ORCHARD PARK – Be honest. How many of you were absolutely terrified on the final play of Saturday afternoon’s AFC wildcard game when Indianapolis’ Philip Rivers heaved that Hail Mary pass toward the end zone?
Bills safety Micah Hyde knocks down a Hail Mary pass in the end zone intended for Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton on the last play of 27-24 Buffalo win.
Bills receiver Stefon Diggs gets behind Colts defender T.J. Carrie for a 36 yard touchdown reception. The Bills hung on to beat the Colts 27-24 in an AFC Wildcard game.
Stefon Diggs celebrates with teammates after his 36 yard touchdown catch.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen led the team in rushing with 54 yards and a touchdown. He also threw for two touchdowns.
Bills kicker Tyler Bass celebrates his 54 yard field goal to help beat the Colts 27-24 in an AFC Wildcard game.
Josh Norman (29) celebrates with teammates after Micah Hyde knocked down a Hail Mary pass on the final play of the game to secure a 27-24 win over the Colts.
Bills tight end Dawson Knox scores on this three-yard pass in a 27-24 win over the colts in an AFC Wildcard game
Bills receiver Cole Beasley has seven catches in a 27-24 win over the Colts.
Bills tight end Dawson Knox celebrates his three-yard touchdown reception in a 27-24 win over the Colts in an AFC Wildcard game.
Bills safety Micah Hyde is mobbed by teammates after he knocked down a Hail Mary pass to end the game giving the Buffalo a 27-24 playoff win against the Colts.
Colts Isaiah Rogers argues he made this interception on a pass intended for Bills receiver John Brown in the end zone.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is caught from behind by Colts Al-Quadin Muhammad.
Bills running back Devin Singletary finds a hole at the line of scrimmage against the Colts.
Bills receiver Stefon Diggs had six catches for 128 yards and a touchdown in a 27-24 win over the Colts.
Bills running back Zack Moss cuts back against pressure near the line of scrimmage.
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor gets to the outside against Bills Jerry Hughes. Taylor rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Bills running back Devin Singletary tries to slip away from Colts Darius Leonard.
bills quarterback rolls outside to escape pressure from Colts DeForest Buckner.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is brought down by Colts Ibraheim Campbell.
Bills Vernon Butler gets pressure on Colts quarterback Philip Rivers.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen throws a short pass over the middle.
Bills tight end Dawson Knox looks for running room after a catch.
Bills rookie running back Zack Moss need to be carted off the field after suffering a leg injury.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is chased out of the pocket by Colts Denico Autry.
Colts quarterback Philip Rivers is angry with himself after missing a receiver.
Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. looks for extra yards after one of his five catches.
Bills Ed Oliver tries top block a pass by Colts quarterback Philip Rivers.
Colts quarterback Philip Rivers pleads his case to an official.
Colts quarterback Philip Rivers steps into a throw over the middle of the field.
Fans cheer on Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox goes up for a catch over Bills Micah Hyde.
Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds celebrates after breaking up a pass play.
Bills running back Devin Singletary looks for running room.
Bills safety Micah Hyde congratulates teammate Jordan Poyer after a defensive stand.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-24 win over the Colts in an AFC Wildcard game.
Josh Allen has won his first playoff game, 27-24 over the Colts.
Bills linebacker Matt Milano zeros in on Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.
Head coach Sean McDermott wins his first playoff game with the Bills, 27-24 over the Colts.
Fans finally got to watch a Bills game inside the stadium. About 6700 fans were allowed in for the playoff games.
Happy Bills fans before the start of the Bills and Colts playoff game.
Early Bills fans before the Bills and Colts playoff game.
Sue Schaller (L) and Bob Bryant of Rochester are happy to have tickets to the Bills and Colts playoff game. The first game of the season that has allowed any fans. Schaller has had Bills season tickets for 41 years.
Bill fans are spread out as fans begin to find their seats. This is the first game of the season where fans have been allowed.
Early Bills fans find no problem in social distancing.
Fans make their way up a tunnel from the seating area at Bills stadium.
A mattering of fans cheer as the Bills take the field against the Colts. About 6,700 were allowed into the stadium for the Bills 27-24 playoff win against the Colts.
Stickers were placed on the bench seating to identify where fans can sit.
Zip ties disable folding seats at Bills stadium to ensure social distancing of the fans that were able to get tickets.
48/48 SLIDES
I’m not even sure why I asked because I know for a fact you were. I know you had flashbacks to what happened a couple months ago in Arizona because anyone who calls themselves a Buffalo Bills fan knows all too well this team’s tortured history and therefore is almost programmed to be thinking the worst.
But while your eyes were bulging from their sockets and your knuckles were turning white as thoughts of impending disaster wracked your brains when Rivers dropped back and took aim, the Bills themselves were not scared in the moment. Well, at least that’s what they said.
