ORCHARD PARK, NY – Just as the game between the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers was about to begin, snow fell on the stadium. The amount of snow that continued throughout the night was unexpected after a storm hit the region over the weekend.

The game ended with Bills coach Sean McDermott daring his quarterback Josh Allen to do Snow Angels with him on the field – after McDermott promised tight end Zach Davidson at halftime that he would do it if Buffalo won – as the team celebrated victory and a fifth straight AFC East title.

The conditions served as a picturesque white backdrop as the Bills defeated the 49ers 35-10 on “Sunday Night Football,” extending their seven-game winning streak, improving to 10-2 and becoming the second team to punch their ticket to the 49ers this week Postseason, following the Kansas City Chiefs.

Along the way, the Bills set a number of records, including becoming the seventh team since 1980 to clinch a division title with five games remaining in a season. They are the fourth team to do so since the division realignment in 2002 – the previous three lost in the Super Bowl – but the only one that has three or more division games left to play.

However, with the division ticked off, the Bills already have their sights set on goals yet to be achieved, including the No. 1 seed in the AFC. They are currently one game behind the Chiefs (11-1).

“This game feels a little different this early in the season…The cool thing about it is we can go out and play freely,” Allen said. “There’s really no impact on what we do, but at the same time we’re aiming for first place. We understand that. We know that and we have to get better every week.”

“But it will be fun to go out and play freely, play relaxed and play loose. I think they could be a dangerous team.”

Buffalo has made the postseason in seven of the eight years McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane have led the Bills. The team has only reached the AFC Championship Game once (2020) and the Bills have never been the number 1 seed during this time.

“The next goal for us is probably to position ourselves as well as we can,” McDermott said. “Some of it we control, but some of it we don’t. So every week it comes down to our level of play, getting to the level we need to and that usually puts us in a good position one way or another.”

Buffalo is 6-0 at home this season – underscoring the No. 1 seed’s goal – the first time they started 6-0 at home since 1991, when the Bills reached the Super Bowl.

The Bills won the division by defying many outside expectations. The Jets (3-9) entered the season as favorites to win the AFC East (+160 on ESPN BET), just ahead of the Bills (+185).

“It’s like a participation trophy. Okay, now we’re participating in something bigger, but that doesn’t really mean nothing,” cornerback Rasul Douglas said. “You want some hardware, something you can keep forever… the whole trophy or the whole ring or something that will remember you forever.”

The Bills’ offense showed against the 49ers why they have been able to score more than 30 points in six straight games. After a three-and-out on Buffalo’s first drive of the game and a field goal by the 49ers on their first offensive possession, the Bills scored unanswered touchdowns on three straight possessions.

The initiative was led by Allen, who became the first quarterback in NFL history to complete a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in a single game. Allen completed 13 of 17 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns and had three rushes for 18 yards and the score.

A big part of that was thanks to a unique play by wide receiver Amari Cooper with 6:05 left in the third quarter. On first-and-7 from the 49ers’ 7-yard line, Allen passed to Cooper, which would have meant a loss of 2 yards, but as the defenders got to Cooper, he saw Allen right behind him and passed the ball sideways to the quarterback .

“I was wondering what he was doing there,” Cooper said. “That doesn’t normally happen when you throw a dart route like that. I just saw him. I thought he was over there because he wanted the ball, so I gave it to him.”

Allen then ran past defenders and dove into the end zone to give the Bills a 28-3 lead. He was credited with a passing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the game, but no reception because it was a lateral.

“I wish (Cooper) would get credit for something there, an assist or a passing touchdown. But I threw a bad ball again,” Allen said. “So I just chased him a little bit. He made a great catch. I threw it, it was just a sticky hand and I was just chasing the ball just to be there. And we made eye contact, and.” He just pitched it and I had to go. It was awesome.

The Bills cemented the win with three fumble recoveries in the second half and limited the 49ers to 239 net yards on outside linebacker Matt Milano’s return. According to Next Gen Stats, Milano played 76.6% of snaps in his first game since October 8, 2023.

Milano is one of three players, along with left tackle Dion Dawkins and long snapper Reid Ferguson, who were with the team all eight seasons under McDermott and Beane.

“When I came into the league, it was the Patriots,” Dawkins said. “They did it every year and now we are and it’s beautiful. I enjoy being on this site. … Everything is right in the right amount to make this thing run the way it’s supposed to.”