What you need to know about the Steelers’ Wild-Card opponent, the Buffalo Bills

The No. 7-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers will visit Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., for a 1 p.m. kickoff Sunday, facing the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild-Card round.

The Bills beat the Miami Dolphins, 21-14, on Sunday night to clinch their fourth straight AFC East title and earn the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Here’s what you need to know about the Buffalo Bills:

How they got here

Buffalo entered its Week 13 bye week with a record of 6-6 and playoff hopes dwindling. Five straight wins over Kansas City, Dallas, the Los Angeles Chargers, New England and Miami to finish the regular season changed that storyline in a hurry and turned the Bills into one of the favorites in the AFC.

The Bills finished 11-6, including 7-1 at Highmark Stadium. In fact, Buffalo is 19-2 in December and January games since 2020.

“We were 6-6. We knew what was in front of us, had a lot of internal talks, trusted the guys in this locker room,” quarterback Josh Allen said Sunday to BuffaloBills.com.

Josh Allen on when they knew they could still win the AFC East: “6-6” notes that’s when some conversations were had, but that winning the division doesn’t matter if they lose next week. pic.twitter.com/a4L4QYy4jP

— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) January 8, 2024

Players to watch

Josh Allen

The sixth-year quarterback surpassed 4,000 passing yards for the fourth time in his career and compiled 44 total touchdowns. The No. 7 pick out of Wyoming in the 2018 draft, Allen (6-foot-5, 237 pounds) has thrown for 4,306 yards (fourth in NFL) and 29 touchdowns but also 18 interceptions (second most in NFL). He also has rushed for 524 yards and 15 TDs.

AP

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs the football during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Stefon Diggs

One of the league’s most dynamic wide receivers, Diggs has 107 catches this season for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns, tied for eighth among pass-catchers. For his career, he is closing in on 10,000 receiving yards and has 67 touchdowns.

AP

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) rushes during an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY.

Terrel Bernard

Linebacker Terrel Bernard was a tackling machine this season for a defense that allows just 307.2 yards and 18.3 points per game. The second-year player out of Baylor had 143 tackles, including 84 solo, and 6.5 sacks, as well as three interceptions.

AP

Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (43) reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023.

Stats that matter

• Tight end Dalton Kincaid (6-4, 240), the team’s first-round draft pick out of Utah in 2023, had 73 catches for 673 yards in the regular season and could be an X-factor against the Steelers’ inside linebackers.

AP

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) looks for room to run after a catch during an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY.

• Deonte Harty returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown against the Dolphins on Sunday and will be a player to watch on special teams.

DEONTE HARTY 95 YARDS TO THE HOUSE

????: #BUFvsMIA on NBC
????: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/GqJJdyI3EW pic.twitter.com/3U8IefaOiN

— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2024

• In addition to the prolific passing attack provided by Allen and Diggs, Pro Bowl running back James Cook accumulated 1,122 rushing yards and two scores this season to give balance to a talented offensive unit.

AP

Miami Dolphins safety Brandon Jones (29) tackles Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Local connection

Two members of the Buffalo secondary played their high school and college football in Western Pa.

Fourth-year defensive back Dane Jackson played for Quaker Valley and then Pitt. The backup DB stepped into a key role in Sunday’s win with three tackles and a pass defended and has made 30 tackles this season.

Rasul Douglas said he thought he could have tried to continue playing.
But Dane Jackson convinced him it wasn't necessary.

"He looked me in my eye and said 'Rasul, if you're not 100, I promise you I got you."#Bills pic.twitter.com/WJOJt1tJF0

— Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) January 8, 2024

Damar Hamlin, a third-year backup safety, played at Central Catholic and Pitt. The McKees Rocks native has made a full recovery after suffering cardiac arrest and being resuscitated on the field during a game Jan. 2, 2023, at Cincinnati.

Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Damar Hamlin with teammate Dane Jackson during Damar Hamlin’s youth football camp Friday, July 7, 2023 at Cupples Stadium.

Coaching connection

The Steelers’ Mike Tomlin and Bills’ Sean McDermott were teammates in college at William & Mary under head coach Jimmye Laycock.

Tomlin, a wide receiver, began his coaching career at VMI (wide receivers) before stops at Memphis (grad assistant), Arkansas State (wide receivers/defensive backs), Cincinnati (defensive backs), Tampa Bay (defensive backs) and Minnesota (defensive coordinator). He became the Steelers head coach in 2007, has built a career record of 173-100 and has produced a non-losing season in each of his 17 years.

