The Buffalo Bills' 2022 season had so much promise but came to a premature close in the AFC Divisional Round at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tasked with playing in the snow, the Bills figured to hold an advantage and entered as six-point favorites ... but the Bengals, led by quarterback Joe Burrow, walked away with a 27-10 road victory.
And in the eyes of former Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie, the snow proved to be consequential to Buffalo's gameplan. Speaking on the "Go Long" podcast, McKenzie dove in depth on the subject - and offered a bold take on the game's outcome.
"If we were in a dome, it would have been a totally different game," McKenzie said.
McKenzie, now with the Indianapolis Colts after being cut by the Bills this spring, had a career year in 2022, recording 42 catches for 423 yards.
But against Cincinnati, McKenzie struggled - much like the rest of Buffalo's offense - to the tune of just two receptions for 10 yards.
So, why? Better yet, how would a dome have altered the game's outcome? Per McKenzie, the answer is found in the concepts each team ran.
"The Bengals ran basic routes, maybe we should've did that, ran basic routes," McKenzie said. "Like out routes, go balls, you know, instead of running routes that you have to be going lateral or coming back to the football, or turning and running curls and things like that."
In essence, Cincinnati's routes diminished the snow's impact, while Buffalo continued to run concepts that demanded more change of direction and were influenced by the weather conditions.
And evidently, the Bills didn't adjust - and saw their season, plus time with McKenzie, come to an early end as a result.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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