WEBVTT - Bills By The Numbers: Bills Ready For Another Close Road Matchup In Denver 0:00:00.520 --> 0:00:03.120 It's another playoff edition of Bills by the Numbers where 0:00:03.120 --> 0:00:04.800 we let the stats tell you where the Bills are at. 0:00:04.840 --> 0:00:07.440 We're presented by fan who will make every moment more 0:00:07.480 --> 0:00:11.160 coming up. Why do the analytics people have this as 0:00:11.200 --> 0:00:14.480 another coin flip game for the Bills despite being on 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:17.360 the road against the top seed in the AFC. Can 0:00:17.400 --> 0:00:21.400 Buffalo's run game have more success against the league's second 0:00:21.520 --> 0:00:26.120 rank run defense? And we'll have our one burning question. 0:00:26.280 --> 0:00:40.599 Let's kick it off now. Glad you joined us here 0:00:40.640 --> 0:00:42.479 on Bills by the Numbers. He is Bill Ball of 0:00:42.479 --> 0:00:44.920 Famer Speed Past Ground Bills played by playmat Chris Brown, 0:00:44.920 --> 0:00:47.160 and it's another playoff week for the Bills. After their 0:00:47.320 --> 0:00:51.760 narrow victory at Jacksonville last week. Josh Allen was masterful 0:00:52.000 --> 0:00:54.920 and the defense was opportunistic with a pair of takeaways 0:00:54.920 --> 0:00:58.760 off Trevor Lawrence. Things get real now, though, as Buffalo 0:00:58.840 --> 0:01:01.840 travels to face a BRONC team in Denver that has 0:01:01.880 --> 0:01:04.520 been lying in wait on the buy as the top 0:01:04.560 --> 0:01:06.440 seed in the conference. Add in the fact that it's 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:08.800 a short week with the game on Saturday, and you 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:11.200 would think Denver would be heavily favored. But as we 0:01:11.280 --> 0:01:15.120 begin these three things. We see that the oddsmakers have 0:01:15.240 --> 0:01:17.880 this as a close game, and even those in the 0:01:17.920 --> 0:01:21.440 analytics world essentially see this as a coin flip game. 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:25.360 ESPN Analytics projects the Broncos is having a fifty one 0:01:25.440 --> 0:01:28.440 percent chance to win the game and the Bills at 0:01:28.480 --> 0:01:33.280 forty nine percent. So thing number one, do your eyeballs 0:01:33.360 --> 0:01:36.039 tell you that it's a coin flip game, Steve? And 0:01:36.080 --> 0:01:39.000 if so, why yeah, they do. Because you got a 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:42.280 really good team playing at home. They've got an excellent defense. 0:01:43.680 --> 0:01:45.200 The game is going to be a close game. You 0:01:45.240 --> 0:01:47.280 can just you can feel by the matchup and the 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:49.640 quality of the players on both sides. They've got a 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:52.480 bye week, They're going to be healthier and fresher, playing 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:55.919 at home in a raucous playoff crowd that all goes 0:01:56.240 --> 0:01:58.600 on in their favor. The Bills are coming in on 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:01.640 a little bit of a roll, coming off a very 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:05.560 hot win, beating a very hot team in Jacksonville. We've 0:02:05.560 --> 0:02:07.760 got the best player in football on their team, the 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:12.000 best running attack in the league, and they came through 0:02:13.440 --> 0:02:17.560 a much more difficult schedule than the Broncos had to endure. Now, 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:20.000 the Broncos won those games and bless their hearts. They 0:02:20.040 --> 0:02:23.120 did good, but the Bills have been tested. They've been 0:02:23.200 --> 0:02:25.800 in a lot of close games and they've gotten hit 0:02:25.840 --> 0:02:28.160 in the mouth a ton. That's why they're a little 0:02:28.160 --> 0:02:32.480 bit battered coming into this game. But they've got experience. 0:02:33.040 --> 0:02:36.040 They're a veteran ball club, particularly on the defensive side. 0:02:36.160 --> 0:02:40.240 Their offensive line is big, physical, They're gonna hang in there. 