McDermott was a walk-on before earning a scholarship to play defensive back. He was a grad assistant for a year at W&M and was then part of the Eagles’ staff for 12 years before serving as the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator for six seasons. He was named Bills’ head coach in 2017 and is 114-73 with six playoff appearances in seven seasons in Buffalo.

McDermott holds a 3-1 edge over Tomlin in head-to-head meetings.

AP

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott, left, and Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin meet following an NFL preseason football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023.

Playoff history

After winning at least 10 games for the fifth consecutive season, the Bills secured a fifth straight trip to the postseason.

They are 18-20 in their playoff history and famously lost in the Super Bowl four straight seasons from 1990-93.

The Bills have a 6-5 record in the wild-card round.

AP

Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly (12) sits on the field after fumbling the ball in the first quarter and giving up a touchdown to Dallas Cowboys defender Jimmie Jones during NFL football’s Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 31, 1993.

History vs. Steelers

The Steelers lead all-time meetings with the Bills, 17-12.

In their most recent game, Buffalo beat the Steelers, 38-3, on Oct. 9, 2022, at Highmark Stadium. Allen threw for 424 yards and four touchdowns, and Diggs had eight catches for 102 yards and a score. Gabriel Davis caught three passes for 171 yards and two TDs. Kenny Pickett threw for 327 yards and an interception for the Steelers.

The teams have met three times in the playoffs.

• Jan. 6, 1996: Pittsburgh 40, Buffalo 21

Running back Bam Morris led the Steelers with 106 yards and two scores, and Neil O’Donnell threw for 262 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Norm Johnson booted four field goals.

Bills QB Jim Kelly was held to 14 of 29 passing for 135 yards and a TD with three interceptions.

AP

Bills quarterback Jim Kelly is sacked by Steelers Greg Lloyd (95) and Joel Steed (93) during third quarter action of the game in Pittsburgh on Jan. 6, 1996.

• Jan. 9, 1993: Buffalo 24, Pittsburgh 3

Bills QB Frank Reich threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns, and Kenneth Davis ran for 104 yards to lead the victory.

Gary Anderson’s 38-yard field was the Steelers’ lone points.

AP

Buffalo Bills quarterback Frank Reich looks to pass during AFC playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-3, Jan. 9, 1993 in Pittsburgh.

• Dec. 22, 1974: Pittsburgh 32, Buffalo 14

The Steelers’ Franco Harris scored on three short TD runs, and Rocky Bleier caught a 27-yard TD pass from Terry Bradshaw. O.J. Simpson scored on a 3-yard pass for the Bills.

AP

Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw looks for his target as he gets off a pass before the Buffalo Bills defense can move in to stop him during first quarter, Sunday, Dec. 22, 1974, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Tailgating antics

Bills Mafia has earned a reputation for its passionate fan base. The group’s pregame tailgating is nothing short of legendary on social media, with weekly videos of fans jumping through tables.

#BILLS MAFIA ENDED THE SEASON WITH A BANG.

TRYING TO SEE HOW MANY FANS CAN GET BURNT BY FIRE AND BREAK BONES.

????????????

(@BigCoin260)
pic.twitter.com/fqtdvr3WdS

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 1, 2024

Early Monday morning, hundreds of fans welcomed the team back from Miami at Buffalo Airport.

Best fans in the whole entire world. #GoBills | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/bOP7k6J0nV

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 8, 2024

If you’re going

Prepare for snow if you are heading to Western New York this weekend for the wild-card game.

The early forecast calls for a high of 36 degrees with a 70% chance of lake effect snow and strong wind.

Taking precautions is always a good idea. Don't wait till the storm is here, and we have a few ideas of what you can do ahead of the storm. #NYwx #prepareness pic.twitter.com/NTOFqmKdZ6

— NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) January 8, 2024

Winner gets

If the Steelers win Sunday, they will play the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional round.

If the Bills win, they would play the second-lowest seed remaining, as Baltimore, which has a bye, would play the lowest seed. The other matchups this weekend include No. 5 Cleveland at No. 4 Houston at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and No. 6 Miami at No. 3 Kansas City at 8:15 p.m. Saturday.