Buffalo Bills: How they miss out on the playoffs in 2020

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: A detail view of the "My Cause My Cleats" goal post cover before an NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens at New Era Field on December 08, 2019 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: A detail view of the "My Cause My Cleats" goal post cover before an NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens at New Era Field on December 08, 2019 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 04: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills runs the ball against Jahleel Addae #37 of the Houston Texans during the first quarter of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at NRG Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 04: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills runs the ball against Jahleel Addae #37 of the Houston Texans during the first quarter of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at NRG Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

New England Patriots don’t regress

One could easily see a scenario in which the New England Patriots continue dominating the AFC East. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has always developed a game plan each week that successfully attacks the weaknesses of a defense. Whoever the new quarterback is he won’t be asked to carry the entire load.

Rather, they’ll ensure they are just one eleventh of the plan. Throughout their current dynasty they have been able to win without a plethora of star players, instead role players playing like stars. Add in the fact that everybody in New England is hearing the  noise that the division is Buffalo’s to lose and that will only motivate the team each week to continue playing up to their usual high standards.

Josh Allen in big games

The Buffalo Bills 2020 schedule is littered with big games throughout. The league awarded the Bills with four primetime games this fall. There is even the possibility of five with the Denver Broncos game possibly being played on a Saturday in its own time slot. We have seen in the past Allen has a tendency to do too much at times. There are plenty of examples from his interception against the Bengals last season to his playoff failures against the Houston Texans.

The Bills third year quarterback needs to play within himself while not pushing the envelope on busted plays. Beane has done a tremendous job of surrounding the quarterback with explosive weapons at all positions around him. He needs to lean on them to be the playmakers more times than not. That doesn’t mean he can’t make plays with his legs or arms, but he doesn’t need to force it given the options around him. If Allen tries to be the hero more often than not then he could prevent the team from reaching its postseason goals.

Any one of or a combination of these scenarios could do the Buffalo Bills in as they are at home watching the playoffs, just like you and me.

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