field and the call stands. Nick Folk adds the PAT.

Bills 7, Patriots 7

13:13: Patriots do nothing with their first possession. Buffalo is off to a great start here.

15:00: TOUCHDOWN, BILLS: The start couldn’t have gone any better for the Bills or the Steelers. Nyheim Hines takes the opening kickoff back 96 yards for a touchdown. Hines races down the sidelines and easily scores, and Buffalo is off and running in western New York.

Bills 7, Patriots 0

Steelers Playoff Watch: Aiming to head into the postseason with a win, the Buffalo Bills are hosting the AFC East rival New England Patriots. The Patriots would lock up the seventh seed in the conference playoffs with an upset victory over Josh Allen and company, who will want to do right by hospitalized teammate Damar Hamlin. The Steelers need the Bills to win to make it into the postseason.

RELATED: Full Steelers playoff scenarios for Week 18. 

Full NFL Playoff Picture

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