Bills Central

Steelers vs. Bills Playoffs Live Updates: Buffalo Sets Date With Kansas City In Divisional Round After Win Over Pittsburgh

The Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers will finally square off on Monday in the Wild Card round of AFC Playoffs.

Nathaniel Marrero

In this story:

At long last, the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers will finally square off in the Wild Card round of the AFC Playoffs on Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET at Highmark Stadium. 

The game was originally scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m., but a snowstorm led to New York Governor Kathy Hochul implementing a travel ban and the game was pushed back by a day. If the Bills win, they'll host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. If Pittsburgh wins, it'll face the No. 1 seed and AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens at that time. 

Josh Allen running for a touchdown vs. the Steelers
Josh Allen running for a touchdown vs. the Steelers / USA Today Sports

Both teams were on the outside looking in with weeks left in the regular season. Buffalo finished the regular season on a five-game winning streak and clinched the AFC East and No. 2 seed with a 21-14 win over the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 7.  

Pittsburgh inserted Mason Rudolph as the starting quarterback and it went on a three-game win streak and earned its spot in the playoffs with some help in the form of the Jacksonville Jaguars collapsing to end the year. 

Both teams are dealing with injuries, as Buffalo will be without receiver Gabe Davis, safety Taylor Rapp and cornerback Rasul Douglas. The Steelers will be without their top pass rusher T.J. Watt, who had an NFL-best 19.5 sacks this season. 

Here are the rest of the inactive players for both teams. 

Tomlin to Quit Steelers After Bills Playoff Game?

Bills:

WR Gabe Davis

S Taylor Rapp

LB Tyrel Dodson

CB Rasul Douglas

DE Kinglsey Jonathan

OL Alec Anderson

DT Poona Ford

Steelers:

QB Mitch Trubisky (3rd QB) 

CB Darius Rush

S Elijah Riley

LB Blake Martinez

T Dylan Cook

LB T.J. Watt 

DE DeMarvin Leal

Stay here for live updates throughout the game. 

1ST QUARTER:

The Steelers get the ball to start the game and Jaylen Warren returns it to their 30-yard line.

After a 2-yard run by Najee Harris, a screen pass from Mason Rudolph to Warren gains 15 to move the chains.

Harris runs for 2 yards again. Rudolph's pass is batted down on 2nd down. On 3rd and 8, Rudolph's pass is incomplete again. 

Deonte Harty calls for a fair catch at the Bills' 20-yard line.

End of possession

Josh Allen's pass to Khalil Shakir gains 5 yards. James Cook runs for 4 yards to make it 3rd and 1. Allen keeps it and sneaks for a yard to move the chains. 

Allen and Kincaid connect for a 20-yard gain to midfield for another first down. 

Allen dumps it off to Stefon Diggs and he runs for 10 yards for a third straight first down. 

Cook runs for 4 yards, and then Allen finds Diggs again for a 12-yard gain to the Steelers' 24-yard line. 

Cook runs for 12 yards to Pittsburgh's 12-yard line and then he gets it again for a 3-yard gain. Allen finds Knox wide-open in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown. 

Tyler Bass' extra point is good with 7:02 left in the 1st quarter.

Bills 7, Steelers 0

End of possession

Bass boots it through the end zone for a touchback.

Harris runs for 3 yards and gains 2 more on 2nd down to make it 3rd and 5. Rudolph just throws it away to end the drive. 

The punt is downed at the Bills' 27-yard line. 

End of possession

Allen's pass intended for Diggs along the sideline is incomplete. Allen keeps it and runs for 8 yards. On 3rd and 2, Allen's pass is behind Kincaid and incomplete. 

Sam Martin's punt goes out of bounds at the Steelers' 19-yard line with 4:21 left in the 1st quarter.

End of possession

Rudolph rolls right and his pass to George Pickens is caught, and he fumbles on his way down and it's recovered by the Bills. Pickens' catch was ruled incomplete, and Sean McDermott is challenging the call. After review, the call is overturned and Buffalo gets the ball at Pittsburgh's 29-yard line. 

End of possession

Allen finds Kincaid wide-open in the middle of the field for a 29-yard touchdown. 

Bass' extra point is good with 4:10 left in the 1st quarter.

Bills 14, Steelers 0

End of possession

Bass kicks his second straight touchback. 

Warren is stopped for a one-yard gain. Rudolph's pass is batted down on 2nd down. On 3rd and 9, Rudolph's pass is deflected and falls incomplete. 

Harty calls for a fair catch at the Bills' 44-yard line. 

End of possession

Allen's short pass to Diggs is stopped for a 1-yard loss. Allen's pass to Kincaid is dropped. On 3rd and 11, Allen's pass to Cook loses 3 yards. 

Calvin Austin III calls for a fair catch at the Steelers' 8-yard line with 1:43 left in the 1st quarter.

End of possession

Rudolph's pass to Pat Freiermuth is complete for a big gain and he fumbles on his way down, but it's ruled that it went out of bounds to negate a Bills recovery by linebacker Baylon Spector. McDermott is challenging that the ball wasn't recovered in bounds. 

