Josh Allen

As the Buffalo Bills look to make a playoff push, all eyes are on quarterback Josh Allen's left leg.

Allen sported a walking boot following Sunday's 33-27 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It's not clear what the exact nature of the injury is, however. The good news for Buffalo fans, though, is that the signal-caller doesn't appear to be overly concerned.

"I finished the game on it, so I don't think it's a big deal," Allen told reporters after the game.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported Allen will undergo an MRI on Monday:

Allen completed 36 of 54 pass attempts for 308 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, adding 109 yards and a score on the ground as well. With Allen leading the way, Buffalo overcame a 21-point halftime deficit to force overtime.

Allen was hampered by injuries early in his NFL career. The fourth-year quarterback sat out four games in 2018 with an elbow injury he suffered in Week 6 against the Houston Texans.

During a Week 4 loss to the New England Patriots in 2019, he suffered a concussion when Jonathan Jones delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit. The California native cleared concussion protocol and was able to return for Buffalo's next game against the Tennessee Titans.

The 2020 season was a revelation for Allen, who turned into an MVP candidate. He threw for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns while completing 69.2 percent of his attempts to lead the Bills to a division title and an appearance in the AFC Championship Game.

After a slow start this season, Allen got back on track in a big way in Week 3 with 358 passing yards and four touchdowns in a 43-21 win over the Washington Football Team. He's up to 3,524 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions through 13 games.

Buffalo (7-6) awaits further testing to see the severity of the injury. Should Allen have to miss time, backup Mitchell Trubisky would be next in line under center.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen said the team has a "sense of urgency" heading into Sunday's road game against the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bills have lost three of their last five games and dropped to the No. 7 seed in the AFC, putting them on the playoff fringe in a year they were expected to seriously compete for a championship.

Allen discussed the team's mindset ahead of a marquee clash with Tom Brady and the Bucs:

We're extremely hungry. I think there obviously is a sense of urgency of what we need to do, but there's no panic in our locker room. We're extremely united right now with what we need to do. We've had a couple of really good days of practice and walkthroughs, and we're looking forward to going out there and getting a chance to play against the defending world champs and arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Buffalo looked ready to meet expectations during the first few months of the 2021 season, highlighted by a four-game winning streak that featured a quartet of lopsided victories, including a 38-20 triumph over the two-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs.

The Bills have lacked any semblance of consistency since that hot streak, however, as they've alternated wins and losses over their past seven games.

On Monday, they lost a crucial AFC East game to the New England Patriots, 14-10, as both offenses were neutralized by a windy Buffalo night. Some questionable decisions by head coach Sean McDermott and his staff also helped the Pats pick up a key divisional win.

Between the mediocre play and, as the Buffalo News' Jay Skurski put it, "some signs of internal strife," the Bills are a team that could desperately use a statement win.

A clash with the Buccaneers (9-3) provides a chance for exactly that, but Allen and Co. must significantly elevate their level of play.

The 25-year-old signal-caller, who finished second in NFL MVP voting last year, has thrown nine touchdowns and seven interceptions over the team's last five games. That ratio isn't good enough to carry a team that leans so heavily on its passing attack.

Facing a Bucs defense that ranks 20th in passing yards allowed per game (248.4) should present an opportunity for Allen to get back on track.

"We want to go out there and prove what type of team we are, not to you guys or anybody else, but to ourselves because we know the type of guys that we have in this locker room and the team that we can be," Allen said.

Tampa Bay can also provide some hope to Buffalo based on last year, when Brady's squad was 7-5 through 12 games before rattling off eight straight victories to win the Super Bowl.

On the flip side, if the Bills lose they'll be 7-6, and given the crowded nature of the AFC wild-card race, they'll be in serious danger of missing the playoffs altogether. It's a result that would represent one of the biggest disappointments in franchise history.

So while Allen isn't ready to push the panic button quite yet, that outlook could change if the Bills don't produce a strong bounce-back performance Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

The Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson, Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen, Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott, Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Tennessee Titans' Derrick Henry are among the candidates for the 2021 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

The NFL announced all 32 teams' nominees Thursday:

The award, which was established for the 2014 season, honors the legacy of Pittsburgh Steelers founding owner Art Rooney, who died in 1988. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964.