0:02:40.240 --> 0:02:42.640 So that's why it's a coin flip game. And the Broncos, 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:46.320 even if you don't like their offense, this is the 0:02:46.400 --> 0:02:48.880 kind of team that's built. Like teams this year that 0:02:48.919 --> 0:02:52.360 have given the Bills problems Atlanta, Houston, Denver is the 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:55.560 exact same. They're carried by a really stout defense. Elite 0:02:55.680 --> 0:02:58.800 talent on the defensive front for sure, as we know, 0:02:58.919 --> 0:03:01.880 sixty eight sacks for the team. Now, this was a 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:05.240 team that had sixty four sacks a year ago. Granted 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:06.840 they had to come to Buffalo to play them in 0:03:06.880 --> 0:03:09.800 the playoff game. They got two sacks on Josh in 0:03:09.880 --> 0:03:12.800 the game last season, a game won by the Bills 0:03:12.800 --> 0:03:15.680 thirty one to seven. Buffalo went down seven to nothing 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:18.840 early and then scored thirty one unanswered points to leave 0:03:18.919 --> 0:03:21.000 him in the dust. I think we all agree this 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:24.600 will be a much closer game. And look, the Bills, 0:03:24.960 --> 0:03:28.000 I think you can argue, are more battle tested than 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:30.560 the Broncos. But the Broncos have been in some tight 0:03:30.639 --> 0:03:34.160 spots this season and pulled out victories. They have seven 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:39.000 comeback wins this season. Thing number two. The calling card 0:03:39.040 --> 0:03:42.320 for the Broncos all season has been their defense, league 0:03:42.400 --> 0:03:45.000 leaders in sacks with sixty eight, eleven clear of the 0:03:45.040 --> 0:03:48.320 second ranked team in the league. What's interesting is, I 0:03:48.320 --> 0:03:52.600 think everyone would agree that since Week ten, Buffalo's defense 0:03:52.920 --> 0:03:55.680 has turned up their level of play, especially when it 0:03:55.720 --> 0:03:58.800 comes to pass coverage. How good, well, every bit as 0:03:58.800 --> 0:04:02.240 good as the Broncos passed defense. Buffalo's pass defense ranks 0:04:02.320 --> 0:04:05.560 one spot higher than Denver since Week ten, ranking seventh 0:04:05.920 --> 0:04:11.040 Denver's eighth. Completion percentage against Buffalo third at fifty eight percent, 0:04:11.240 --> 0:04:15.360 Denver fifth at fifty nine percent. Interception since week ten, 0:04:15.720 --> 0:04:20.520 Buffalo sixth in the league with nine, Denver fourteenth with six. 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:25.200 Passer rating allowed Buffalo seventh at seventy five, Denver eighth 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:28.640 at seventy seven point six. This despite the fact that 0:04:28.640 --> 0:04:32.240 the Bills have just eleven sacks over that span to 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:34.719 Denver's twenty eight. What does that tell you about the 0:04:34.760 --> 0:04:38.479 effectiveness of Buffalo's ability to stop the pass down the 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:42.200 stretch this season? Knowing it's been every good every bit 0:04:42.279 --> 0:04:43.760 is good, if not better than Denver. 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:47.440 The Bill's secondary has been playing lights out. They're two corners, 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:50.640 Turdavius White and Christian Benford have been locked down. They've 0:04:50.640 --> 0:04:53.600 been excellent their tiding country you saw it last week. 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:58.360 Had nine pass breakups last week, nine against a quarterback 0:04:58.440 --> 0:05:03.159 that is a really good threat. So the windows are small, 0:05:03.200 --> 0:05:06.080 they're getting hands on it, they're defending the pass. They're 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:08.560 not getting very many sacks, as you mentioned, but they're 0:05:08.600 --> 0:05:10.960 defending the pass at both ends. They're batting passes down 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:12.440 with the line of scrimage. You saw a handful of 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:15.120 them last week at the line of scrimmage against Jacksonville. 