Bills ice out 49ers in Week 13 drubbing as Josh Allen cements NFL MVP case

A picturesque setting of snow was the perfect backdrop for a Buffalo Bills team that has now won its fifth straight AFC East title.

David Faux | 2 Hours Ago

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

In this story:

Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings

This article was produced in conjunction with Cover 1, a leading voice in making the intricacies of Buffalo Bills football digestible. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel and podcast feeds.

It is December 1st, and the Buffalo Bills have secured their fifth-straight AFC East title.

As the snow came down, the Bills came up. After a thrumming of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football, the Bills have moved to 10-2, won their division, and proven once again that they are one of the best teams in the NFL. In a season projected to be a “rebuilding” or “reloading” year, the Bills looked all of that talk in the face and euro-stepped around the foolishness, proving that their 'window' is anything but shut.

Below we’ll look at the most inspired performance from this week's game, the player that left us inquiring, a player that requires more respect, and the most irksome part of the contest.

Inspire - Josh Allen is the MVP:

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

What else is there to say? Actually, quite a bit. Josh Allen is so good that it doesn’t matter if there’s lake effect snow barreling toward the city, he finds a way to win. Josh Allen is so good that Superman borrows his cape when Allen isn’t using it. Josh Allen is so good that he can catch his own touchdown pass. Josh Allen is so good that Saquon Barkley is on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s rushing record of 2,105 yards in a single season while playing for a team currently on an eight-game winning streak, and Allen may still beat him for the MVP award. Josh Allen is so good that after he threw a touchdown pass to himself, you probably thought “Is it a dumb idea to see if he can return a kick for a touchdown, too?" Josh Allen is so good that when he was voted (anonymously) as the league’s most overrated quarterback, he went out and put together an MVP-caliber campaign while leading his team to its fifth-straight division crown. Josh Allen is so good that he currently holds the Bills’ franchise record for career touchdowns, and he’s only in his seventh season, at 28 years old.

There’s simply no other player like Allen, and while NFL teams try so hard to replicate him by chasing after physical tools and talent at the most important position in football, they simply cannot replicate him, because Allen is a one-of-one player. He's a unicorn who has ascended to a level that has simply not been seen by any other player in this franchise’s history. Allen is a special player, one who will go down as one of the best players in the history of this sport. His winning the MVP award this season is a long time coming, and he deserves so many flowers for how incredible, consistent, and improved he has been this year. Allen will be the 2024 NFL MVP.

Inquire - Matt Milano:

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The excitement of Matt Milano returning to the lineup after tearing his biceps in training camp was palpable. Is that dramatic? Honestly? Probably not! Matt Milano is one of the longest-tenured Bills on this team, having been here since 2017, and his preseason injury (especially after being sidelined for the bulk of the 2023 campaign with a tibia fracture) was simply devastating. To then have him return, looking like a Bionicle figure fresh out of the pod, playing in a snow game, AND playing the majority of the defensive snaps? That’s a testament to not only the Bills’ trust in Milano and their belief in him as a player, but also his work ethic and ability to recover and put himself in a position to be available in December for a team rumbling to a playoff run.

So what was it that caused so much faith in Milano? To not only play in this game, but play so much, in inclement weather, and against a scheme and an offense that does everything it can to put linebackers in a bind? Is it really as simple as “Matt Milano is just built different?" Possibly. Regardless, it’s a question worth asking for a team that tends to be cautious and wants to ease returning players from injury back into their normal roles.

Require - Respect on Taylor Rapp’s Name:

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

During the offseason, the Bills re-signed safety Taylor Rapp to a three-year contract that seemed to go under the radar amongst a lot of fans and irritated the ones who did notice. Yet, what has he done this year except prove his worth and value to this team? The fact of the matter is that Rapp was always a good fit for this defense, and his play this year is so indicative of that fact. Rapp is an aggressive, attacking type of safety who not only can play the back end well and be in a position to make plays, but also adeptly come up to the line of scrimmage to attack there. His energy and presence cannot be overstated, and Sunday night was no exception, as he saved multiple touchdowns for this team. Early in the first half, it looked like Christian McCaffrey was going to break loose for a long touchdown run, but Rapp managed to clip his ankles and take him down. As the Niners moved down to the goal line in the second half, Rapp punched the ball out of Kyle Juszczyk’s hands, allowing Christian Benford to make a huge return. When so many people were trying to figure out a way for this team to sign a different safety or get Mike Edwards on the field, all Taylor Rapp has done is make plays. He’s saved this team many times this season with his style of play, and he's been a major plus for a team that needs its safeties to be a critical part of the defense.

Irk - Special Teams:

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

While it was a great performance by the Bills, the special teams unit made it a little easier for the Niners than they should have. Some big returns from Deebo Samuel set up short fields for San Francisco, and while they rarely capitalized on those returns, it’s a bit concerning that the returns largely seemed to be the result of scheme rather than just the weird snow effects. While this special teams unit hasn’t been great, they’ve been good on returns, and Sam Martin has been fairly good at punting. But the actual coverage units have had their lapses this season, and while it’s not a guarantee that every playoff team will have the ability to return kicks the way the Niners did Sunday, it’s also worth noting that if there’s a specific quirk in the Bills’ special teams unit that can be taken advantage of, then playoff teams will likely try to take advantage of it.

What’s next for the Bills?

The Bills will face the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium next Sunday at 4:25 EST, hoping to extend their winning streak to eight games and push the Kansas City Chiefs for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. While the Rams have had their ups and downs this season, they are most certainly not a team to be taken lightly, and the Bills will need to continue their strong play to keep their season momentum moving forward.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —