It began to snow as Doug Flutie led the charge Football on Sunday evenings at Highmark Stadium. For the first time in 14 months, Matt Milano was named the starting defenseman. Nothing could have provided a more perfect stage for the Buffalo Bills to secure their fifth straight AFC East championship.

Unfortunately, the Bills’ offense wasn’t ready for the stage early on. They went three-and-out, with the help of a missed facemask call on wide receiver Khalil Shakir and a big false start on Dawson Knox.

A 48-yard punt by Sam Martin gave San Francisco its first possession on its own 37-yard line, but the 49ers initially looked like they understood what stage they were on as they moved the ball at will , until they got to the Buffalo 20. While most of San Francisco’s movement came through running back Christian McCaffrey – including a 19-yard run on a first down – the Bills were at it Two brilliant moments in their first defensive stand of the evening. First, Matt Milano was credited with the first tackle of the night. Second, Damar Hamlin, the Bills’ second-leading tackler this season, had a huge hit on Christian McCaffrey, setting up a third-and-seven that the 49ers couldn’t convert. As has been San Francisco’s problem all season, they stalled in the red zone and had to settle for a 33-yard field goal.

Bills 0, 49ers 3

After a muffled kickoff, the Bills were finally able to secure the wet ball in the end zone for a touchback. It looked like the Bills would do no better on their second possession than they had on the first, but a timely illegal use of hands on a third down gave Buffalo a new set of downs, and offensive coordinator Joe Brady knew it in December Every gift should be appreciated. So he did what any good gift recipient would do: He used it.

An eight-yard run by Ty Johnson and a one-yard run by James Cook set up the most convenient play of the season – a Schnow Plow pass to Josh Allen that gave the Bills their second first down of the night. Then Allen hit Quintin Morris for 15 yards and Khalil Shakir for 8 yards (wed in around a 4-yard run by James Cook). On third-and-six, Josh Allen kept the ball and forced his way past the first-down marker – but at the cost of re-injuring his non-throwing hand (something his coaches had to watch for the next time San Francisco had the ball). ). After a run from James Cook and another from Ty Johnson, it was Ray Davis’ turn. A 13-yard run was initially set up and the five-pointer scored, and Brady immediately went back to Davis so he could do the job.

Bills 7, 49ers – 3 – and that’s how the quarter ended.

San Francisco immediately tried to get back to work and seemed to be moving at will again. But Epenesa chased Brock Purdy around and a Damar Hamlin interception was overturned due to an illegal hands penalty that was actually more about a receiver slipping and falling into both Rapp and Hamlin. Brock Purdy, however, was equipped with a new set of downs and on the next play threw the ball to McCaffrey, who hopped and then slid downfield as it became clear he wouldn’t be able to run. When 49ers kicker Jake Moody missed a 45-yard field goal attempt, the San Francisco running back went to the locker room frustrated.

Bills 7, 49ers 3

When the Bills had the ball at their own 35, they remembered how magnificent the stage had been set and what was at stake. James Cook took the ball 65 yards to the house as Buffalo scored touchdowns on consecutive offensive snaps. It was raining snowballs as Bills Mafia celebrated Buffalo’s longest touchdown run of the year.

Bills 14, 49ers 3

Once again, it looked like San Francisco was going to make things difficult when Jordan Mason ran for 28 yards after the Bills defense had been on the sideline for just ten seconds. Another 4-yard run, a pass and two more runs and the 49ers had 1st-and-10 at Buffalo’s 37. But then Miller chased Purdy and tackled him as the quarterback fell just a yard ahead and Greg Rousseau his 6.5 sack of the season came on the next play.

Despite a powerful punt from Pat O’Donnell that pinned them at their own 2-yard line, the Bills seized the momentum and looked for more snowballs. On the next drive, Allen hit Dawson Knox for 20 yards and the tight end added 19 yards after the catch. James Cook followed with an 18-yard run as the clock stopped at the two-minute warning. Coming out of the timeout, James Cook continued his rampage, ducking in, out and around defenders for another 11 yards. Josh Allen hit Amari Cooper for six yards, bringing his passing yards to just 89 yards in the snow globe of Highmark Stadium. The Bills decided to take a timeout. After a pass to Cook and a one-yard run brought the running back’s yards from scrimmage to 114, Allen passed to Mack Hollins for the score.

The touchdown, which took the Bills just 2 minutes and 50 seconds to score, was a career-high fourth of the season for Hollins, but more impressively, it was Josh Allen’s 245th of his career. That number is one more than Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly and makes Allen the Bills’ all-time leader.

Bills 21, 49ers 3

With 41 seconds left in the half, San Francisco tried once again to get something going and see if they couldn’t manage to change the momentum and attempt a double dip. And they almost did. After moving the ball 55 yards in 38 seconds, they were faced with deciding which points to add to the scoreboard. They made the wrong choice with a first and 10 at the Buffalo 37. A 55-yard field goal attempt by Moody landed right down the middle – but it only went about 50 yards.

Bills 21, 49ers 3

The 49ers came out of the locker room in the second half without Christian McCaffrey, but had a plan to get things going in their favor. Deebo Samuel took the first kickoff from 60 yards. It only took five more plays for the 49ers to get inside the five-yard line. But then Buffalo did what they had done all season: They took the ball away from them.

Taylor Rapp knocked the ball out of Kyle Juszczyk’s hands and Christian Benford picked it up and headed the other way. George Kittle eventually took the Bills cornerback out of bounds at midfield, but the damage was already done.

But the Bills did nothing with the ball and three players later Sam Martin was called to hit the ball back to San Francisco – which he did quite well, as Jalen Virgil hit the ball for Martin at the 49ers’ 6-yard line . There, Brock Purdy prepared to throw two incomplete passes that skirted a Jordan Mason run for no gain before sending the ball right back to the Bills.

After sitting on the bench for a full minute and seven seconds, Josh Allen and company trudged back onto the snowy field after Brandon Codrington hit O’Donnell’s final punt to the San Francisco 44-yard. yard line. And then Buffalo did Buffalo things – but the good ones. On a fourth-and-2, Allen throws to Shakir for 18 to make it to first and score the 7th. But then… Amari Cooper and Josh Allen connect for the Bills’ fourth touchdown of the game, albeit in the most unorthodox way.

Allen hit Cooper with a pass, but the wide receiver was stopped by the defense. Before an official could nullify the play by moving forward at the 3, Cooper gently tossed the ball back to Allen, who moved toward his receiver, presumably to give him a little push. Instead, the quarterback found himself with the football and lunged toward the pylon to add a crazy scoring play to his highlight reel.

Bills 28, 49ers 3

However, the 49ers weren’t thrilled by all of the Bills’ highlights, so Deebo Samuel took the ensuing kickoff 42 yards to the Buffalo 48. This time, Purdy’s 26-yard pass set things up perfectly for third-string running back Isaac Guerrendo to run 15 yards for the score. The Bills defense still seemed to be trying to watch the replay of Allen’s crazy score the entire three minutes they were on the field.

Bills 28, 49ers 10

After a three-and-out, Sam Martin hit a beautiful punt to give the 49ers the ball at their own 23 line. While San Francisco had the ball at the end of the third quarter, they apparently didn’t want to start the fourth quarter with it. Brock Purdy began the final 15 minutes of the game fumbling the football and Greg Rousseau quickly picked it up.

As if they were giving the Bills the ball just five yards outside the red zone, the 49ers decided to extend their gift a little further and start with 12 men on the field. It really didn’t matter. Josh Allen hit Dawson Knox for 17 yards before running the ball himself 8 yards into the end zone.

Bills 35, 49ers 10

Allen became the fifth player ever and the third in the last 20 years to score a touchdown by throwing, catching and running. He also became the first person to do so in a single game, and the Bills scored 30 or more points for the sixth straight game (and ninth time this season).

Deebo Samuel decided to attend Sunday night’s giveaway at Highmark Stadium and was handing the ball to the Bills when he slipped and fell while attempting another big kick return. With the Bills’ offense not even having a chance to warm their fingers and toes, the Bills’ backups were sent out to play on the snowy field. Mitch Trubisky didn’t have the same success as Josh Allen and McDermott sent out Tyler Bass to attempt a 45-yard field goal. Bass misses, but can you shut down the kicker when he can’t even see the goalposts?

Purdy was on the field a minute less than Trubisky before the 49ers had to return the ball. Things got exciting when Codrington took the return all the way down the field and slid headfirst across the end zone. But a Cole Bishop layup canceled out the rookie returnee’s histrionics and the Bills were left with their own 25 points to start the next drive.

But that was enough. Although he didn’t contribute to the score, Trubisky managed to keep the ball until the two-minute warning, after which Buffalo went into victory formation, and despite three San Francisco timeouts, Trubisky managed to bend a few knees and bring the ball up for curtain call the snowy stage where the Bills won their fifth straight AFC East championship.

Bills 35, 49ers 10.