(AP) Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes and scored on a franchise-record 52-yard playoff run, and the Buffalo Bills beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-17 on Monday in an AFC wild-card playoff game that was postponed a day because of lake effect blizzard.
The stands at Highmark Stadium erupted with snow being thrown into the air like confetti when Allen threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Khalil Shaqir with 6:27 remaining that restored Buffalo’s two-touchdown lead. Shakir caught the pass at the 10 over the middle and then eluded Minkah Fitzpatrick’s tackle attempt by spinning before outrunning the rest of the Steelers’ defenders in the end zone.
The second-seeded Bills (12-6), who closed the regular season with five straight wins, advance to host Patrick Mahomes and the No. 3 seed Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round on Sunday night.
“We have a resilient group. The veteran leadership that we have, I really think is unmatched in the league,” Allen said of a team that went 6-6 in overtime at Philadelphia on Nov. 26.
The Bills longed for a home playoff game against the Chiefs after their 2020 and ’21 seasons ended with playoff losses in Kansas City.
“It’s going to take a team effort,” Allen said. “We know the type of team they are, obviously the type of quarterback they have in Pat there. … We just thank God we have another chance to play another game.”
Allen finished 21 of 30 for 203 yards and ran for 74 yards on eight carries, becoming the first quarterback in NFL playoff history to throw three or more TD passes while rushing for 70 or more yards and a score. He didn’t have a turnover for just the fourth time this season.
Mason Rudolph threw two touchdown passes with an interception in his first playoff start for the Steelers (10-8), but Pittsburgh was too inconsistent on both sides of the ball to handle Allen and the Bills. The Steelers lost their fifth straight playoff game; the franchise’s last postseason win was exactly seven years ago.
Rudolph, a longtime backup, filled in for an injured Kenny Pickett and an ineffective Mitch Trubisky to lead the Steelers to three straight wins to close the regular season and get a start in the playoffs even after Pickett recovered from an ankle injury.
“I appreciate the effort. But it is not mystical. We didn’t do what we needed to do to win tonight,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said, noting that two Steelers turnovers led to a 14-point Bills’ scoring. “I can’t go into an environment like this with a playoff-caliber team and turn the ball over like that and expect to be competitive.”
Asked about his future in Pittsburgh after completing his 17th season — all with a record of .500 or better — Tomlin smiled and walked away.
Buffalo had to wait an extra day to host the Steelers after a dangerous storm dumped more than 2 feet of snow on the region, prompting the NFL to push the game back from its scheduled start on Sunday afternoon.
The elements didn’t play much of a role. Although the temperatures were in the teens, the skies were clear and there was only a light breeze blowing off Lake Erie.
The Steelers came out even, allowing Buffalo to score touchdowns on three of its first five possessions and build a 21-0 lead after Allen’s electrifying touchdown run midway through the second quarter.
Rudolph went 22 of 39 for 229 yards with an interception.
Allen’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox capped an 80-yard opening drive for the Bills.
After Buffalo linebacker Terrell Bernard recovered a fumble by receiver George Pickens at the Pittsburgh 29, Allen threw a TD pass to Dalton Kincaid on the next play.
Allen’s touchdown came after cornerback Kyir Elam intercepted Rudolph’s pass intended for Dionte Johnson in the end zone.
The Steelers finally capitalized on one of the Bills’ few mistakes of the half when coach Sean McDermott elected to attempt a 49-yard field goal into the wind with just over two minutes left.
Montravius Adams blocks a low shot by Tyler Bass. The ball bounced about 20 yards into Bills territory and was recovered by Nick Herbig at the Buffalo 33. The Steelers scored five plays later on Rudolph’s 10-yard pass to Johnson.
Pittsburgh eventually cut the lead to 24-17 on Rudolph’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin with 10:32 left.
INJURIES
The Bills’ already depleted defense held on despite losing several regulars to injuries. Buffalo allowed 324 yards and limited the Steelers to 5 of 11 third down opportunities.
Bernard was ruled out after spraining his right ankle, and starting nickelback Taron Johnson did not return after being evaluated for a concussion. The Bills started the game without cornerback Rasul Douglas (knee) and linebacker Tyrell Dodson (shoulder).
