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What QB Josh Allen thought was the ‘biggest play’ of Bills’ Week 10 win vs. Colts

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen believes that wide receiver Khalil Shakir came up with the biggest play in the team's Week 10 win.

Kyle Silagyi

Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
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Up by 10 points in the fourth quarter of their Week 10 clash with the Indianapolis Colts, the Buffalo Bills had the opportunity to put the dagger in their opponent after Taylor Rapp intercepted a tipped Joe Flacco pass with just under 10 minutes remaining in the contest.

Buffalo moved the ball toward midfield and chewed some time off the clock before being faced with a third-and-eight in its own territory, a failure to move the chains (likely) resulting in the team punting the ball back to Indianapolis and giving it the opportunity to add some excitement to the game’s final moments. With the bout not necessarily on the line, but nearing it, Josh Allen lined up in shotgun, switching to the team’s second play at the line of scrimmage after reading the Colts’ coverage; he quickly found Khalil Shakir on a screen pass, with the third-year pass-catcher fighting through contact to break off a 30-yard gain.

The catch-and-run not only gave the Bills a fresh set of downs, but flipped the field, setting Buffalo up on Indianapolis’ 40-yard line. The team would burn another five minutes off the clock before capping the drive off with a two-yard James Cook rushing score, increasing their lead to 30-13; the Colts would score a garbage time touchdown, but the Bills’ late drive would prove to be their downfall, ultimately losing to Buffalo 30-20.

And the fourth-quarter series, which head coach Sean McDermott described as “elite” when addressing his team after the victory, was truly sparked, per Allen, by Shakir’s 30-yard gain. The quarterback spoke about the play in his post-game press conference, telling reporters that the completion was of paramount importance to the win.

Related: What QB Josh Allen said about Bills getting off to best season start since 1993

“That was the biggest—I went up to him and said that was the biggest play of the game,” Allen said. “Third-and-eight, we understood what type of pressure they were going to bring there. Had an alert on it, we saw it, we alerted it, and guys went out there and made some plays. Again, his contact balance, running through would-be tacklers and staying on his feet, he’s very elite at that. We needed that right there.”

Shakir was Allen’s favorite target on the day, finishing the game with team-highs in targets (nine) and receptions (six). His 30-yard fourth-quarter pickup accounted for more than half of his receiving total on the day, as he finished the game with 58 yards; it was yet another solid game from the ever-reliable pass-catcher who entered the game with an astonishing 93.3% catch rate.

The 24-year-old is simply always available for his quarterback, and he proved again on Sunday that he’s able to turn seemingly innocuous passes into tide-shifting gains. It’s difficult to suggest that the player who leads the team in receptions by 14 may soon grow into an even more prominent offensive role, but if he continues to construct plays like his fourth-quarter pickup against the Colts, it’s going to be difficult for Allen to ignore him in must-have situations.

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Kyle Silagyi
KYLE SILAGYI

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