0:05:15.400 --> 0:05:17.839 That's been their calling card as well. So they have 0:05:17.920 --> 0:05:20.279 been really good upfront. Even if they're not getting the 0:05:20.360 --> 0:05:22.880 quarterback on the ground, they're getting in his vision and 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:27.960 forcing either inaccurate throws or batting down passes. Tipped interceptions 0:05:28.000 --> 0:05:30.520 have been a big thing for this defense, and the 0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:34.240 secondary has been not only covering guys up on the 0:05:34.320 --> 0:05:38.919 edges with Benford and White, But they've also done a 0:05:38.960 --> 0:05:42.360 great job at the safety position when Poyer was in 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:46.760 there along with Cole bishop As, making the quarterback slow down, 0:05:47.279 --> 0:05:49.360 trying to figure out what's going on in the back 0:05:49.920 --> 0:05:52.760 so that gives them an extra time and the pass 0:05:52.839 --> 0:05:57.080 rush it's makes the quarterback hesitant and that has helped 0:05:57.120 --> 0:05:57.920 their pass defense. 0:05:58.000 --> 0:06:01.720 Yeah, and the Poyer absence, which is likely this week 0:06:01.800 --> 0:06:05.920 with the hamstring injury, may change some things. Very curious 0:06:05.920 --> 0:06:08.720 to see how they choose to fill his role. Do 0:06:08.760 --> 0:06:11.360 they fill it with just one person for continuity's sake, 0:06:11.520 --> 0:06:14.280 or do they rotate guys in differently based on situation, 0:06:14.480 --> 0:06:17.240 down in distance, time in the game. Things like that 0:06:17.320 --> 0:06:19.160 will have to wait and see. But I think your 0:06:19.200 --> 0:06:22.039 point is well taken. The Bills don't get sacks, but 0:06:22.080 --> 0:06:25.359 they still impact the quarterback, either with pressure to hurry 0:06:25.440 --> 0:06:28.919 up passing decisions or by getting their hands up in 0:06:28.960 --> 0:06:31.360 the passing lanes and knocking them down. Greg Russo six 0:06:31.400 --> 0:06:34.560 foot seven, Dion Walker is six foot five. These guys 0:06:34.560 --> 0:06:37.680 put their hands up, it's a problem. It's a problem 0:06:37.760 --> 0:06:40.839 for opposing quarterbacks. I mean, Bonix makes a lot of 0:06:40.880 --> 0:06:44.840 plays outside the pocket. He does and has I think 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:48.080 He's top five in completions outside the pocket this season. 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:51.120 The Bills are like second in the league in fewest 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:54.240 completions allowed from quarterbacks outside the pocket. They hang with 0:06:54.320 --> 0:06:57.320 their people and plaster even when the play breaks down. 0:06:57.360 --> 0:07:02.440 Yeah so, and slowing the quarterback down mentally and keeping 0:07:02.520 --> 0:07:06.120 him in the pocket has been a really good aspect 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:08.760 of this Bill's defense since Week ten. And that's what 0:07:08.800 --> 0:07:13.360 they do getting their hands up. Rousseau is tall, Epanessa's tall, 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:18.200 but I think the secondary giving him something post snap 0:07:18.760 --> 0:07:20.760 has made the quarterback haf to go Nope, that's not 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:22.080 going to do it. That's not what I thought it 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:23.560 was going to be. I gotta go over here. And 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:27.880 you know, it's just that extra layer of processing mentally 0:07:28.320 --> 0:07:29.559 has really helped the Bills defense. 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:32.920 It was fascinating last week against the Jaguars because early 0:07:32.960 --> 0:07:38.400 in the game the Jags try to quick snap to 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:41.200 get the defense of the Bills to jump into their 0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:44.600 assigned call for the play, and that did not work. 0:07:45.240 --> 0:07:47.880 Later in the game, they tried to run the play 0:07:47.880 --> 0:07:51.280 clock down to force them to jump into what they 0:07:51.320 --> 0:07:53.840 were going to play instead of what they were disguising, 0:07:54.720 --> 0:07:58.920 and that didn't work either. The Bills literally wait until 0:07:59.000 --> 0:08:02.520 the snap and then race to their