Here are the past winners as voted by their fellow players:

• 2014: Larry Fitzgerald
• 2015: Charles Woodson
• 2016: Frank Gore
• 2017: Luke Kuechly
• 2018: Drew Brees
• 2019: Adrian Peterson
• 2020: Teddy Bridgewater

Bridgewater was honored for handling "challenges with grace" as he returned to a starting role for the Carolina Panthers last season, four years after suffering a major knee injury:

I really just cherish this game because it's taken me places that I couldn't imagine. It's allowed me to encounter different individuals from all across the world. On this journey, I've been able to befriend some people. You know, I still have great people I'm associated with to this day. This game has done so much for me. It's allowed me to meet different people, and everyone has a story. Everyone has a different upbringing and different background, and to be a part of someone's journey is a huge feeling.

It's a huge blessing just knowing that whether it's on the playing field, being the best sportsman that I can be, or being the best teammate I can be around the locker room, I take pride in that.

Bridgewater now plays for the Denver Broncos.

This year's nominees are a wide-ranging collection of some of the NFL's biggest stars and role players.

The winner will be announced during the annual NFL Honors broadcast Feb. 10 during the week of events leading up to Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13.

Before you sell the Buffalo Bills' playoff stock in an overreaction, take a deep breath and exhale, but adjust expectations accordingly after their eye-opening 14-10 loss to the New England Patriots.

The Bills field one of the most balanced rosters, ranking fifth in scoring while allowing the second-fewest points. In their remaining five games, they'll host the Carolina Panthers (5-7), Atlanta Falcons (5-7) and New York Jets (3-9). None of those teams have the personnel to exploit the Bills' weaknesses in the trenches.

At worst, the Bills will finish 10-7, which would probably qualify for a wild-card spot in the AFC, but they're not going to advance past the divisional round. Three of Buffalo's opponents have exposed a fatal flaw in its defense.

In a Week 6 against Buffalo, the Tennessee Titans ran the ball for 146 yards, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill finished 18-of-29 passing for 216 yards and interception in a 34-31 victory.

Two weeks ago, the Indianapolis Colts rushed for 264 yards while quarterback Carson Wentz completed just 11 of his 20 pass attempts for 106 yards and a touchdown in a 41-15 blowout win over the Bills.

The Colts essentially provided the blueprint in how to attack the Bills defense, and the Patriots executed it to a tee with 222 rushing yards in swirling winds at Highmark Stadium Monday.

The Bills have failed to match the intensity of opponents who control the game at the line of scrimmage, which is a problem for a team that may face one or more of the top-six rushing offenses in the playoffs. The Baltimore Ravens, Patriots and Titans can all rack up 200-plus rushing yards with a run-heavy game plan. In Week 12, Tennessee ran for 270 yards without running back Derrick Henry (foot surgery), albeit in a loss to the Patriots.

If the Colts or Cleveland Browns sneak into the postseason with their top-five rushing attacks, Buffalo wouldn't match up well with either team. In any game with inclement weather, which minimizes the passing game, the Bills would struggle to adjust their offense to the conditions.

The Bills don't bring enough physicality to the gridiron, which explains why the Colts and Patriots embarrassed them within the last three weeks, running the ball through the heart of the defense for a combined total of 486 yards.

To make matters worse, Buffalo knew what to expect going into the game with New England because of the weather conditions and still failed to stop the run. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones threw just three passes while running backs Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for a combined total of 189 yards.

After Monday's game, safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer seemed agitated with a question from WIVB reporter Jerry Sullivan and their team's run defense:

Head coach Sean McDermott pinpointed glaring issues on both sides of the ball with a common thread that highlights a basic aspect of the game.

"Not good enough," he said. "We've got to be able to run the football, and we've got to be able to stop the run. Those things don't change. The message hasn't changed, in terms of physicality, and the necessity for physicality in what we do." 

In addition to the Bills' inability to slow down the Patriots' downhill attack, they struggled to convert in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on one of their four trips inside the 20-yard line. Buffalo doesn't have a reliable run game to finish drives deep in the opposition's territory. On Monday, quarterback Josh Allen led the team in rushing (39 yards) on six carries.