“None at all,” safety Jordan Poyer said when he was asked if he was feeling any Arizona déjà vu. “I had all the confidence in the world.”
Once again, this 2020 edition of the Bills proved it isn’t like past teams who would have found a way to lose this game in inexplicable fashion and have yet another nicknamed loss on the franchise resume. Saturday, Safety Micah Hyde knocked Rivers’ feeble prayer to the ground and the Bills escaped with a breathtaking 27-24 victory over the Colts.
Not since 1996 had the Bills played a home playoff game, and not since 1995 had they won one, but finally, the Bills no longer have to reference either fact. On an unusually beautiful January afternoon that became quite stressful as the sun began to set, they finally got it done and 6,700 fans pretending they were 67,000 were able to float out of Bills Stadium in celebration.
“Ya know, this time I was happy that it was going up there,” tackle Dion Dawkins said of the Hail Mary pass. “Our guys practice it every single day, I see it every single day in practice. When it went up, I was less stressed because my dogs are prepared for this moment.”
And sure enough, as Dawkins said, “Micah went up and tomahawked that ball down like he was a starter on the volleyball court. That was a double-hand, tomahawk spike as a statement like it wasn’t happening again.”
You could almost feel the gale-force breeze created by the collective sighs of relief as the ball hit the ground and the clock ticked to zero.
“It was the same way (for the players),” said Cole Beasley of the relief everyone felt. “We’re into the game just as much as they are. We want it bad, too. We invest so much into this stuff, man. These up-and-down games like this are emotional roller coasters for us. It’s really hard to come down from. It’ll be hard to sleep tonight.”
Oh, but sleep would have come so much harder had the Bills blown this game. The Colts won 11 games for many reasons, and they were all on display as they pushed the Bills to the very brink.
“I haven’t had time to celebrate and take it in, but this is awesome for the Bills organization, the city, to be able to play a home game and get a victory,” said Poyer. “Since 2017, we’ve been working at this, but a day like today, to come out on top, we worked so hard.”
Fans that were carrying bags into the stadium were turned around and told to leave their bags in their vehicles. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Rick McIntosh, of Lockport, pretends to play air guitar upon seeing a photographer on his way into the stadium. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
One fan ,outside the stadium who was finishing his drink before going in, greeted other Bills fans as they entered the stadium. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry. After they went through that checkpoint, fans had to go through normal security.
Fireworks are set off before the start of the game. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
A Bills parking lot is empty due to COVID restrictions and the amount of people that can attend the game. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Nancy Gilligan peeks at the play showing on the Jumbotron. Gilligan of Greece, NY took her son, Paul, to the game. She said they usually go a couple times a year. She said she wanted to get them as close to the live game as possible and found a spot outside a gate that you could watch the game on the Jumbotron. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Erie County Sheriff’s Office patrol and watch over the entries into the stadium. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Nancy Gilligan of Greece, NY brought her son, Paul, to the stadium to watch the game. She said they wanted to get as close as possible to the game, the two did not have tickets. The Gilligans usually come to a couple games a year. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Fans entered the stadium during time slots. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Empty seat in the upper levels of the stadium can be seen from outside Bills Stadium. A limited amount of fans could watch the game due to COVID restrictions. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Ticketholders hung out in their own groups waiting for their time slot to enter the stadium. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Childhood friends Jordan Oliver, Andrew Klankbeal, Mike Dalvaterra and Bill Fox all from LeRoy, NY hang outside the back of their car waiting for the start of the game. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
A parking lot close to the stadium that is nornally sold out during BIlls home games is closed. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Fans wearing Bills colors, paraphernalia and carrying a sign, call up their COVID test results as they get to the first checkpoint. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Entry gates to the stadium were completely empty of ticket holders once the game began. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
No tailgating was allowed due to COVID. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
A lone employee walks through the stadium during the game, in the back upper level seats are empty due to COVID restrictions. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
The Buffalo Bills parking lots would normally be filled to sold out but due to COVID the lots until today have been empty of fans. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans who tested negative to COVID-19 could attend the game. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Fans had to show up two hours early for the game. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Ticket holders start to head into the stadium during the time frame they were given. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
The seats higher up in the stadium were empty because of seating restrictions. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Signs at every entrance to the stadium warn fans about COVID-19. This entrance as well as several others were completely empty shortly after the start of the game. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Stephen Recktenwald, dressed as a lamb, and his father Bill, both from Clarence Center, NY hold a sign for Bills Quarterback Josh Allen being the MVP. They said, when Allen was selected in the draft he was asked to draw a buffalo and his buffalo looked like a potatoe. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Lamar “Jonezy” Jones of Buffalo waits to go into the game. Jones, is with Benny Butcher and BSF, who created the Bills theme song. Buffalo Bills hosted the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC Wild-Card playoff game in Orchard Park NY on, January 9, 2021. 6,700 fans were allowed to attend if they tested negative to COVID-19. The fans had to bring test results and their ticket to gain entry.