coverage assignments as 0:08:02.600 --> 0:08:04.520 fast as they can. I don't know how they pull 0:08:04.520 --> 0:08:07.400 it off, but somehow, some way, they do, and they 0:08:07.480 --> 0:08:10.920 do it effectively. Thing number three. The other disparity between 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:13.080 these two teams shows up in the run game. Since 0:08:13.080 --> 0:08:16.560 week ten, Denver is twelfth in yards per carry allowed 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:20.400 despite being second in total rushing yards allowed. Buffalo struggles 0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:22.760 in this area, as we know, since week ten, twenty 0:08:22.760 --> 0:08:25.600 fifth in total rushing yards allowed, twenty ninth in yards 0:08:25.600 --> 0:08:28.480 per carry allowed at five point zero, and they weren't 0:08:28.480 --> 0:08:31.760 that great last week against the Jacks. Benefiting Buffalo is 0:08:31.760 --> 0:08:34.160 the fact that Denver has struggled to run the ball effectively. 0:08:34.480 --> 0:08:37.360 Denver twenty seventh in rushing since week ten and their 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:40.800 twenty seventh in yards per carry average at three point eight. 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:43.959 Buffalo since week ten second in rushing and fifth in 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:46.080 yards per carry average at four point nine. So do 0:08:46.120 --> 0:08:49.280 you believe the Bills can gain more traction in the 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:52.720 run game against Denver than they did last week against Jackson. 0:08:52.840 --> 0:08:57.040 It's trending that way their defense. Yes, as we've heard 0:08:57.040 --> 0:08:59.400 a lot, there's been a lot said about Denver they're 0:08:59.440 --> 0:09:04.160 a little size, they're a fast, athletic front, and you 0:09:04.280 --> 0:09:06.000 kind of get the feeling you can kind of snow 0:09:06.040 --> 0:09:08.160 plow them if you get it a round. But they've 0:09:08.200 --> 0:09:10.400 had that to deal with all season, and they're still 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:12.160 a really good run defense, so it's not gonna be 0:09:12.160 --> 0:09:14.400 as easy as just pushing them out of the way. 0:09:14.200 --> 0:09:17.080 They they are, they have gap integrity, they set the 0:09:17.160 --> 0:09:19.640 edge of the defense extremely well. They're not just gonna 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:22.680 you know, they're not too small to play the run, 0:09:22.800 --> 0:09:25.600 even against a big offensive line like Buffalo's. So I 0:09:25.600 --> 0:09:28.880 think the Bills will be more successful than they were 0:09:28.880 --> 0:09:31.000 a week ago. But I don't I don't see the 0:09:31.040 --> 0:09:33.439 Bills replicating what they did a year ago and running 0:09:33.480 --> 0:09:38.480 for two hundred. But if they rent like anything between 0:09:39.360 --> 0:09:42.719 one fifteen and one fifty would be awesome. They got 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:46.160 to get one hundred out of everybody with Cook, with 0:09:46.280 --> 0:09:48.319 Josh Allen, with all the you know, with an end 0:09:48.320 --> 0:09:51.720 around whatever, they need to get over one hundred and 0:09:52.160 --> 0:09:55.080 ten or fifteen yards for it to be effective. But 0:09:55.200 --> 0:09:57.680 like I said as well, you think this is going 0:09:57.760 --> 0:10:00.120 to be a close game, and whether they're productive or 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:02.080 not in the run game, they're still going to be 0:10:02.120 --> 0:10:04.120 handing it off late in this game. 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:08.000 Yeah, And I think one addition to the Denver defense 0:10:08.040 --> 0:10:10.520 that was not there last year at this time is 0:10:10.520 --> 0:10:14.160 their leading tackler, linebacker Alex Singleton, who was out last 0:10:14.200 --> 0:10:18.040 year with an ACL injury. He is their leading tackler. Finally, 0:10:18.080 --> 0:10:20.520 the strength on strength matchup in this game is going 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:22.920 to be in the red zone. The Bills offense ranks 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.079 third in the league in the red zone in terms 0:10:25.120 --> 0:10:28.839 of scoring efficiency. Just over two thirds of their red 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:31.880 zone possessions have resulted in a touchdown this season, while 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:36.240 the Denver defense is tops in red zone defense, allowing 0:10:36.280 --> 0:10:39.040 touchdowns at a rate of just over forty two percent. 