Through the 2021 campaign, the Bills have primarily relied on Allen to move the ball through the air with a deep pass-catching group that includes Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders, Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis and Dawson Knox. While he's led his team to a 7-5 record in the thick of the playoff discussion, the Bills running backs haven't provided much help on the ground.

Allen accounts for roughly 30 percent of the Bills' 1,400 rushing yards. Running back Devin Singletary doesn't have great speed, elusiveness or the power to shrug off defenders between the tackles. At 5'9", 205 pounds, Zach Moss brings a bruising run style, but he struggles to find open lanes, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. Matt Breida has the speed to rip off big plays, but he's more effective running outside the tackles.

According to The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia, McDermott and play-caller Brian Daboll have to iron out wrinkles in their differences, but that's not going to change the complexion of the offense. 

"There is something amiss between McDermott and Daboll — a potentially growing disconnect between how the head coach wants his team's offense to play and the way the offensive play-caller operates on game days. But it's not just as simple as conforming to what McDermott wants. The Bills are not equipped to be a physical run-oriented team. That much is clear."

During Monday's postgame press conference, McDermott seemed to suggest that his team's offense doesn't reflect his philosophy.

"If you were in the team meetings in training camp, you would know what style of offense I want,” McDermott said. "That identity needs to embody toughness."

Perhaps Buffalo needs to shift its mentality going into potential slugfests, but at this point in the season, the Bills cannot change their identity on either side of the ball. As more of a finesse club, they must score in bunches, forcing teams to abandon the run game in an attempt to keep pace with a top-five scoring offense.  

The Bills can run up the score against mediocre teams that struggle to move the ball or stop high-octane aerial attacks. On the other hand, they don't have an alternative winning strategy if the opponent dominates the time-of-possession battle with a ball-control offense. Allen and his weapons wouldn't have much margin for error while watching most of the game from the sidelines.

One way or another, the Bills would face a physical test during the postseason, and they don't have the answers for it. 

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.

The Buffalo Bills were visibly frustrated after Monday night's 14-10 loss to the New England Patriots. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen explained that the team's anger stemmed from their dissatisfaction with their performance.

"I think, frankly, we're pissed off because we want to be great, and we're pissed off for greatness," Allen told reporters after the game.

The snowy conditions in Foxborough made it a difficult game for both teams.

But New England relied on its ground game to secure the win. Damien Harris ran for a season-high 111 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown, and the Patriots finished with 222 yards on the ground. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones attempted just three passes in the victory and New England now has the best record in the AFC at 9-4.

The Bills had a tougher time, as Allen and the passing game couldn't get going in the harsh weather. Allen completed 15-of-30 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown and also lost a fumble. Buffalo totaled just 99 rushing yards.

The Bills had a chance to go ahead with a late drive into the red zone, but Allen's pass on fourth down was batted down by Patriots defensive back Myles Bryant with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter.

Buffalo fell to 7-5 and has now lost four of its last seven games after starting the season 4-1. 

Things won't get easier for the Bills in Week 14, as they will travel to face one of the best teams in the NFC in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) on Sunday.

First place in the AFC East belongs to the New England Patriots.

New England defeated the Buffalo Bills 14-10 in Monday's low-scoring divisional clash at Highmark Stadium. Mac Jones attempted just three passes, but Damien Harris and the defense led the way for the victors as they improved to 9-4 on the season with a seventh consecutive win.

Buffalo moved into the red zone twice in the fourth quarter, but the Patriots forced a missed field goal and turnover on downs to preserve the win.

The defense also played well for the Bills, although it wasn't enough to prevent them from dropping to 7-5 overall and 3-4 in their last seven games.

Notable Player Stats

• Mac Jones, QB, NE: 2-of-3 passing for 19 yards
• Damien Harris, RB, NE: 10 carries for 111 yards, 1 TD
• Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, NE: 24 carries for 78 yards
  
• Josh Allen, QB, BUF: 15-of-30 passing for 145 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs; 6 carries for 39 yards
• Stefon Diggs, WR, BUF: 4 catches for 51 yards

No Quarterback Necessary for Patriots

Perhaps nobody in the NFL was playing better football than the Patriots coming into Monday's game, and the blustery weather figured to play right into their hands since they have been so reliant on the running game and short passing attack.