Early Bills fans before the Bills and Colts playoff game.
Happy Bills fans before the start of the Bills and Colts playoff game.
Sue Schaller (L) and Bob Bryant of Rochester are happy to have tickets to the Bills and Colts playoff game. The first game of the season that has allowed any fans. Schaller has had Bills season tickets for 41 years.
Bill fans are spread out as fans begin to find their seats. This is the first game of the season where fans have been allowed.
Fans make their way up a tunnel from the seating area at Bills stadium.
A mattering of fans cheer as the Bills take the field against the Colts. About 6,700 were allowed into the stadium for the Bills 27-24 playoff win against the Colts.
Fans finally got to watch a Bills game inside the stadium. About 6700 fans were allowed in for the playoff games.
Fans cheer on Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Fans make their way up a tunnel from the seating area at Bills stadium.
Stickers were placed on the bench seating to identify where fans can sit.
Early Bills fans find no problem in social distancing.
Zip ties disable folding seats at Bills stadium to ensure social distancing of the fans that were able to get tickets.
37/37 SLIDES
Given the way the Bills closed the season with six massively impressive victories in a row, this was a rather unexpected performance. Offensively, there were certainly some great throws by Josh Allen, but the group was not nearly as explosive as it has been despite Allen’s 324 yards. They converted only 2 of 9 on third down and while three TDs is nothing to sneeze at, it was well below the standard of recent weeks.
“We were able to take what we learned last year and take it into this game,” Allen said of the playoff experience from a year ago. “Not trying to press or do too much. Let the game come to us. That’s what we did. Obviously, we started off a little slow and we were able to get into a rhythm late and made enough plays to win.”
It was probably a good omen of how the day would ultimately end when the Bills were outplayed almost the entire first half yet left the field leading 14-10.
The key moment came right around the two-minute mark when the Bills were on the verge of falling behind 17-7 before things went haywire for the Colts. Indy was confronted with third-and-goal from the 1, but it tried an option pitch to Jonathan Taylor and the Buffalo defense led by Taron Johnson and Tre’Davious White blew it up for a three-yard loss.
Indy then opted against kicking the field goal and very nearly got the touchdown, but Rivers’ pass to an open Michael Pittman in the end zone was just a hair too long and the diving Pittman couldn’t reel it in.
Taking over at the 4 with two timeouts to work with, Allen put together a tremendous 10-play, 96-yard drive that ended with him scoring on a five-yard keeper, essentially a 14-point swing.
Along the way, Gabriel Davis made two eye-popping toe-tap sideline catches for gains of 37 and 19 yards, both of which held up on instant replay review. Then, on a fourth-and-3 at the 26 when the Bills were clearly just trying to draw the Colts offside, Allen did it as Kemoko Turay inexplicably jumped with one second left on the play clock. That led to Allen scoring the TD two plays later.
“I think the turning point of the game was that fourth-and-goal stop by our defense,” Allen said. “(Then) driving down right before the half and getting a chance to double dip. I know we got a field goal (to start the second half) and we gotta find a way to get a touchdown there, too. But we did enough to win the game and that’s all that matters.”
After Tyler Bass’ 46-yard field goal following the second-half kickoff, the Colts proceeded to put together a seven-minute possession, converting three third downs before stalling at the Bills 15, but it was all for naught when Rodrigo Blankenship clanged a 33-yard field goal attempt off the right upright.
Energized by that fortunate turn of events, the Bills turned around and drove 77 yards to the score that made it 24-10, the final play a gorgeous 35-yard dime from Allen to Stefon Diggs who beat cornerback T.J. Carrie one-on-one with no safety help.
But from then on, the Colts were the energized bunch, and the Bills were hanging on for dear life at the end.
Indy answered in rapid fashion with a 75-yard drive during which the Bills played zero defense. And I mean, zero. Well, except on the last play, after Rivers threw a nine-yard TD pass to Zach Pascal. On the extra point, Quinton Jefferson jumped offside so the Colts decided to take the penalty and apply it to a two-point conversion try from the 1, but the Bills stuffed Taylor, leaving the score 24-16.
Bass drilled a 54-yard field goal with 8:08 left to make it a two-possession game, but still, the Colts weren’t done. If their previous TD drive was easy, this one was way easier. It took them five plays to go 76 yards with Rivers hitting wide-open Jack Doyle for a 27-yard TD, then found Doyle over the middle for the two-pointer.
The Bills’ last offensive possession almost created widespread panic when Allen nearly lost a fumble on a play that lost 23 yards. Eventually the Bills had to punt and the Colts had just over two minutes to tie or win the game, but the Bills did not let it happen.
Rivers worked the ball to midfield, converting a fourth-and-10 play which also survived a instant replay review for a fumble, but his last three passes fell incomplete and time expired.
Sal Maiorana can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana.
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