Josh Allen and the Buffalo Payments got here into the season with hovering expectations and their sights set on a deep playoff run.
They earned one huge prize by clinching their third straight division title. It is simply the subsequent step in what they hope is a path towards their final objective.
Devin Singletary and James Cook dinner ran for lengthy touchdowns within the third quarter, and the Payments locked up the AFC East title by beating the Bears 35-13 on Saturday in one of many coldest video games performed in Chicago.
Allen ran for a TD and threw for an additional within the sport’s closing minutes after breaking a tie early within the sport with Corridor of Famer Dan Marino for essentially the most touchdowns in a participant’s first 5 NFL seasons. His three TDs within the sport highlighted an in any other case subpar outing, however the Payments (12-3) secured their third straight division title with their sixth win in a row.
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Devin Singletary #26 of the Buffalo Payments runs for a landing through the third quarter within the sport in opposition to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Discipline on Dec. 24, 2022 in Chicago, Unwell.
(Quinn Harris/Getty Photographs)
“It is the subsequent development in our objective — playoffs, division title, and we all know what the subsequent one is,” Allen mentioned.
Buffalo remained on monitor for the No. 1 seed within the AFC. The Payments and West chief Kansas Metropolis, who beat Seattle, have equivalent data, however Buffalo owns the head-to-head tiebreaker after defeating the Chiefs in October.
“The usual has at all times been playoff caliber, after you set a playoff berth, then it’s championship caliber,” defensive deal with Ed Oliver mentioned. “And championship caliber is profitable your division, profitable our aspect then clearly enjoying in that sport (Tremendous Bowl) and profitable that sport. I simply really feel like there are greater issues on the market.”
Chicago’s Justin Fields threw for 119 yards and a landing. He was held to a season-low 11 yards because the Payments contained him and stored him within the pocket after becoming a member of Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson as the one QBs with 1,000 yards speeding final week.
“The fact of it’s I’m not going to be working for like 100 yards a sport,” Fields mentioned. “When a protection does a superb job of taking my legs away, take a defender with me, possibly take two with me and permit (the working backs’) legs to work.”
Devin Singletary #26 of the Buffalo Payments celebrates after a landing through the third quarter within the sport in opposition to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Discipline on Dec. 24, 2022 in Chicago, Unwell.
(Quinn Harris/Getty Photographs)
SEAHAWKS HELD TO THREE POINTS IN FIRST HALF AFTER WARMING UP SHIRTLESS IN SUB-ZERO WIND CHILL
BUNDLE UP
The temperature at kickoff was 9 levels with a wind chill of 12 under zero — solely three levels hotter than the report low for a Bears residence sport. It was Buffalo’s coldest street sport by temperature since at the very least 1967.
A small gathering of bundled-up followers watched because the Bears (3-12) matched a franchise report with their eighth straight loss.
RUNNING AWAY
Singletary ran for 106 yards and have become the primary Payments participant this season to hit triple-digits in a sport. He scored on a 33-yard run on the opening drive of the second half to place Buffalo on high, a 2-point conversion go from Allen to Khalil Shakir making it 14-10.
Cook dinner added a career-high 99 yards, together with a 27-yarder within the third following a fumble by the Bears’ David Montgomery gave the Payments a 21-10 lead.
Chicago’s Cairo Santos kicked a discipline objective early within the fourth quarter that Nicholas Morrow arrange by selecting off an ill-advised go. Allen scored from the 4 with just below 4 minutes remaining and threw a 13-yard TD to Dawson Knox with a couple of minute to play.
Allen broke the tie with Marino when he hit Gabe Davis with a 19-yarder within the first quarter. He now has 174 touchdowns — 135 passing, 38 speeding and one receiving.
James Cook dinner #28 of the Buffalo Payments rushes for a landing in opposition to the Chicago Bears through the third quarter of the sport at Soldier Discipline on Dec. 24, 2022 in Chicago, Unwell.
(Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs)
VIKINGS’ GREG JOSEPH DRILLS WALK-OFF 61-YARD FIELD GOAL TO BEAT GIANTS
Allen completed with 172 yards, two TD passes and two interceptions regardless that he was dealing with a short-handed secondary. Together with the interception by Morrow, he bought picked off by Kyler Gordon close to the objective line within the second quarter.
“It isn’t a lot the chilly because it was the wind,” Allen mentioned. “It simply gusts. You do not know actually the place it is coming from. Generally the flags are blowing a technique. The subsequent, they’re blowing the other manner.”
Stefon Diggs caught simply two passes for 26 yards. He wasn’t focused within the first two quarters regardless that the Bears positioned high cornerback Jaylon Johnson (ring finger) on injured reserve Friday.
Even with out huge contributions from their star quarterback and receiver, the Payments racked up 426 yards. They ran for 254 and averaged 8.2 per carry.
Dante Pettis had a landing catch for Chicago. The Bears joined the 1978 and 2002 squads as the one ones in franchise historical past to drop eight in a row.
CHRISTMAS IN CHICAGO
The Payments had been spending Christmas Eve in Chicago due to the snow in Buffalo. They had been scheduled to fly to Rochester, N.Y., on Sunday morning.
Devin Singletary #26 of the Buffalo Payments celebrates a landing through the third quarter within the sport in opposition to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Discipline on Dec. 24, 2022 in Chicago, Unwell.
(Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs)
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INJURIES
Payments: RG Ryan Bates (knee) was harm whereas blocking for Allen on a scramble late within the second quarter. He returned within the third.
Bears: Fields’ non-throwing shoulder — the identical one he separated late final month — bothered him through the sport. He was additionally hobbling on the finish after somebody stepped on his foot, although he mentioned he must be “good to go.” OL Michael Schofield III (thumb) was injured on the opening drive, however returned within the second quarter.
UP NEXT
Payments: Go to Cincinnati on Jan. 2.
Bears: Go to Detroit on Jan. 1.
