Depleted Payments make a dud in playoff loss to Bengals

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Adversity ultimately caught up to the Buffalo Costs, who were being remaining depleted and defeated though closing an emotionally draining period two wins small of their Super Bowl aspirations.

Not able to attract on the motivational inspiration of hurt teammate Von Miller displaying the Tremendous Bowl trophy he gained last calendar year in the locker place this 7 days or hurt safety Damar Hamlin’s shock overall look at the stadium Sunday, the Payments sent a dud in a 27-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in a divisional playoff sport.

“Keep their head up,” coach Sean McDermott stated he advised his players afterward. “Even though this hurts, I’m proud of them in the way that they managed them selves with class this year in the ups and downs and the adversity they confronted.

“They’ll just take that with them, but for appropriate now, this stings. I would like it were a various end result.”

The Charges had been flat from the starting, seemingly invested from a two-month stretch in which they viewed in stunned horror as Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on the industry in Cincinnati on Jan. 2, had their plan disrupted by two winter storms, and showed signs of exhaustion in a sloppy 34-31 playoff-opening get over Miami previous week.

The Josh Allen-led offense opened with two a few-and-out possessions, in which it acquired a mixed 11 yards.

And Buffalo’s bend-but-do not-break defense completely unraveled even though allowing Joe Burrow to full his to start with nine tries for 105 yards and two touchdowns as the Bengals designed a 14- guide with 3:47 still left in the opening quarter.

It was a gap also massive to climb out of for a hobbled protection.

Miller has been sidelined with a knee harm considering that November. And Buffalo has expended considerably of this year taking part in with a patchwork secondary lacking setting up safety Micah Hyde (herniated disk) and Hamlin, his backup. Jordan Poyer, a different starter, was enjoying via an assortment of injuries.

“Regardless of the struggles or not, we wished to see this as a result of the close,” still left deal with Dion Dawkins mentioned. “It definitely stings a very little bit far more knowing that this unique team went through so significantly and this chapter is closed.”

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The Charges, whose 3 past losses this time had been made the decision by a mixed 8 details, had an 8-sport successful streak snapped. They also dropped to 13-2 when internet hosting an NFL playoff sport.

Even with matching a solitary-year file with 13 wins, the Bills’ playoff operate finished in the divisional spherical for a next straight calendar year. Past year, the workforce was remaining pissed off pursuing a 42-36 additional time loss to Kansas Metropolis in which Buffalo blew a 3-issue direct in the ultimate 13 seconds of regulation.

In opposition to Cincinnati, the Bills had been unable to muster significantly of a response.

They had a period-lower 10 points and authorized the Bengals to rack up 30 1st downs — the most due to the fact allowing 30 to the Chiefs in the playoffs last calendar year.

Receiver Stefon Diggs allow his feelings get the very best of him when he was noticed leaving the Bills’ locker room with a lot of his equipment even now on shortly immediately after the sport finished. He desired to be coaxed back again by a teammate, and was present for McDermott’s postgame speech, which is all that mattered to the mentor.

“He’s a aggressive person. What will make him great is what you noticed,” McDermott claimed. “It hurts. I would not want a guy that doesn’t damage.

“We place it all on the line out there and tonight it wasn’t good ample.”

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