The game plan was crystal clear when Jones threw a grand total of one pass in the entire first half and New England still held an 11-7 lead.

Harris exploded past a crowded box for a 64-yard touchdown run, and Brandon Bolden's two-point conversion gave the visitors an early lead in the first quarter. Nick Folk also cut through the wind with a field goal, and the defense played well enough to ensure the advantage held up heading into the second half.

Still, there was plenty of pressure on the defense to hold up against Josh Allen and Co. given New England's offensive approach. While it did a solid job of keeping the mobile quarterback in the pocket, the game got that much closer in the third quarter when Tyler Bass drilled a field goal through the wind.

The Patriots responded like they were a service academy at the collegiate level and used tight formations with fullbacks and tight ends to shorten the game and go with run after run. They even unleashed a quarterback sneak on back-to-back plays on third and fourth down, but Buffalo finally responded in the red zone with multiple tackles for loss to force another field goal.

While Jones finally threw multiple passes in the fourth quarter, it became all the more obvious it would be up to the defense if New England was going to win when Harris was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

The defense answered the call with two red-zone stops in the fourth quarter with Myles Bryant breaking up the final fourth-down attempt after a clutch Matthew Judon sack on the previous drive.

Bills Squander 4th-Quarter Chances

Monday was an opportunity for the Bills to right the proverbial ship after going just 3-3 in the previous six games. The inconsistency prevented them from building on a promising 4-1 start, although all it would take was a home win over the rival Patriots to seize control of the division again.

While the weather was largely to blame, they certainly didn't look ready to seize control of the division in the early going.

A fumbled exchange between Allen and Matt Breida ended a promising drive in New England territory, and the offense punted on four of its other five possessions in the first half as it struggled to move the ball in the elements.

Yet the halftime deficit would have been much worse than four if one of those punts didn't hit N'Keal Harry to set Buffalo up in the red zone. Allen found Gabriel Davis for a touchdown on the ensuing play, which was all the home team needed to stay well within striking distance heading into the second half.

There were only so many possessions to work with in that second half, though, since New England completely abandoned even the threat of a pass on almost every play. The two sides traded field goals in the third quarter, which at least gave the Bills a chance to win it in the fourth.

It seemed as if they would do just that when they advanced to the 6-yard line, but Judon's sack led to a missed field goal. They still got one more opportunity after New England went three-and-out, but they never advanced past the 13-yard line.

The back-to-back empty trips to the red zone will surely haunt Buffalo fans if their team finishes behind the Patriots in the final standings.           

What's Next?

The Bills travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14, while the Patriots head into their bye before a road game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

The New England Patriots didn't give a damn about style points Monday when they realized a freezing evening with 20-plus mile-per-hour winds would drastically affect their meeting with the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. 

Instead, Bill Belichick and Co. concocted the perfect game plan to counteract the conditions while simultaneously crushing the soul of their division rival with a heavily adorned ground-and-pound gala. 

The Bills should come away supremely disheartened by their effort during the Patriots' 14-10 victory. 

First, New England now sits alone atop the playoffs standings as the first AFC squad with nine wins. Second, the Patriots have what may be an insurmountable 7-1 conference record, while every other AFC participant has at least three conference losses. Third, the division leader has yet to lose on the road. Finally, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels called the type of game that haunts an opponent because the Bills knew what was coming and couldn't do anything about it. 

When the weather gets cold and windy, the approach simplifies: run the ball, play for field position and let the defense go to work. 

"Just a crazy game to be a part of," Patriots quarterback Mac Jones told reporters after the contest. "We knew if we didn't turn the ball over, we'd be good."

Jones did receive credit for participation, but that's about it. In one of the wildest stat lines in recent memory, the rookie signal-caller completed two-of-three passes for 19 yards. Historically, the Patriots achieved something special. They became the first team to win a game with three or fewer passes since Week 3 of the 1974 campaign, per ESPN Stats & Info. The two completions are the fewest in the Patriots' franchise history, with the three attempts now the least in any single game. 

Why throw the ball when a team doesn't need to do so? 

With that thought in mind, New England ran for 222 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry despite Buffalo placing eight to nine men in the box on nearly every single snap.

