NFL Christmas Eve: Bills clinch AFC East, remain on track for AFC No. 1 seed
The Buffalo Bills went to Chicago with the opportunity to secure their third straight AFC East title and hold onto the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a victory over the Bears.
With a 35-13 win on Saturday, they did exactly that. Buffalo improves to 12-3, matching the Kansas City Chiefs for the best record in the AFC, but Buffalo owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK ‼️#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/rUtgJO3hXo
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) December 24, 2022
The Bears led 10-6 at halftime
The Bears’ opening drive ended with a touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Fields to a wide open Dante Pettis in the left corner of the end zone.
Quarterback Josh Allen answered right back with a 24-yard pass to tight end Dawson Knox. Knox landed hard on the catch and was slow to get up, but was able to do so on his own and was evaluated at the medical tent.
He was able to make it back to the sideline to watch Allen throw a 19-yard touchdown to Gabe Davis in the end zone. The point-after was no good, and Chicago later kicked a field goal to take 10-6 lead into the break
Just before the touchdown, Dawson Knox came out of the medical tent. Also, one of the big sideline coats for the Bills blew all the way across the field to the Bears sideline. It is windy!
— katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134) December 24, 2022
Bills running back Devin Singletary ran for a 33-yard touchdown, his longest of the season, to open the second half. Buffalo went for the two-point conversion and Allen found wideout Khalil Shakir for the score.
Later in the quarter, Dane Jackson knocked the ball loose from Bears RB David Montgomery. Defensive tackle Tim Settle recovered the fumble at the Bears' 35.
This put the Bills in position for James Cook to run for a 27-yard touchdown. The Bills led 21-10.
The Bears weren't able to answer and settled for a 35-yard field goal from Cairo Santos, their final score of the game.
After Josh Allen scrambled for a 4-yard touchdown and nothing from the Bears, Knox scored his second touchdown with a minute left in the game.
Late @Dawson_Knox TD extends the @BuffaloBills lead, 35-13.
📺: #BUFvsCHI on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/GpUr7UISpf pic.twitter.com/JKhnBlRu0k— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2022
The Bills made it happen in 7 degree weather with below-zero wind chills. Their next challenge will be figuring out how to make it back home for Christmas, with the Buffalo Airport now scheduled to be closed until 11 a.m. Monday due to "extremely challenging conditions."
