12. 2000 TENNESSEE TITANS at 5. 2021 BUFFALO BILLS
5. 2021 BUFFALO BILLS
Record: 11-6
Pythag: 13-4
Off: 3rd
Def: 1st
d. Patriots WC 47-17
lost Div Rnd Chiefs 42-36
HC: Sean McDermott, OC Brian Daboll, DC Leslie Frazier
Highmark Stadium: 45 degrees
John Murphy/Eric Wood/Steve Tasker
Offense
QB Josh Allen (25 Wyoming)
RB Devin Singletary (24 FAU)
WR Stefon Diggs (28 Maryland)
WR Emmanuel Sanders (34 SMU)
WR Cole Beasley (32 SMU)
TE Dawson Knox (25 Ole Miss)
T Daryl Williams (29 Oklahoma)
G Ike Boettger (27 Iowa)
C Mitch Morse (29 Missouri)
G Cody Ford (25 Oklahoma)
T Dion Dawkins (27)
Defense
DE Jerry Hughes (33 TCU)
DT Ed Oliver (24 Houston)
DT Harrison Phillips (25 Stanford)
DE Gregory Rousseau (21 Miami)
LB Matt Milano (27 B College)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (23 Va Tech)
CB Levi Wallace (26 Alabama)
CB Taron Johnson (25 Weber)
CB Tre'Davious White (26 LSU)
SS Jordan Poyer (30 Ore St) All Pro
FS Micah Hyde (31 Iowa)
K Tyler Bass (24 Geo So)
P Matt Haack (27 Ariz St)
KR/PR Isaiah McKenzie (26 Georgia)
The 2021 Bills come in to the tournament as a sneaky dark horse (1) they're an ultramodern team that throws the ball and you'd expect that to pose a challenge to more historical defenses and (2) they're not only the third best offense from 2021, they're the top defense - this is a squad that if they had real postseason succcess they'd be a much higher seed, they didn't so they aren't - but no one will be excited about making this trip to Buffalo. 25 year old Josh Allen had a total of 42 scores, 15 picks. He throws to 28 year old Stefon Diggs with over a hundred catches. Emmanuel Sanders, who we just saw advance to the next round with Denver, is now 34 and is the other starting receiver. Defensively 30 year old Jordan Poyer is the team's sole All Pro.
12. 2000 TENNESSEE TITANS
Record: 13-3
Pythag: 13-3
Off: 13th
Def: 2nd
lost Ravens Div Rnd 24-10
HC: Jeff Fisher, OC Mike Heimerdinger DC Gregg Williams
Offense
QB Steve McNair (27 Alcorn St )
RB Eddie George (27 Ohio St) All Pro
WR Derek Mason (26 Michigan St) All Pro
WR Chris Sanders (28 Ohio St)
TE Erron Kinney (23-R Florida)
TE Frank Wycheck (29 Maryland)
LT Brad Hopkins (30 Illinois)
LG Bruce Matthews (39 USC) All Pro
C Kevin Long (25 Florida St)
RG Benji Olson (25 Wash)
RT Fred Miller (27 Baylor)
Defense
LDE Jevon Kearse (24 Florida)
LDT John Thornton (24 W Virginia)
RDT Jason Fisk (28 Stanford)
RDE Kenny Holmes (27 Miami)
LLB Greg Favors (26 Miss St)
MLB Randall Godfrey (27 Georgia)
RLB Eddie Robinson (30 Alabama St)
LCB Denard Walker (27 LSU)
RCB Samari Rolle (24 Florida St) All Pro
SS Blaine Bishop (30 Ball St)
FS Marcus Robertson (31 Iowa St)
K Craig Hentrich (29 N Dame)
P Al Del Greco (38 Auburn)
KR/PR Derek Mason (26 Mich St)
Our first look at the Oilers/Titans in the tournament. This team is led by the #2 defense in 2000; 24 year old Samari Rolle is an All Pro. He had 7 picks. 24 year old Jevon Kearse/27 year old Kenny Holmes combined for 19.5 sacks. On offense Steve McNair is 27, 15 scores/13 picks. Big year for Eddie George, he's 27, nearly 2000 all purpose yards, 16 scores. He's an All Pro, as is 26 year old Derek Mason and 39 year old Bruce Matthews.
The ultra modern Bills, bringing in a high level offense and defense against the strong defense from the Titans. Let's go to Buffalo for the kick.
1st Qtr
Titans start at the 34.
1/10 - Eddie George carries for 11. Gotta think run the ball - ball control - keep it away from Josh Allen - play tough defense - that's the plan today for the Titans.
1/10- George again, 4 yards.
2/6 - George again, 8 yards and another first and the Titans cross midfield.