"I'm just trying to win," Jones responded when asked about his lack of passing. "It was good we scored more than the other team."

New England's performance harkens back to what Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who fielded the league's No. 1 defense last season as a Rams coordinator, said when asked why running the ball remains important in a pass-first league: 

"There's a physicality to the game that's real, right? If you're just a passing team, there's a physical element to the game that the defense doesn't have to respect. And that's the truth. Because the data will tell you that you don't need a run game to play pass. You don't need that.

"But what the running game does for you it brings a physical dimension to the football game. And what the running game does that the passing game does not, is the running forces the defense to play block and to tackle. That happens on a run play—you must play blocks, and you must tackle. In the passing game, those things don't need to happen, right? You don't have to play as many blocks. And you may not have to tackle based on incomplete or not. So what the running game does is it really challenges your physicality, and that's why I think the run game is important to a quarterback. It's literally going to allow him to have more space to operate when you do throw the football."

In this particular contest, Jones didn't need to throw the football but three times. Obviously, inclement weather played a significant factor. But the Bills' Josh Allen was able to cut the wind and make a few exceptional tosses throughout the evening. 

The importance of Staley's words revolves around the physical aspect. At its core, football remains a violent game. While it may not be entirely quantifiable, the idea of imposing one's will onto an opponent is taught to players at every single level. As the old adage goes, "The greatest feeling in football is moving a man from Point A to Point B against his will." 

McDaniels' approach during New England's latest victory—its seventh straight—took this idea and actually implemented it as part of the team's playcalling. Personnel packages consistently included a sixth offensive lineman plus the team's fullback, Jakob Johnson. 

Nothing the Patriots did was groundbreaking. If anything, their style of play invoked memories of Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers with some of the sweep plays they ran. McDaniels called traps and powers. He also got his running backs on the edge to create a few chunk plays. 

Simply put, New England was much bigger and more physical at the point of attack. 

"For the offensive line to do what they did was incredible," Jones said. 

The performance didn't fall entirely on the offensive line, though the group played extremely well. The Patriots' wide receivers, particularly N'Keal Harry, helped set the tone by sealing the edge and laying some wicked crack-back blocks. The 227-pound Rhamondre Stevenson ran hard and through plenty of tackles once he took over for an injured Damien Harris, whose beautiful 64-yard-scamper served as the Patriots' lone touchdown. 

The Bills' underbelly showed, and it's more prone to attack than the dragon Smaug from The Hobbit. Buffalo can't stop the run even when it knows it must. Against the Patriots, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts, Sean McDermott's defense allowed an average of 210.7 rushing yards per game. 

Buffalo is supposed to be one of the AFC's top squads, but everyone is finding out quickly the conference is being overrun by mediocrity. This places the Patriots in prime position as the postseason looms.

Among the other teams currently in playoff slots, the Titans are without Derrick Henry. The Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson has played poorly as of late with eight interceptions in his last four appearances. The Kansas City Chiefs have improved, particularly on defense, but Patrick Mahomes continues to struggle with certain defensive looks. The Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals are highly inconsistent. 

The Patriots are just plugging along with all of the tools to continue their winning ways.

Monday's performance is an aberration, of course. New England was prepared for the moment and willed its way toward a positive performance. But Belichick's current squad is more than capable of playing and beating every team in the NFL with an efficient (and likely NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year) operator behind center, a physical offensive front, weapons at tight end and wide receiver, a stable of talented backs and the league's No. 1 scoring defense. 

"This is not finished. We're not even close to being done. We haven't even hit our ceiling, as Coach would say," running back Brandon Bolden told reporters. 

New England couldn't care less about what anyone thinks regarding their style of play. The Patriots continue to win. Nothing else matters. They've re-emerged as the AFC's best team as a result. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is not known for praising his opponents, but he gushed about Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen ahead of Monday night's matchup.

"It's just remarkable how good he has become,” Belichick said, per Boston.com. "Last year, this year's built on that. What it was when he came into the league. But he's just made tremendous improvement. Has a lot of command of the offense."

In his fourth year in the NFL, Allen has blossomed into one of the top quarterbacks in the league. He's thrown for 3,071 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season while leading the Bills to a 7-4 record.

Monday will be the first meeting of the season between New England (8-4) and Buffalo.