After review, the call stands. Pittsburgh has the ball at its 43-yard line. 

Rudolph dumps it off to Allen Robinson and he runs for 13 yards to the Bills' 46-yard line. 

Harris has his first good gain of the game, running for 9 yards on the final play of the 1st quarter.

End of the quarter 

2ND QUARTER:

Harris runs for 11 yards to the Bills' 26-yard line. 

Rudolph is sacked by Greg Rousseau for an 11-yard loss. Warren runs for 13 yards. On 3rd and 8, Rudolph eludes a defender and dumps it off to Freiermuth and he runs over Kaiir Elam for a 12-yard gain and a first down.

Warren gains just a yard. Rudolph throws it into the end zone and no one is there, but Elam is flagged for defensive pass interference against Diontae Johnson at the Bills' 2-yard line. 

On 1st and goal, Harris is stopped for a 2-yard loss. Rudolph looks for Johnson in the end zone and he's intercepted by Elam to keep Pittsburgh off the board.

End of possession

Cook runs for 2 yards. Allen's pass to Cook gains 2 more. On 3rd and 6, Allen hits Diggs on a comeback route for a 7-yard gain to move the chains. 

Cook runs for 9 yards. On 2nd and 1, he runs for 4 more for another first down. 

Allen's pass intended for Andy Isabell falls short and is incomplete. A screen pass to Cook gains 2 yards. On 3rd and 8, Allen keeps it and runs over a Steelers defender and scores a 52-yard touchdown. 

Bass' extra point is good with 7:01 left in the first half. 

Bills 21, Steelers 0

End of possession  

Bass booms it through the end zone again for a touchback. 

After a 2-yard run by Harris, Rudolph throws back-to-back incomplete passes for a three-and-out. 

The punt is downed at the Bills' 22-yard line. 

End of possession

Allen dumps it off to Cook and he runs for 4 yards. Cook runs for 4 yards to make it 3rd and 2. Ty Johnson bounces off a Steelers defender and runs for 3 yards to extend the drive. 

Allen finds Harty and he breaks a tackle to turn it into a huge 33-yard run to the Steelers' 34-yard line. 

Cook runs for 3 yards. Allen's pass intended for Johnson is incomplete. On 3rd and 7, Allen goes deep for Diggs and it's knocked down by Eric Rowe. 

Bass comes out to attempt a 49-yard field goal and it's blocked. It's recovered by the Steelers at the Bills' 33-yard line. 

End of possession

Warren runs for 10 yards for a first down and the game has reached the two-minute warning.

Rudolph's pass to Pickens gains 6 yards. Buffalo calls its second timeout with 1:52 left. On 2nd and 4, Rudolph and Pickens connect for a 5-yard gain to move the chains. 

Warren runs for 3 yards and Buffalo uses its final timeout with 1:43 left in the first half. Rudolph's pass is complete to Johnson and he runs into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. 

Chris Boswell's extra point is good with 1:39 left in the first half. 

Bills 21, Steelers 7

End of possession

Boswell kicks it through the end zone for a touchback. 

Allen's pass to Diggs gains 5 yards and he's hurt after the tackle by Minkah Fitzpatrick. He pops up and runs to the sideline under his own power. Allen's pass to Shakir gains 9 yards for a first down. 

Allen is sacked for a 7-yard loss. Pittsburgh calls a timeout with two seconds left in the first half. Allen takes a knee and that's the half. 

HALFTIME: Bills 21, Steelers 7

3RD QUARTER:

Boswell kicks it through the end zone for a touchback to begin the second half. 

Knox drops a pass and then Allen is sacked by Alex Highsmith for a 7-yard loss. On 3rd and 17, Allen's pass to Latavius Murray gains eight yards. 

Martin, who was hurt on the blocked field goal in the 2nd quarter, gets the punt off without issue and Austin III returns the punt 12 yards to the Steelers' 40-yard line. 

End of possession

A false start makes it 1st and 15. Rudolph and Johnson connect for a 19-yard gain to the Bills' 46-yard line. Terrel Bernard is down on the field with a lower-body injury. Bernard had to be carted off the field with his right leg in an air cast.

Rudolph's pass is nearly intercepted by Elam but he drops it along the sideline. On 2nd and 10, Rudolph finds Pickens for a 13-yard gain. 

Tight end Darnell Washington moves early again for another false start. Rudolph's pass to Freiermuth gains 10 yards. On 2nd and 5, Warren runs for 6 yards to move the chains. 

Harris runs for just a yard. Harris gets another carry and he's stopped for no gain. On 3rd and 9, Rudolph's pass intended for Pickens is broken up by Dane Jackson.

Boswell's 40-yard field goal is good with 8:50 left in the 3rd quarter. 

Bills 21, Steelers 10

End of possession 

Buffalo begins the drive at its 25-yard line after Boswell's touchback. 

Cook runs for 11 yards for the Bills' first 1st down of the second half.

