Buffalo Bills Outlast New York Giants In Low-Scoring Slugfest
The saying goes that "a win is a win," and the Buffalo Bills will certainly be repeating that after squeaking out a 14-9 victory over the New York Giants.
It was far from the prettiest game for the Bills, and they didn't even score until the fourth quarter, the first time that's happened since 2018. At the end of the day, though, they were able to get the win and improve to 4-2 on the season.
After a brutal first half that had them commit two critical turnovers, the Bills slowly began to take control in the second half. Buffalo put together back-to-back long scoring drives of 89 and 75 yards, both capped by Josh Allen touchdown passes, to finally break through New York's stingy defense.
New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (17) is tackled by Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford (47) and linebacker Terrel Bernard (43) and safety Jordan Poyer (21)
© Mark Konezny, USA TODAY
Even still, the game was far from over. The Bills got a crucial fourth-down stop after the two-minute warning, but a missed field goal by Tyler Bass, who missed both of his attempts on the night, on the ensuing possession led to a heart-racing finish. The Giants got an untimed down on the one-yard line after a Bills penalty, but their attempt fell just short to secure a nail-biting Bills victory.
Allen shook off a slow start to put together an effective second-half performance, finishing the game with 19 of 30 completions for 169 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Stefon Diggs was easily Buffalo's best receiver on the night, finishing with 10 receptions for 100 yards, nearly five times as much as the next-closest player.
The Bills also had a very solid rushing performance, racking up 128 yards on 29 carries for an average of 4.4 yards per attempt. James Cook led the way with 71 carries on 14 carries, but the main concern was the status of fellow running back Damien Harris. Harris left the game in an ambulance after a neck injury in the second quarter and had to be taken to the hospital, but not before giving the crowd an encouraging thumbs up.
On the other side of the ball, the Bills allowed 316 yards and 20 first downs, very similar to what they gained on offense. Cornerback Taron Johnson was the clear standout, recording a game-high 15 total tackles and a game-saving pass break-up on the final play. Linebacker Terrel Bernard also had a strong performance with 11 total tackles and three tackles for loss.
Former Bills quarterback Tyron Taylor started for the Giants in place of the injured Daniel Jones and had a solid game with 24 of 35 completions for 200 yards. Star running back Saquon Barkley made his return after an ankle injury in Week 2 and had 93 yards on 24 carries.
Next up, the Bills turn their attention to a road game with the division-rival New England Patriots on Oct. 22.