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:42.600 Winning down there is likely going to be the main 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:46.840 factor in determining the outcome of this game. What do 0:10:46.880 --> 0:10:50.320 you like about Buffalo's approach down there that may yield 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:52.560 success even against a front like this. 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:55.480 It's their ability to run the ball. When you get 0:10:55.520 --> 0:10:57.480 down close and you can still run the ball and 0:10:57.520 --> 0:10:59.719 are still committed to it, that really puts pressure on 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:04.400 the front because they're not gonna the dbs and the safeties. 0:11:04.520 --> 0:11:07.520 The corners have to get in on the run game 0:11:07.760 --> 0:11:10.840 down there. If you're running it effectively against a seven 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:13.880 man or even an eight man front. They've got to 0:11:13.880 --> 0:11:16.319 do something desperate to stop it, because then you feel 0:11:16.320 --> 0:11:18.760 like you're defenseless down there when you can run the 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:21.360 ball in the red zone. And that's why Buffalo has 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:24.160 been so effective. James Cook, Josh, we saw it last 0:11:24.160 --> 0:11:26.560 week in Jacksonville. I mean, the quarterback sneak from the 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:30.040 ten is you know, go down in history as one 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:34.000 of the all time great ones. So that's a problem 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:35.960 for defenses and it will be for Denver as well. 0:11:35.960 --> 0:11:37.160 They're gonna have to have a plan for that. 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:41.280 Yeah, And look, Denver does come up with answers down there, 0:11:41.280 --> 0:11:43.480 and they force an awful lot of field goals and 0:11:43.520 --> 0:11:46.760 that's how they keep their teams their team in games 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:50.280 when their offense is sputtering early. So even if the 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:52.959 Bills get off to a good start, they have to 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:56.480 keep their foot on the gas because Denver's defense will 0:11:56.520 --> 0:12:00.280 get stops, they will force a lull in your play 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:04.280 offensively for stretches. So you've got to score whenever you can, 0:12:04.520 --> 0:12:07.480 and ideally in the end zone rather than bringing your 0:12:07.559 --> 0:12:10.760 kicker on the field to kickfield goals. Finally, the quarterbacks 0:12:11.040 --> 0:12:14.120 Josh Allen, the league's fourth leading passer in terms of rating, 0:12:14.240 --> 0:12:17.440 second and completion percentage, and second in total touchdowns. Bo 0:12:17.559 --> 0:12:20.480 Nicks had just as many touchdown passes as Allen with 0:12:20.520 --> 0:12:23.200 twenty five, but he's twenty first in passer rating this 0:12:23.280 --> 0:12:26.760 season at just under eighty eight. Both have five fourth 0:12:26.800 --> 0:12:31.080 quarter comebacks this season, but again in fourth quarter. Overall, 0:12:31.240 --> 0:12:35.600 Allen the third highest rated QB, with a completion percentage 0:12:35.600 --> 0:12:38.960 almost ten percent higher than Nicks seventy to sixty one 0:12:39.080 --> 0:12:42.760 and too fewer interceptions. Knicks twenty sixth rated quarterback in 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:45.319 the fourth quarter, but he has brought his team back 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:48.600 and he's often saved his best for last. Seems to 0:12:48.679 --> 0:12:52.480 play better when things are chaotic. What are your thoughts 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:53.560 about this comparison. 