'We took our lumps': How the Bills' tough stretch prepared them for this moment

Allen arguably carried an even heavier load of the Bills’ offense in 2021 and produced one of the best quarterbacking seasons in Bills history.

In every win and loss, there was good and bad and a lesson to be learned.

The News created a Fan Meter to measure moments ranked on this scale: 1 (panic or gloom), 2 (worry or doubt), 3 (uncomfortable optimism) or 4 (excitement and joy).

CBS play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle and analyst Charles Davis, who called Bills-Pats II, Buffalo’s 33-21 road victory on Dec. 26, are back for the rubber match.

“The snow-covered gridiron reduced the effectiveness of the power running of (Cookie) Gilchrist,” The New York Times said in its report, “but did not seem to hamper Ron Burton or Larry Garron,” the Patriots’ running backs.

“I feel like that Tampa Bay game kind of got us back to where we needed to go, as far as having confidence, playing free, and playing like we know what we can play,” wide receiver Stefon Diggs said in late December.

“They beat us at home, we beat them at [their] home. It's a playoff game, Buffalo, New York, on Saturday night,” Bills safety Jordan Poyer said. “I mean, it's just really everything you asked for in a football game, football season, this type of game right here.”