NFL

Bills 35, Patriots 31

Can we get another matchup between these teams in January?

If we’re ever so lucky, that game would likely also be in Foxborough. This was a huge win for the Bills — one that makes them near locks to make the playoffs — but the Patriots are still good bets to win the AFC East. At 10-4, Buffalo is now just a game back of 11-3 New England, but the Patriots hold some key tiebreakers.

Per usual, it was the Josh Allen and James Cook show on offense for the Bills. Trailing 21-0 didn’t faze Buffalo, despite early clamoring that it was wrongly favored over the Patriots. A Cook touchdown — his first of three total — started the comeback, and Allen finished it. The quarterback went 19-of-28 for 193 yards and three touchdowns. Perhaps more importantly, Allen didn’t throw an interception, his second straight game avoiding one.

It’s difficult — practically impossible, in fact — to monitor and properly evaluate the performance of every player in jam-packed early windows, but a couple of Bills defenders stood out to me. Matt Milano has had a rough season, though he saved his best game for yesterday. The linebacker tallied 10 tackles and two sacks.

Tre’Davious White also flashed, recording an impressive interception late in the third quarter. Buffalo needs any additional help it can get at cornerback alongside Christian Benford.

This was far from a disastrous loss for the Patriots, but it was a prime opportunity to make a statement. New England does, however, travel to Baltimore next week — the rare consecutive difficult game for the franchise — and can impress there with a victory. A win, too, would severely dent the Ravens’ playoff hopes.

Drake Maye was decent at best in this defeat, throwing the aforementioned pick and recording just 155 passing yards (6.7 yards per attempt). The signal-caller didn’t receive much help from his pass catchers, however. New England should prioritize adding a big-time target for Maye in the offseason.

It feels like most Bills games are shootouts, so I can’t fault the Patriots too much for allowing 35 points. Those points still light up the scoreboard, however, and New England can’t win three or four playoff games in a row by surrendering so many points.

This contest, after looking nearly over in the first half, delivered in the best way possible. Again, can we please have an encore?

Ravens 24, Bengals 0

Each team entered this game with their backs against the wall. The Ravens punched back. The Bengals, well, didn’t — to put it lightly.

Lamar Jackson has been far from vintage this season, but Cincinnati’s defense was no match for him. The quarterback finished 8-of-12 for 150 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. That score went to Zay Flowers, who nearly had another if it weren’t for a drop.

Baltimore’s defense has been uncharacteristically bad this year, but yesterday might’ve been a flipping of the script. Zach Orr’s unit, while only posting three sacks, lived in the Bengals’ backfield, forcing all sorts of inconveniences for Joe Burrow & Co. The freshly-paid Travis Jones led the pack with four tackles and a sack. Roquan Smith also made 14 tackles for Baltimore.

At 7-7, the Ravens’ remaining schedule (versus the Patriots, at the Packers and at the Steelers) is brutal. It’s no guarantee, but if Baltimore splits with New England and Green Bay, it’s season could come down to that game at Acrisure Stadium. Sunday Night Football, anyone?

One team’s triumph is another squad’s defeat — and elimination. Cincinnati, in hindsight, was probably unofficially knocked out sometime in October, but pundits and fans at large clung onto the possibility of watching the team’s high-flying offense in the postseason.

High-flying, after yesterday’s egg of an outing, now feels like a laughable way to describe the Bengals. Cincinnati’s much-maligned offensive line had Joe Burrow under duress all afternoon, but the signal-caller wasn’t particularly good, either. Finishing 25-of-39 for 225 yards and two interceptions, Burrow posted one of his worst games as a pro.

Ja’Marr Chase, though he posted 10 catches for 132 yards, didn’t help matters with two drops — one of which led to a pick. It’s fair to wonder if a healthy Tee Higgins (out with a concussion) would’ve boosted the Bengals’ attack. Higgins doesn’t get enough credit for clearing space and taking attention away from Chase, who feeds off of easy targets and manufactured offense.

The Bengals’ defense has been serving poo-poo platter-level outings all year, but this performance, strangely, was … progress? It didn’t matter, of course, because the offense stunk up the joint, but holding Baltimore to 24 points isn’t terrible (the Ravens did average over seven yards per play).

Cincinnati’s season is over, but it ends with three soft opponents in the Dolphins, Cardinals and Browns.