The next 3 plays gain 4 yards - Titans punt.
Bills at their own 7.
1/10 - Devin Singletary breaks one - 36 yards - Buffalo out of the shadow of the goal.
The next 3 plays net 7 yards. Bills punt.
Titans at their own 16.
1/10 - Steve McNair is sacked - Jerry Hughes in the backfield. A face mask on the next play gives the Titans a first down.
1/10 - George for 1
2/9 - McNair to Frank Wycheck for 10 - first down at the 39.
1/10 - George busts one - Eddie George 39 yards on a pitch to the left - and tack on 15 on a late hit - that's 30 yards of personal fouls on the drive and the Titans have a first down at the 11 yard line.
1/10 -It's a give to Rodney Thomas - Thomas running between Hopkins and Matthews - Thomas into the secondary - Thomas into the End Zone -- TOUCHDOWN TITANS - 84 yards in 2 and a half minutes - Rodney Thomas 11 yard run capping it off and the Tennessee Titans take the first quarter lead here in Buffalo.
Bills at the 32. 3 and out.
Titans at the 16.
1/10 - George for 6.
2/4 - McNair to Wycheck for 11 - first down Titans at the 33.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - McNair tries a planned run and is stopped at the line
3/10 - McNair to Derek Mason 17 big yards - the Titans are at midfield.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - McNair dump off to George gets 2 as the qtr ends
2nd Qtr
Nothing doing for that quick strike ultramodern Bills offense in the first, Titans had a long TD drive. 3rd and 8 Tennessee at the Bills 48.
3/8 - McNair's sacked by Tremaine Edmunds and its a punt.
Bills at the 16. Another 3 and out. Buffalo has 1 first down.
Titans at their own 49, great field position.
1/10 - George for 5.
2/5 - George has some room to run - George into the secondary -- George is Stripped by Jordan Poyer! Fumble - Buffalo recovers at their own 29 yard line! The Titans are up 7, Buffalo's had zero offense so far today - but there's a big forced fumble by Jordan Poyer and the Bills take possession at their own 29.
And again...go 3 and out. Wow. The Titans defense really giving it to the Bills so far.
Titans at the 34.
1/10 - George gets a yard -- but tack on 15 more on another facemask - that's 3 personal fouls on the Bills to the incredible anger of this crowd.
1/10 - George for 1
2/9 - George to Wycheck - 14 yards - Titans at the Bills 35 yard line.
1/10 - George for 1
2/9 - Loreno Neal is stuffed.
3/9 - McNair over the middle - for Derek Mason --- Intercepted by Micah Hyde! Hyde picks off McNair, Bills ball at their own 35 yard line.
Bills offense is a zero so far - but the defense forces two turnovers, keeping them in the game, Bills take over at the 35, 6:57 left in the half - is this when the offense gets on track?
3 and out. Buffalo has 1 first down. Wow.
Titans at their own 22. McNair gets sacked - third time today - Hyde on the blitz - Hyde picked McNair in the last drive and sacks him for a big loss here.
Bills at the Titans 48, excellent field position, 3:05.
1/10 - Josh Allen finds Stefon Diggs - 16 yards.
1/10 - Zack Moss for 2.
2/8 - Allen to Diggs - 15 yards to the Titan 15.
1/10 - Allen to Cole Beasley for 8.
2/2 - Allen is sacked by Jevon Kearse.
3/6 - Incomplete.
Short FG is good, little over a minute left, 7-3.
Titans at their own 30. Three and out.
Bills have 30 seconds left at the 28.
1/10 - Allen to Singletary, just a couple yards, out of bounds.
2/8 - Allen goes up top -- Emmanuel Sanders -- 36 yards - huge gain - Bills stop the clock with 16 seconds left, it's their last timeout. Bills at the Titans 34.
1/10 - Allen finds Beasley - he's able to get out of bounds after an 8 yard gain - and as the half ends - Tyler Bass connects on the 43 yard FG and we go to the locker room at 7-6 Titans
Third Qtr
The Titans scored early, but two turnovers and 3 sacks keep the Bills in the game, they get 2 late FGs and trail by only 1.
Bills open at the 36.
1/10 - Moss stacked up
2/10 - Singletary gets 4
3/6 - Allen to Diggs for 23 - Bills at the Tennessee 37.
1/10 - Matt Breida's first carry. 2
2/8 - Allen to Beasley for 11 - another first down to the 24, a holding call on the next play makes it 1st and 20
1/20 - Allen to Singletary - but he's buried in the backfield
2/22 - Moss draw play loses 1. 3rd and forever.
3/23 - Allen finds Gabriel Davis - big shot, 28 yards and it's first and goal
1/goal - The Freak with his second sack. Titans back at the 15.