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:57.000 It's gonna get chaotic at some point in a close 0:12:57.000 --> 0:12:58.920 game like this when last team with a boy you 0:12:59.000 --> 0:13:00.600 think is going to have a chance to win it. 0:13:01.600 --> 0:13:05.640 That's why in certain times people have favorably compared Bo 0:13:05.720 --> 0:13:08.400 Knicks to Josh. Same thing with Drake May. They pull 0:13:08.440 --> 0:13:10.840 it down and they get they get some big yards 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:13.360 and some conversions with their legs. Their ability to make 0:13:13.400 --> 0:13:16.640 that decision to make it happen is huge. Bo Knicks 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:20.440 outside the pocket is dangerous, really dangerous, and I think 0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:23.960 his team feeds off of that. So, yeah, we've seen 0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:26.760 Josh do it his entire career. Bo Knicks has that 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:30.280 trait as well. When things are breaking down, He's athlete 0:13:30.360 --> 0:13:33.120 enough with the arm enough to bust loose and make 0:13:33.160 --> 0:13:36.240 a play. You got to have a plan for that. 0:13:36.280 --> 0:13:38.000 Both teams will have to have a plan because both 0:13:38.000 --> 0:13:40.440 these quarterbacks are that kind of guy. Now, you can 0:13:40.480 --> 0:13:42.440 say what you want about how good bo Nicks is 0:13:42.480 --> 0:13:44.880 compared to Josh because we have a longer track record 0:13:44.920 --> 0:13:45.560 with Josh. 0:13:46.040 --> 0:13:47.480 Yeah it's only a second year, right, bow. 0:13:47.400 --> 0:13:52.920 Knicks five fourth quarter comebacks, seven overall seven comeback wins 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.600 is huge for bow Knicks. That speaks a lot to 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:58.120 what he's capable of doing. So you never feel like 0:13:58.160 --> 0:13:59.640 this game is going to be put away until it's 0:13:59.720 --> 0:14:00.640 double zeros on the Colt. 0:14:00.679 --> 0:14:02.959 There's part of me that feels like the Bills defense 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:05.599 has had an awful lot of experience with mobile quarterbacks 0:14:05.640 --> 0:14:09.959 Drake May twice, Lamar Jackson this season and several others. 0:14:10.240 --> 0:14:12.480 I mean, it's the soup du jour in the league 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:15.240 these days. Just about seventy five percent of the league 0:14:15.520 --> 0:14:17.960 as a starting quarterback who can get around with his legs. 0:14:18.520 --> 0:14:22.560 The Bills have very effectively employed a cage rush this 0:14:22.680 --> 0:14:26.160 season to hem in these mobile quarterbacks and keep them 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:29.720 from maximizing yardage with their legs when the play breaks down. 0:14:30.080 --> 0:14:33.880 I'm very curious to see what the defensive approach is 0:14:33.960 --> 0:14:36.360 this week because Trevor Lawrence got out a little bit 0:14:37.120 --> 0:14:39.440 on them, and we know he's a mobile quarterback as well, 0:14:39.480 --> 0:14:41.600 but I think he only had thirty three rushing yards 0:14:42.120 --> 0:14:44.400 in the game. If you can keep bo Nicks under 0:14:44.480 --> 0:14:46.880 thirty five rushing yards in this game, i think your 0:14:46.920 --> 0:14:49.400 odds are pretty good that you're gonna come away with 0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:50.680 a positive result defensive. 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:54.320 Yeah, and that's Lawrence had thirty three yards rushing. He 0:14:54.360 --> 0:14:57.000 had eighteen on one play coming out of his own engine, 0:14:57.440 --> 0:14:59.800 but it was a backbreaker. It was a crusher, kept 0:14:59.840 --> 0:15:02.120 all lot a drive alive for them that was crucial 0:15:02.120 --> 0:15:05.000 in the in late in the game. So it's it's 0:15:05.040 --> 0:15:09.200 a huge aspect of the game and that I think 0:15:09.240 --> 0:15:11.880 both these quarterbacks are gonna it's gonna be on their 0:15:11.920 --> 0:15:15.600 plate to have to convert some third downs or some 0:15:15.640 --> 0:15:18.760 first downs on maybe in first and second down as well, 0:15:18.800 --> 0:15:20.960 but they got to do it with their legs. We'll 0:15:21.000 --> 0:15:22.400 see how that how that plays out. 