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The Buffalo Bills welcomed the Dallas Cowboys to Orchard Park on Sunday and during a wet and windy day, pounded the playoff-bound visitors into submission by a 31-3 score.
"That,'' said Bills QB Josh Allen, speaking both of the day's matchup and the desperation the playoff-hopeful team faces, "is what we're built for!''
How did the Bills get to that point? Follow along at our chronological look!
The game will feature a meeting of two of the NFL's elite quarterbacks in Josh Allen and Dak Prescott, both of whom are trying to improve the respective playoff standings of their teams.
Allen and the Bills returned from their bye and pulled off an upset of the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs on the road in Week 14. Buffalo will enter this game against the Cowboys at 7-6, currently on the outside looking in for the AFC playoff picture. However, moving to 8-6 would obviously improve the chances that coach Sean McDermott and the Bills reach the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys throttled the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football last week, and at 10-3, remain in the race for both the NFC East title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Should Dallas earn the top spot in the NFC playoffs, it will come with a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Dallas has looked unbeatable at home this season, as evidenced by their 7-0 record at AT&T Stadium. But the Cowboys have been much more mortal on the road, where they are 3-3 in 2023. Getting a road win over a quality opponent would not only help the MVP case of the aforementioned Prescott, but it would give the Cowboys confi dence that if they do need to go on the road ay any point in the playoffs, they are still capable of making a deep postseason run.
Follow along for live updates and highlights from this exciting Week 15 matchup.
First Quarter
Offensive Drive 1: The Cowboys won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Dallas actually kept Buffalo out of the end zone on third-and-goal, but a late hit by DeMarcus Lawrence on Allen gave the Bills a new set of downs. Veteran running back Latavius Murray ultimately capped off a 12-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown rush.
Latavius Murray powers it in for an opening drive TD
— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2023
: #DALvsBUF on FOX
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kw7mays4qU pic.twitter.com/kWzT6MkuLn
Defensive Drive 1: On third-and-14, Prescott was sacked by Leonard Floyd for a nine-yard loss, forcing a Dallas punt.
Offensive Drive 2: Former Bill Stephon Gilmore knocked away a pass attempt to Stefon Diggs on third-and-three, forcing a punt from Buffalo.
Defensive Drive 2: Dallas went three-and-out on their second offensive drive, with punter Bryan Anger booting the ball 52 yards away on fourth down.
Second Quarter
Offensive Drive 3: On third-and-eight, Allen was pressured by Sam Williams as he went to take off, and that forced the Bills to punt. However, a roughing the kicker penalty extended the drive, and Allen eventually found running back James Cook for an 18-yard touchdown.
Josh Allen dials it up for James Cook! Bills take a 14-0 lead.
— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2023
: #DALvsBUF on FOX
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kw7mays4qU pic.twitter.com/cVlwv7UAWB
Defensive Drive 3: While Dallas got on the board during their third possession, they had to settle for a 32-yard field goal from star rookie Brandon Aubrey, cutting the Bills lead to 14-3.
Offensive Drive 4: Allen capped off an 11-play, 76-yard drive with a quarterback sneak into the end zone, giving the Bills a 21-3 lead after a successful extra point from kicker Tyler Bass.
Josh Allen shoves in for the TD! Bills lead 21-3
— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2023
: #DALvsBUF on FOX
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kw7mays4qU pic.twitter.com/71hlwUhkRz
Defensive Drive 4: Dallas took just 1:17 seconds off the clock before punting back to the Bills.
Offensive Drive 5: Pinned back inside their own 10-yard line, the Bills elected to kneel down and head to the halftime locker room with a 21-3 lead.
Third Quarter
Defensive Drive 5: On third-and-one, Tyrel Dodson and Gregory Rousseau combined to sack Prescott for a 10-yard loss, forcing a Dallas punt.
Offensive Drive 6: Cook bobbled a pass from Allen on third-and-goal, bringing a drive that featured a ton of runs and took over eight minutes off the clock to an end. Bass connected on a 23-yard field goal to extend the lead for the Bills.
Defensive Drive 6: On third-and-nine, the Bills once again sacked Prescott, with Jordan Phillips taking down the MVP candidate for a nine-yard loss.
Fourth Quarter
Offensive Drive 7: Shortly after a tremendous one-handed catch by Diggs, Cook added onto his career day with a 24-yard touchdown run, which he capped off by flipping into the end zone.
LET JAMES COOK.
— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2023
: #DALvsBUF on FOX
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kw7mays4qU pic.twitter.com/vaPf6cc80s
Defensive Drive 7: Prescott overthrew Brandin Cooks and was picked off by Christian Benford, the latest reminder of how non-competitive this game has been.
Offensive Drive 8: Kyle Allen took over at quarterback in this drive, with Josh Allen and Diggs on the sideline for the Bills, up 28 in the fourth quarter. The Bills went three-and-out.
Defensive Drive 8: CeeDee Lamb took a handoff from Prescott and scored the first touchdown of the day for the Cowboys, capping off a 15-play, 80-yard drive.
Offensive Drive 9: The Bills ran the clock out, sealing a victory.
More must-reads:
- Browns' Shedeur Sanders struggles in preseason finale
- Five NFL QBs who have breakout potential in 2025
- The '2024-25 NFL rushing touchdown leaders' quiz
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