Allen stars in Bills’ first playoff win in 25 years
AMERICAN FOOTBALL
NEW YORK CITY: The Buffalo Bills earned their first playoff victory in 25 years with a 2724 win over the Indianapolis Colts in their AFC wildcard game in Buffalo yesterday.
They even figured out how to stop a Hail Mary.
Buffalo snapped a sixgame postseason skid by winning their first playoff game since December 30, 1995.
And it came in the Bills’ first home postseason game in 24 years, with a limited number of 6700 fans in attendance for the first time this season.
Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes, scored another rushing, and Micah Hyde batted down Philip Rivers’ desperation pass to end the game.
Buffalo will host an AFC divisionalround game.
‘‘It doesn’t matter how it looks,’’ Allen said.
‘‘It’s the playoffs. It’s win or go home and we got it done.
‘‘We’ve got to turn our focus to whoever we got next week.’’
In Buffalo’s previous loss before winning seven straight games, Hyde was one of three defenders who failed to knock down the ball.
DeAndre Hopkins’ 43yard leaping catch on Kyler Murray’s desperation throw — the ‘‘Hail Murray’’ — won that game for the Arizona Cardinals.
The Bills learned from it, and Philip River’s heave for TY Hilton was incomplete.
‘‘It’s been a long time since Bills Mafia has been able to celebrate like this,’’ Allen said. ‘‘But it’s one game.’’ In Seattle, a dominant defence that was without unanimous AllPro tackle Aaron Donald for much of the second half was decisive for the Los Angeles Rams in their 3020 over the Seattle Seahawks.
A picksix by Darious Williams of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who seemed rattled all game, was a major contributor, as were five sacks, two by Donald.
Cam Akers rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown, while Rams QB Jared Goff, though shaky for portions of the game, replaced injured starter John Wolford early on and avoided major mistakes.
Less than two weeks after undergoing surgery on his right thumb, Goff capped the victory with a 15yard touchdown pass to Robert Woods.
It was a case of new team, same swashbuckling playoff success for Tom Brady.
Brady threw for 381 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers past Washington 3123 in their NFC wildcard game for their first playoff victory since 2002.
In his 42nd postseason start and first not in a New England Patriots uniform, Brady made the most of a lack of pressure to carve up the NFL’s secondranked defence on 22 of 40 passing. — AP