Cook has another strong run for a five-yard gain. He runs for four more yards to make it 3rd and 1. Allen tries to sneak it and he's stopped short of a first down. Buffalo goes for it on 4th and 1 and Allen gets it this time. 

Cook is stopped for a 1-yard gain. Allen threads the needle for a 10-yard gain to Kincaid for a 1st down at the Steelers' 43-yard line. 

Cook gains just a yard and Connor McGovern is down with an injury. Allen's pass hits off Johnson's hands and falls incomplete. On 3rd and 9, Allen rolls right and throws across his body to Diggs for an 11-yard gain to extend the drive. 

Allen goes to the end zone for Kincaid but it's broken up. Cook is stopped for a 2-yard loss. On 3rd and 12, Allen dumps it off to Murray for a 4-yard gain. 

Bass' 45-yard field goal is good with 1:32 left in the 3rd quarter.

Bills 24, Steelers 10

End of possession

Bass' kick leads to a fair catch from Warren. 

Robinson is hit hard and shaken up after a one-yard loss. Rudolph's pass on 2nd down is incomplete. On 3rd and 11, Rudolph buys time and finds Pickens who makes a leaping grab for a 19-yard gain. 

Pickens gets it on an end around and he runs for 13 yards to the Bills' 43-yard line on the final play of the 3rd quarter. 

End of the quarter

4TH QUARTER:

Warren runs for 5 yards and then Rudolph scrambles for 6 for a first down.

Rudolph finds Johnson and he cuts upfield for a 12-yard gain to the Bills' 20-yard line. 

Harris runs for 3 yards. Rudolph goes to the end zone for Pickens but it's incomplete. On 3rd and 7, Johnson makes a Bills defender miss and gets just beyond the sticks for another first down. 

On 1st and goal from the Bills' 9-yard line, Harris runs for 2 yards. On 2nd and goal, Rudolph finds Austin for a 7-yard touchdown. 

Boswell's extra point is good with 10:32 left in the game. 

Bills 24, Steelers 17

End of possession

Isabella returns the kickoff to the Bills' 30-yard line. 

Allen goes deep and Kincaid is pulled to the ground by Myles Jack. A flag was thrown, but the officials are discussing the play. After discussion, Jack was flagged for defensive holding, moving Buffalo up five yards with a fresh set of downs.

Cook runs for 9 yards and then gains 3 more to move the chains. 

Allen keeps it and runs for 13 yards to the Steelers' 40-yard line. 

Allen throws a screen pass to Diggs five yards. Allen keeps it again and he's hit as he's sliding, which draws a flag on Jack for a personal foul. 

Buffalo has the ball at the Steelers' 18-yard line. Cook runs for just a yard. Allen's pass to Shakir is complete and he somehow spins out of a tackle and jukes a defender en route to a 17-yard touchdown. 

Bass' extra point is good with 6:27 left in the game. 

Bills 31, Steelers 17

End of possession

Warren is stopped for no gain. Freiermuth is tackled and banged up after a 7-yard catch. Pittsburgh calls its first timeout of the 2nd half with 5:34 left in the game. On 3rd and 3, Rudolph's screen pass to Warren is stopped for no gain by A.J. Kline. Before 4th and 3, Buffalo calls its first timeout of the 2nd half with 4:53 left to play. 

On 4th and 3, Rudolph's pass intended for Pickens is broken up by Dane Jackson for a turnover on downs. 

End of possession

Buffalo begins the drive at Pittsburgh's 32-yard line. Johnson runs for 3 yards and then gains 10 before going out of bounds on 2nd down to move the chains. 

Johnson is stopped for no gain and Pittsburgh calls its second timeout with 3:57 left in the game. Johnson runs for 11 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 9-yard line. 

Johnson is stopped for a 2-yard loss. On 2nd and goal from the 11-yard line, Johnson runs for 2 yards and Pittsburgh uses its final timeout with 2:24 left in the game. On 3rd and goal, Johnson is stopped for a 1-yard loss. The game has reached the two-minute warning.

Bass' 27-yard field goal is shanked wide left. 

End of possession

Pittsburgh begins the drive at its 20-yard line. 

After a 5-yard pass to Connor Heyward, Rudolph finds Harris for a 10-yard gain to move the chains.

Rudolph throws back-to-back incomplete passes, he finds Freiermuth for a 15-yard gain to midfield. Rudolph spikes it to stop the clock with 53 seconds to play.

On 2nd and 10, Rudolph's pass is incomplete but roughing the passer on Ed Oliver gives Pittsburgh a first down. 

Rudolph's pass to Harris gains 5 yards and the clock is still running. Rudolph runs to his left and gets out of bounds after gaining three yards. Illegal substitution on Austin makes it 2nd and 10. Rudolph goes deep for Johnson but it's underthrown and falls incomplete with 14 seconds left in the game. 

Rudolph scrambles for 10 yards but stays inbounds and that's the ballgame.

FINAL: Bills 31, Steelers 17 

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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

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