Ex-Bills player describes how Bengals won in a Buffalo blizzard
One of the most anticipated playoff matchups of this past season turned into a blowout for the visiting team when the Cincinnati Bengals trounced the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round. Not only did the Bills lose by 17 points at home, they watched the Bengals take care of business with ease in snowy […]
One of the most anticipated playoff matchups of this past season turned into a blowout for the visiting team when the Cincinnati Bengals trounced the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round.
Not only did the Bills lose by 17 points at home, they watched the Bengals take care of business with ease in snowy conditions, the very weather that many thought would favor the home team.
That's not how former Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie sees it.
In an interview with Go Long's Tyler Dunne, McKenize says that the Bengals had a much better game plan than his Bills had for the wintery conditions, and playing in a dome would've been advantageous to the home team.
"The Bengals ran basic routes, maybe we should've did that, ran basic routes," McKenzie explained. "Like out routes, go balls, you know, instead of running routes that you have to be going lateral or coming back to the football, or turning and running curls and things like that. If we were in a dome it would have been a totally different game."
A lot of Cincinnati's success from that day came on the ground, as running back Joe Mixon rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. The Bengals' offensive line also stepped up against a Bills' front that appeared outmatched in the snow. The conditions usually favor the offense in that scenario.
But Burrow had a great game as well. In fact, it was the best playoff performance of his young career. He threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns on 36 attempts and was sacked just once. The Bills didn't get that efficiency from their quarterback, Josh Allen, and McKenzie attributes that to their different play styles.
"Everybody says 'Oh the Bengals caught the ball, they ran the ball. Joe Burrow threw the ball just fine, their receivers caught the ball just fine.' But Joe Burrow and Josh [Allen] are just two different type of guys," McKenzie said. "Josh has a cannon and that's how he throws a football. You know, Josh wants to sling the sling to football. And I was kind of tough for him."
It is humorous to hear how a team based in Buffalo was less prepared to play in blizzard-like conditions, and how a quarterback with a tremendous arm wasn't able to power through the snow and wind.
McKenzie, who had two receptions for 10 yards that day, was released by the Bills in March. The Indianapolis Colts signed him to a one-year deal just four days later. The Colts happen to play their home games indoors.