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:25.120 Time now for the Numbers game, where Steve will be 0:15:25.200 --> 0:15:31.280 quizzed on Bill's divisional playoff history. Let's do it. Question 0:15:31.440 --> 0:15:36.280 number one, what is Buffalo's franchise record and divisional playoff games? 0:15:36.320 --> 0:15:38.040 If you had to guess, and I may even give 0:15:38.080 --> 0:15:40.520 you the number of total divisional games? 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:41.680 How many numbers? Total? 0:15:41.760 --> 0:15:46.440 Is sixteen divisional playoff games? It Bills history? What is 0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:53.040 their record in set games? 0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:56.760 Sixteen? I'll say twelve and four. 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:03.800 It's not that good close. They are seven and nine 0:16:04.120 --> 0:16:07.960 in divisional games lifetime. Question number two known that because 0:16:07.960 --> 0:16:09.720 it you go to the division like if you if 0:16:09.720 --> 0:16:11.360 you don't win it, you're out for the year, you 0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:11.720 know what I mean? 0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:13.920 Yeah, Plus, there's only the Bills have been to the 0:16:14.120 --> 0:16:16.920 AFC Championship game. What's seven times? Eight times? 0:16:17.560 --> 0:16:21.280 So let's see the the in the nineties and eighties 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:26.240 and twice under mcdermy. So yeah, seven. What is question two? 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:30.520 What is the highest passing yardage total in a Bill's 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:34.560 divisional playoff game? And I will give you a hint. 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:36.280 You were there for. 0:16:36.200 --> 0:16:39.320 This one it's got to be between three hundred and 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:41.120 twenty five and three hundred and fifty yards. 0:16:41.480 --> 0:16:42.960 It's more really. 0:16:47.840 --> 0:16:48.520 Miami games. 0:16:49.000 --> 0:16:53.200 It is not the Miami game. It was actually a 0:16:53.280 --> 0:16:59.440 game that the Bills lost divisional playoff pits loss at Pittsburgh. 0:17:00.000 --> 0:17:04.640 Well, let's see, there was Cincinnati. There was two vision 0:17:04.720 --> 0:17:05.640 round of Cincinnati in. 0:17:05.600 --> 0:17:10.720 Twenty two, Baltimore in twenty. I said, it's a game 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:11.680 you play. 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:16.680 Pittsburgh in ninety five, Raiders in ninety three, Pittsburgh in 0:17:16.760 --> 0:17:23.200 ninety two, kc in ninety one, I'll say Kansas City 0:17:23.280 --> 0:17:23.840 ninety one. 0:17:24.119 --> 0:17:28.680 Nope, it was Cleveland in nineteen eighty nine. Oh yeah, 0:17:29.160 --> 0:17:32.399 four hundred and four passing yards from tillim Kelly. That was. 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:34.840 That's one of the all time great NFL games ever 0:17:35.040 --> 0:17:36.080 and out of the Bills. 0:17:36.040 --> 0:17:38.639 Lost it thirty four to thirty. That was. That was 0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:39.240 the game. 0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:41.919 Don Beeby got dumped on his head. So that was 0:17:42.000 --> 0:17:44.840 the Ronnie Harmon drop in the corner of the end 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:50.240 zone in the in an absolute mud pit dump of 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:55.320 a stadium, an absolute atrocity of a gathering spot, public 0:17:55.520 --> 0:18:01.600 public gathering spot let alone, a sported venue, absolute dump, 0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:03.240 garbage bin. 0:18:03.240 --> 0:18:07.600 Municipal stadium in Cleveland, dumpster of a stadium. 0:18:07.640 --> 0:18:10.160 So yeah, that was a great, fantastic game. 0:18:10.359 --> 0:18:12.800 Fantastic game. Four hundred four passing yards for. 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:16.960 Jim Jim Kelly against Bernie Cozar, Marty Schottenheimer against Marvel Leavy. 