Bills edge Colts for first playoff win in 25 years
Allen delivers three scores and Hyde seals wild-card triumph as club’s 0-6 streak ends.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Quarterback Josh Allen and safety Micah Hyde teamed up to make the Buffalo Bills’ losing past history.
Allen threw two touchdown passes and scored one rushing in leading the Bills to a 27-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts in a wild-card game Saturday.
Hyde batted down Philip Rivers’ desperation pass as time ran out in helping Buffalo snap an 0-6 postseason skid by winning its first playoff game since a 37-22 win over Miami on Dec. 30, 1995.
The end was so stunning, in which the Bills nearly squandered a 24-10 fourthquarter lead, that safety Jordan Poyer was still having difficulty trying to put the result in perspective.
“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,” Poyer said.
Allen finished 26 of 35 for 324 yards with a five-yard touchdown to Dawson Knox and a 35-yarder to Stefon Diggs, which led to the fans chanting “MVP” to celebrate Diggs as the first Buffalo player to lead the NFL in catches and yards receiving.
Rookie kicker Tyler Bass accounted for the decisive points by hitting a 54-yard field goal to put Buffalo up 27-16 with 8:08 remaining.
On the final play, Rivers heaved a deep pass for T.Y. Hilton that Hyde got to through the crowd of bodies.
Rivers, 39, had his career playoff record drop to 5-7 in potentially his last season.
“Shoot, it’s hard to go back 12 years ago to think how I felt in the locker room after that championship game,” Rivers said, referring to the Chargers’ 21-12 loss to New England. “It’s always emotional. But is it more emotional when you’re about to be 40 and you’re not sure if you’ve been in your last huddle? Heck yeah.”