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Bills at Steelers: The good and bad from Week 13 win 

Daniel Adams
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Justin K. Aller, Getty Images

The Buffalo Bills went into Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in Week 13 and came out victorious, winning 26-7.

The Bills offense was led by their backfield, as James Cook, Ray Davis, and Ty Johnson got the ball moving for Buffalo. On the defensive side of the ball, the Bills forced two turnovers and held the Steelers to one touchdown. 

With the win, the Bills moved to 8-4 on the season. They sit second in the AFC East behind New England, and seventh in the AFC.

The good  

Run game  

The Bills finished with 249 total rushing yards. Cook continues to cook, as he led the Bills in rushing yards with 144 on 32 carries. Following Cook was Davis who had nine carries for over 60 yards. Josh Allen was also implemented into the Bills run game. He had eight carries for 38 yards and a touchdown, which is the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in league history. 

Forced turnovers  

The Bills defense was fast and physical, forcing two turnovers and returning one for a touchdown. Buffalo came out of the second half losing 7-3, but Joey Bosa made a play, forcing Aaron Rodgers to fumble which was recovered by Christian Benford for a touchdown. 

Following that great defensive play, the defense came right back with an interception on Mason Rudolph, Benford again being the beneficiary.

The Bills’ ability to force turnovers is huge for their success moving forward. Buffalo has been looking for that identity on the defensive side of the ball, and this game was a good statement. 

Second-half defense  

Buffalo’s second-half defensive shutout was a key to victory. The Bills held Pittsburgh to only 58 yards on the ground, which is the least amount they’ve allowed on the ground all year. The Bills only allowed 166 total yards and held the Steelers scoreless in the second half.  

The bad  

First-half offense  

Buffalo’s offense struggled to move the ball in the first half. Josh Allen started out the first drive with an interception on a pass intended for Gabe Davis.  

The Bills punted on their next two drives and Cook fumbled on their fourth drive.

The Bills lose football games when they turn the ball over, simply put. The help from Buffalo’s defense to force two turnovers on the other end truly kept the Bills in this game along with the ability in the run game.  

Penalties  

Week 13 has come and gone, yet the penalties for the Bills are still here. Buffalo finished with seven penalties totaling 45 penalty yards. The false starts and other sloppy flags need to be cleaned up moving forward, regardless of if Buffalo had their starting offensive lineman or not.  

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