0:18:17.640 --> 0:18:21.520 Fantastic game. And Bill Kauer was on that staffs Shottenheimer's 0:18:21.520 --> 0:18:23.320 staff as a special team. There's a bunch of guys 0:18:23.359 --> 0:18:25.400 on that staff. What a game? 0:18:25.720 --> 0:18:29.480 Question three? What is the highest rushing yardage total for 0:18:29.560 --> 0:18:33.400 the Bills in a divisional playoff? And I will give 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:35.760 you a hint. This is one of the more recent. 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:39.400 Games James Cook last year. 0:18:39.920 --> 0:18:46.240 Close It is Bills versus Chiefs January twenty four four 0:18:46.880 --> 0:18:50.199 that they lost twenty seven to twenty four. Here Bills 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:53.000 ran for one hundred and eighty two yards in that game. 0:18:53.119 --> 0:18:57.960 And where what year January twenty four so twenty three season, Yeah, 0:18:58.080 --> 0:19:01.040 January twenty fourth, Kansas City. The drop by digs at 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:06.679 the end, Who's twenty four? Question for what Bill's player 0:19:06.760 --> 0:19:12.879 has the most receptions in divisional playoff history? 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:13.679 Tournament? 0:19:14.600 --> 0:19:17.600 You nailed it, buddy. You want to guess how many receptions? Fourteen? 0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:18.760 That's much more than is it? 0:19:18.840 --> 0:19:21.440 He had seventeen against Cleveland. Is that ninety eight eighty 0:19:21.520 --> 0:19:21.840 nine game? 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:26.600 Yeah, but this is total divisional playoffs. Oh so seven 0:19:26.680 --> 0:19:28.760 career divisional playoffs. Okay, he's got to have. 0:19:34.920 --> 0:19:37.000 Does he have sixty? 0:19:37.200 --> 0:19:40.720 No, not that many. He's got thirty two career receptions 0:19:40.760 --> 0:19:44.240 in seven divisional playoff games for the Bills. He is 0:19:44.280 --> 0:19:49.240 your divisional playoff game leader. Wow, that is the numbers 0:19:49.280 --> 0:19:53.000 games them thamas Bills fans get in on the action 0:19:53.119 --> 0:19:56.040 with FanDuel America's number one sportsbook. Just download the app 0:19:56.080 --> 0:19:58.800 today to play any way you want. Plus, with live betting, 0:19:59.080 --> 0:20:01.760 you'll get updated on games that have already started. Best 0:20:01.800 --> 0:20:03.880 of all, you get PAGR winnings Fast Make every moment 0:20:03.920 --> 0:20:07.000 more with FanDuel Official Sportsbook, partner of the Buffalo Bills. 0:20:07.000 --> 0:20:11.400 Time now for our one burning question. And we know 0:20:12.040 --> 0:20:16.119 Sean Payton has made jutsy and risky calls in his 0:20:16.200 --> 0:20:18.919 coaching career before, most notably the on side kicking the 0:20:18.920 --> 0:20:21.200 Super Bowl that started the second half against the Colts. 0:20:21.720 --> 0:20:24.040 That is no longer a way to surprise a team, 0:20:24.040 --> 0:20:26.960 as you know, Steve, with the new kickoff rules. But 0:20:27.119 --> 0:20:31.440 how likely is it that Peyton resorts to a high risk, 0:20:32.160 --> 0:20:37.280 high reward play in this game. If it's nip and tuck. 0:20:37.400 --> 0:20:42.960 One fake wow, fake punt, fake field goal one hundred percent, 0:20:43.600 --> 0:20:50.439 a big reverse, a kickoff, reverse, punt return reverse, it will, Yes, 0:20:50.560 --> 0:20:53.240 they or they'll they'll try and go after a punt, 0:20:53.640 --> 0:20:55.560 try and block a punt. They will. 0:20:55.720 --> 0:20:56.919 Part of his nature, right. 0:20:57.160 --> 0:21:01.600 Yes, And I think in this game, I don't think 0:21:01.680 --> 0:21:04.159 he likes this. I think he knows he's against a 0:21:04.200 --> 0:21:07.200 really good team and he's against a really good player 0:21:07.320 --> 0:21:09.840 who can really turn it on. I think he's gonna 0:21:09.840 --> 0:21:12.119 feel like, much like he did against Peyton Manning and 0:21:12.160 --> 0:21:15.080 the Colts in the Super Bowl. With the New Orleans Saints, 0:21:15.280 --> 0:21:20.800 he's got to do something and he is nothing if 0:21:20.880 --> 0:21:21.800 not courageous. 0:21:22.359 --> 0:21:23.520 That guy will do it. 0:21:23.560 --> 0:21:27.280 He's got bravado, he has got a big, brassy set 0:21:27.320 --> 0:21:30.399 of courage, and he will do it. 0:21:30.520 --> 0:21:32.399 Yeah, he doesn't care, because I'll tell you that is 0:21:32.440 --> 0:21:34.840