The Buffalo Bills were relatively unknown by the greater NFL community throughout the 2000s. However, on their last trip to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers, whom they play this Sunday, the Bills made the most of their opportunity to show the greater NFL fandom what they were made of.
The Bills had just one appearance on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in the show’s first 13 seasons, but they had their chance when they were allowed to play in primetime in Week 15 of 2019 in the Steel City.
Dec 15, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Brothers Tremaine, Terrell and Trey Edmunds spend a moment with each other after the Steelers played the Bills at Heinz Field. They were the first trio of brothers to play in the same NFL game since 1927. | Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
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Buffalo, at 9-4, would make the playoffs for just the second time in the 2000s with a win, while the Steelers were fighting to maintain pace in the AFC wild-card race.
The game got started slowly, but the Bills struck first with a Devin Singletary 14-yard carry to the Steelers’ 1 on the first play of the second quarter, then Josh Allen plowed into the end zone on the next play. Singletary ran for 87 yards on 21 carries against a stout defense.
Pittsburgh responded with a field goal on the ensuing possession, and the score would remain 7-3 at halftime as both teams exchanged turnovers. Both sides combined for seven turnovers on the evening.
Dec 15, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Bills running back Devin Singletary (26) runs the ball against the Steelers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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The Steelers scored a touchdown on a seven-play drive right out of the break to take a 10-7 lead, but Buffalo made a pivotal play near the end of the third, as Tre’Davious White picked off Devlin “Duck” Hodges and returned it inside the red zone. It was the All-Pro’s second of two interceptions that day. A few minutes later, Stephen Hauschka tied the game at 10 in the fourth.
After a Steelers three-and-out, the Bills came up big to take the lead back. A 40-yard Allen completion to John Brown got Buffalo in business, then the future MVP found Tyler Kroft in the end zone a few plays later for the winning score.
Allen only completed 13 of 25 passes for 139 yards, a touchdown and an interception off the hands of Cole Beasley, but he came up huge on the final drive. His leading receiver was Brown, who caught seven balls for 99 yards.
Dec 15, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and tight end Tyler Kroft (81) react after combining for a touchdown against the Steelers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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Buffalo’s secondary made two more plays to seal the win. Jordan Poyer and Levi Wallace intercepted Hodges on the Steelers’ last two possessions to put the icing on the cake of the first playoff berth of the Josh Allen era.
The Bills are a well-known commodity now, but the pressure on them to perform has to be similar to that of their last trip to Pittsburgh.
Dec 15, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Bills safety Jordan Poyer (21) celebrates his interception with safety Micah Hyde against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
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