By CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun Senior Sports Columnist
Fifty years ago September, my third covering the team, I was sitting in the Three Rivers Stadium press box fully expecting the Bills to be bull-dozed by a Steelers team fresh from its first Super Bowl win eight months earlier.
Instead, Buffalo’s O.J. Simpson single-handedly eviscerated them.
Juice rushed for 227 yards on 28 carries including a career-long 88-yard touchdown sprint on a sweep. Fullback Jim Braxton added 80 yards as the Bills rewrote Pittsburgh’s record book finishing with 310 rushing yards, a figure that hasn’t been exceeded in a half century.
Buffalo led 23-0 en route to a 30-21 victory in handing the Steelers their most embarrassing loss in recent memory.
I GOT to thinking about that game Sunday afternoon as the Bills embarrassed Pittsburgh on the ground again … this time at Acrisure Stadium.
Buffalo seemed set to be thrashed, playing without injured starting tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown plus tight end Dalton Kincaid and wide receiver Joshua Palmer. Worse, the Bills were coming off a loss at Houston when quarterback Josh Allen was sacked a career-worst eight times.
So what happened?
BUFFALO, after trailing 7-3 in a dreary first half, stampeded over the Steelers for a crucial 26-7 victory.
The Bills didn’t rush for 310 yards, but 249 served them quite well.
Architect of the ground game was running back James Cook who totaled 144 yards on 32 carries, five more than his previous high. Backup Ray Davis added 62 yards on nine tries and quarterback Josh Allen had 38 on eight attempts.
Of course, the QB, besides rushing for a score, threw for another — a one-yarder to wide receiver Keon Coleman — the 49th time he’s done that in a game, an NFL record.
The Bills have 11 turnovers in the past four games – a number that’s difficult to overcome.
“If I knew, we’d get it to stop. but we can’t turn the ball over multiple times,” coach Sean McDermott said of the giveaway problems. “Fortunately, we got the two (takeaways) after half and scored on defense. but we can’t keep doing it – it’s a very risky way to live. We’ve already lived that life, more than we want to, more than we can afford to.”
PITTSBURGH coach Mike Tomlin, in his 19th season coaching the Steelers, heard the home-crowd boos, as well as the fans who were calling for his job.
“Man, I share their frustration,” he told Pittsburgh reporters. “We didn’t do enough. That’s just the reality of it.”
To which Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who turns 42 tomorrow and came to the team this offseason in part because of Tomlin and the coaching staff, acknowledged the fans’ frustration.
“They pay money for a ticket,” Rodgers said. “hey have the right – good, bad or indifferent – to say what they want. I totally understand the frustration. I’ve been booed on offense even at Green Bay over the years. That was a boo-worthy performance, and I understand the frustration.”
It was odd hearing the Steelers booed at home but with the loss their playoff odds fell to 27% even though they’re tied with Baltimore (both 6-6) atop the SFC North.
NOTES from the Bills 26-7 win over the Steelers Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium.
— The Steelers initial turnover came on the first offensive play of the third quarter Rodgers was hit by Buffalo edge rusher Joey Bosa was sacked and fumbled with cornerback Christian Benford getting the scoop and score for 17 yards out..
An injured Rodgers, who turns 42 on Tuesday, was replaced by Mason Rudolph.
— On the following series, Benford intercepted a Rudolph pass, his first of the season. The two resulting post turnover touchdowns put Buffalo in control of the game.
— Pittsburgh got its 21st takeaway of the season when cornerback Brandin Echols picked off an Allen pass, his 10th of the season, four more than last year. Later, Cook fumbled with Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen recovering, Pittsburgh’s 22nd takeaway set up the game’s first touchdown. Queen later left the game with a hip injury.
— Allen ended the game with one passing and one rushing TD, giving him a league record 49 of doing both in one game. The rushing score was his 76th, expanding his lead over Cam Newton.
— Buffalo punter Mitch Wisnowski finally kicked his first touchback of the season on his 24th punt.
— Inactive for the Bills were tackles Dion Dawkins (concussion) and Spencer Brown (shoulder), middle linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow), tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring), wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle), cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram and defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis.
Alec Anderson replaced Brown at right tackle and was called for two false starts in the first quarter. Grable replaced Brown, Dawson Knox took Kincaid’s spot and Coleman filled in for Palmer.
Among the Steelers inactives was cornerback Darius Slay.
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
