Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills are riding high into Week 14, fresh off a gritty 26-7 demolition of the Pittsburgh Steelers that snapped a mini-skid and boosted their record to 8-4. In a game that saw the Bills flip the script after a sloppy first half — trailing 7-3 at the break — they unleashed a second-half shutout, piling up 249 rushing yards and forcing turnovers that turned Acrisure Stadium into a house of horrors for the struggling Steelers.
Quarterback Josh Allen wrote his name in the record books yet again with his 76th career rushing touchdown, breaking quarterback Cam Newton’s mark, while running back James Cook III bulldozed for 144 yards on 32 carries. Defensively, cornerback Christian Benford’s 17-yard fumble return for a score off quarterback Aaron Rodgers ignited the rout.
With a pivotal AFC clash against the 4-8 Bengals looming — where quarterback Joe Burrow’s aerial assault could exploit any cracks — the Bills’ momentum hinges on key contributors heating up. But not everyone’s firing on all cylinders. As always, we’ve dissected the tape, stats, and advanced metrics to spotlight the heroes surging into Cincinnati and the head-scratchers who need a reset. Let’s break it down.
These three Bills have helped spark Buffalo’s recent surge, blending solid Week 13 performances with season-long growth that could result in filling the stat sheet against Joe Burrow’s Bengals.
Linebacker Shaq Thompson has been a revelation since suiting up for Buffalo, making the most of every opportunity and becoming an indispensable piece in the middle of Buffalo’s defense. In Week 13, Thompson led the team with nine tackles (five solo) and added much-needed physicality to the unit against the run game, earning a stellar 85.2 Pro Football Focus (PFF) overall grade — his highest since arriving. Over the season, Thompson’s amassed 41 total tackles (24 solo), one sack, one forced fumble, and 2.5 tackles for loss. Still, it’s his elite coverage that shines: an 82.9 PFF coverage grade (2nd among 84 qualifiers) and allowing just 2.9 yards per route run in man coverage.
Advanced metrics highlight his impact — Thompson’s 73.7 run-defense grade (30th) paired with a 63.5 pass-rush grade has him at an 83.1 overall PFF mark (6th at LB), a bounce-back year after his Panthers injury struggles. He’s been everything that’s been expected from defensive captain Terrel Bernard, on and off the field, where he’s taken the leadership role and has been fundamental with his leadership qualities and knowledge of the game. Shaq’s presence should be crucial to help the Bills’ defense stop the run game and contain Burrow’s quick-passing game efficiency (68.4% completion rate).
Wide receiver Tyrell Shavers has evolved from a practice-squad hopeful into a versatile contributor for the Bills, stepping up following Mack Hollins’ departure in free agency and taking over his previous role. His standout blocking in the run game has been...
