NFL Super Wildcard Saturday: Las Vegas Raiders v Cincinnati Bengals & New England Patriots v Buffalo Bills

Summary

Super Wildcard Weekend begins with two AFC games
Buffalo Bills hammer New England Patriots 47-17 in freezing conditions
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen throws for 308 yards and five touchdowns, and has 66 yards rushing
Bills score seven TDs on their first seven possessions
Las Vegas Raiders 19-26 Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals claim first play-off win since 1991
Super Bowl 56 is on 13 February

Live Reporting

Paul Higham and Ben Collins

That's your lotpublished at 04:39 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
If you're not in bed already, you should be! That's the end of a super Saturday of NFL play-off action, after a thriller in Cincinnati and a remarkable beatdown in Buffalo.
Check out the website for reports and highlights from the games, and make sure you join us tomorrow for THREE more NFL play-off games.
It's win or go home, and there will be thrills, spills and tension galore, so rest well, and come back refreshed for tomorrow we go again on the gridiron!
Image source, Getty Images
Sunday's schedulepublished at 04:35 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
We've got three cracking games coming up for you on Sunday, starting with the defending champs and Tom Brady taking on the Eagles.
We've got a showdown for the ages between the 49ers and Cowboys that anyone who watched the sport in the 1990s will be dying to see.
And we finish up by seeing Patrick Mahomes in action in what could well be Ben Rothlisberger's last game in the NFL.
Make sure you join us on Sunday for live text commentary from all three of these.
Sunday
- Philadelphia Eagles v Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday (18:00)
- San Francisco 49ers v Dallas Cowboys Sunday (21:30)
- Pittsburgh Steelers v Kansas City Chiefs (Monday 01:15)
What a start to the play-offspublished at 04:31 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
Image source, Getty Images
So that's the first night of Super Wildcard Weekend in the books, and what a Saturday night of action.
It was tense as the Cincinnati Bengals ended 31 years of hurt with a 26-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, as we kicked off the weekend in style.
We then witnessed something very special indeed from Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills as they dismantled the New England Patriots 47-17 in what we all thought would be a close game.
Read all about both games.
The AFC play-off picturepublished at 04:23 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
Image source, Getty Images
Just one more game to go on the AFC side of things, and that comes in tomorrow's late game.
Sunday
- (7) Pittsburgh Steelers @ (2) Kansas City Chiefs (Monday 01:15)
And what it means is this...
If the Chiefs win, as expected, then they’ll host the Buffalo Bills and the Bengals will go to Tennessee, but if Pittsburgh pull off the upset they’ll face the Titans and Cincinnati will travel to Buffalo.
Permutations
Chiefs win: Bills @ Chiefs | Bengals @ Titans
Steelers win: Steelers @ Titans | Bengals @ Bills
A new empire?published at 04:19 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 17-47 Buffalo Bills
For years, the New England Patriots were regarded as the evil empire by rival fans as they dominated the NFL with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
For years, the Buffalo Bills suffered at the hands losing game after game in their division so that will make this victory even sweater.
And with the way they dominated, and the historic performance from Josh Allen, could the Bills be about to start a new empire themselves? Their fans think so...
Image source, Getty Images
FT - Brutal Bills move onpublished at 04:15 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 17-47 Buffalo Bills
Well, well, well! The weather was freezing cold but Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills were red hot as they put a massive beatdown on the New England Patriots.
Allen had 308 yards passing and five touchdowns, while adding another 66 yards rushing.
He had more TD passes than incomplete passes as Buffalo scored seven TDs on their first seven possessions - only failing to score when kneeling down at the end of the game.
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Touchdown - Patriotspublished at 04:08 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 17-47 Buffalo Bills
Kendrick Bourne doubles his touchdown bonus for the game by catching his second score in the back of the end zone.
It's a nice throw from Mac Jones as well actually but this is all just garbage time action with the game well and truly won.
Two-minute warningpublished at 04:04 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-47 Buffalo Bills
The Pats are closing in on a second touchdown as this game winds down - either way I'm not sure we'll see Josh Allen again as he's done the job quite brilliantly tonight.
We're still trying to work out how the Bills have produced such a flawless display against the Patriots of all teams.
An omen?published at 04:01 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-47 Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen following Drew Brees...
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Touchdown - Bills big man score!published at 03:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-47 Buffalo Bills
Of course the Bills fake the run and throw the ball to rookie offensive lineman Tommy Doyle for the big man touchdown.
Buffalo are really enjoying themselves here - they've been beaten up by the Pats for years so this will feel brilliant to be crushing their old rivals here.
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Great play!published at 03:46 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-40 Buffalo Bills
Micah Hyde had the play of the game with that early interception, and now he's added another as he picks up the bouncing punt and runs it back 52 yards!
He's almost taken it to the house but he's tipped up by his own man as he sprinted down the sideline.
Jones down againpublished at 03:45 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-40 Buffalo Bills
A third sack on Mac Jones just to add to his woes today as the Pats will have to kick it away, with 10 minutes left the Bills will want to get the 50 burger here.
Touchdown - Billspublished at 03:38 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-40 Buffalo Bills
This is beyond belief, six possessions and six touchdowns is obviously the best we've ever seen in the NFL play-offs as Gabriel Davis gets in on the act now.
It's a 19-yard TD grab for the record and takes Josh Allen to 268 yards and four TD passes.
It may be time for Buffalo to sit the starters now and give their back-ups a run out!
Image source, Getty Images
What's Bill thinking?published at 03:36 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-33 Buffalo Bills
The Patriots are creating all kinds of history here, and for all the wrong reasons. What's Bill Belichick thinking?
Image source, Getty Images
End of the thirdpublished at 03:32 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-33 Buffalo Bills
Here they come again...
Josh Allen's pulled out the side arm throw, he's done a QB sneak and then a swing pass to Isaiah McKenzie to use his speed on the outside.
Let's not forget here that Allen's been ripping it up against the number two ranked defence in the league, who have already faced him twice so should know what they're doing.
Touchdown - Patriotspublished at 03:22 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 10-33 Buffalo Bills
Jakobi Myers drops a pass in the end zone, but Kendrick Bourne makes no mistake with a lovely rainbow from Mac Jones dropped nicely over the defender for his receiver in the left corner.
Not exactly a comeback but that's a good drive for Mac Jones' confidence if nothing else.
Great play!published at 03:15 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 3-33 Buffalo Bills
That's a bit more like it from New England, as Mac Jones throws a dime to Kendrick Bourne, who then rumbles for a good 15 yards after the catch for a 43-yard gain to fire them deep into Buffalo territory.
One thing you do know here is that Belichick's side won't stop fighting even when they're hugely outgunned in this one.
Touchdown - Billspublished at 03:08 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 3-33 Buffalo Bills
Start the car! That's now five possessions and five touchdowns for the Buffalo Bills as Josh Allen fires a 34-yard touchdown strike to Emmanuel Sanders.
Sanders just waltzed by his defender who was ball watching and this is turning into a monumental beatdown.
I don't think we've ever seen a Bill Belichick side given a mauling like this - especially in the play-offs.
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Bills start with a pick!published at 03:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 3-27 Buffalo Bills
Oh dear, the Patriots run just four plays before they suffer yet again with Mac Jones being intercepted for the second time.
Matt Milano got his hands on the pass heading towards Hunter Henry, and it's Levi Wallace who manages to grab the pick.
That could be that really, if Josh Allen does what he's been doing all game.
Could this be an omen?published at 02:57 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2022
New England Patriots 3-27 Buffalo Bills
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And let's not forget about Super Bowl 51, when New England came back from 28–3 down to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime. That was a very different Patriots team however.