2/goal - Give to Singletary - he bursts up the middle - breaking tackles - Singletary is into the End Zone -- TOUCHDOWN BILLS - Buffalo goes 64 yards to open the second half, they've got their first lead of the day 13-7.
Titans ball. 33.
1/10 - George stopped at the line.
2/10 - George stopped at the line
3/10 - McNair in trouble - McNair trying to keep the play alive - McNair breaks contain and heads upfield - McNair for 16 and the first down.
1/10- George for 5 and the Titans cross midfield.
2/5 - Neal stacked up.
3/5 - McNair going deep - McNair looking for the home run -- Frank Wycheck - breaks a tackle - Wycheck's gonna go! TOUCHDOWN TITANS - 46 Yard strike from McNair - the Tennessee Titans come right down the field and regain the lead 14-13.
Bills ball. 35.
1/10 - Moss gets 1
2/9 - Breida gets a dozen and the Bills near midfield.
1/10 - Singletary gets 2
2/8 - Samari Rolle with the corner blitz and he just blasts Allen -- third and a bunch
3/16 - Allen going over the top -- Stefon Diggs - he beats his man - Diggs down the sideline - Allen nails him - Diggs is out of bounds all the way at the 5 yard line. A 53 yard bomb from Allen to Diggs and it's first and goal at the 5 yard line.
1/goal - Option...Allen gets just 1
2/goal - Option...incomplete -- that ends the quarter, hooo boy, the 5th seeded Bills trailing by a point have 3rd and goal at the 4 as we hit the 4th
4th Qtr
Big play - Allen and the Bills down 14-13 with 3rd and goal at the 4.
3/goal - it's the 4th Titans sack of the day - Kenny Holmes bringing Allen down - the Bills kick the FG and take the lead at 16-14.
Titans at the 27.
1/10 - George for 7
2/3 - Thomas gets 2. Big third down.
3/1 - George busts one -- Eddie George goes for 32 yards all the way to the Buffalo 32 - big game on the ground for Eddie George and the Titans are at the Buffalo 32 with 12 minutes left.
1/10 - Thomas for 7
2/3 - Incomplete. Another big 3rd down for McNair.
3/3 - Give to George - he gets close to the sticks...but he is short. Decision for Jeff Fisher...he decides to kick -- Del Greco hits it and with 10:25 left in the game, the 12th seeded Titans regain the lead 17-16.
Bills turn. Bills at the 20.
3 and out. Big stop by the Titans defense and they get it back at their own 42. Good field position.
3 and out. Big stop by the Bills. They get it back at their own 12. Just 6:38 left. This might be it - Buffalo down one, can they drive down for the FG?
Allen gets a first down on 2 6 yard passes to Beasley - but Kenny Holmes second sack of the day ends the drive, it's 4th and 22. Titans get the ball back with 3:25 left, up a point. They are at the Bill 42 yard line, up a point. Bills need a real quick stop here or this might be the end.
1/10 - Eddie George takes a pitch 35 yards to the Bill 7 -- Buffalo with no answer at all for Eddie George today and this kight be the dagger.
The next 3 plays lose 11 yards, Mario Addison getting a sack - Buffalo uses all of its timeouts, Del Greco hits the 35 yard FG and the Bills have 90 seconds to go, down 20-16.
Bills start at their own 37.
Well, here we are. Josh Allen has the football and 63 yards to go. Just 90 seconds and no timeouts. Touchdown and the Bills advance, anything else and they go home.
1/10 - Allen to Moss out of the backfield, 6 yards and out of bounds.
2/4 - It's a draw play to Breida -- and Breida has open field - Breida has open field - Breida runs for 32 yards and gets out of bounds with a minute to go. Bills at the Titans 25 yard line! Huge play call - the draw to Breida fools the Titans and the Bills are at the 24.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Incomplete
And this is it. 4th and 10 at the 24 yard line. Josh Allen has one more shot.
4/10 - Allen dropping back - Allen looking for Diggs --- Allen throwing to the endzone for Diggs.....
....broken up.
And that is that -- McNair in victory formation -- and that is that -- the Tennessee Titans have come into Buffalo and knocked out the Region 5 5th seeded Bills.
Final: Titans 20 Bills 16
So much for that whole dark horse thing - Buffalo doesn't escape the 12/5 round one matchup.
McNair: 6 for 13, 100 yds, 1 TD/1 INT
Allen: 14 for 19, 204 yds
George: 23 carries, 182 yds
Singletary: 14 carries, 79 yds, 1 TD
Wycheck: 4 catches, 81 yds 1 TD
Diggs: 5 catches, 104 yds
Kearse/Holmes: 2 sacks
Hyde: sack, INT
Player of the Game: Eddie George
