2020 Buffalo Bills Season Recap
We all knew they would be better. Tom Brady was off to Tampa Bay and out of the division. The Jets are the Jets. Miami was a year or two away. The culture was built. They had been to the playoffs twice. They had drafted well. They had closed the gap with other teams.
But this? 13-3, sweeping the division at 6-0, Josh Allen turning into an MVP candidate, prime time monsters, two home playoff wins as the 2-seed and on and on it went? No way. Absolutely no way, as in no way you dip a chicken wing in ranch dressing kind of no way.
But off they went. The Bills won close, they gave up leads and still won late, they overcame a “Hail Murray” to win six straight, eight including playoffs, and set franchise records and league records along the way. Let’s rip through some season highlights, a key moment, a key game, the MVP on both sides, and more in a season recap, plus a quick drive into the offseason and 2021.
Key moment: March 16, 2020. What’s the next most important thing from a player standpoint after a franchise QB? Getting that quarterback a #1 wide receiver. The Bills made the best acquisition of the 2019 NFL offseason as GM Brandon Beane sent multiple draft choices, including a 2020 first-round pick, to Minnesota for Stefon Diggs. Instant production. Instant go-to player. Game-changing on all downs and in all formations. Great hands. You name it, Diggs has it and Diggs did it. 127 receptions and 1,535 yards. Diggs finished as the NFL’s leader in both categories for the 2020 season. He also became the first player in Buffalo Bills history to lead the NFL in receptions and yards in a single season. His receptions and receiving yardage totals were career highs for him.
More boxes checked-off. Remember when Buffalo was just trying to “break the drought” and make the playoffs? Under Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane, they have now made the playoffs in three of four years. But once the narrative changed and Buffalo became a real threat to make a run in 2020, the Bills had to at least win one playoff game, and that was the goal at the start of the season anyway. Well, they checked that box and checked another by winning two, against Indianapolis and Baltimore respectively, and prior to that checked two more boxes by winning the division and staying consistent in the winner’s circle in prime time football.
Offensive MVP: Josh Allen. Ended up getting MVP votes, two more than Patrick Mahomes. Set single-season team records for completions, yards, touchdown passes, and total touchdowns. #17 was sensational. Allen is perfect for Buffalo and will soon have a very large bank account.
Defensive MVP: CB Tre White. The defense overall didn’t have a great year, but they really picked it up in the second half and White was a big reason why. His name wasn’t called a ton during many broadcasts, but that’s because he was doing his job. White collected three interceptions, 11 passes defended, and 57 tackles in 2020.
Coaching MVP: Brian Daboll. The NFL Assistant Coach of the Year was brilliant. The offensive coordinator removed plenty of designed runs for Josh Allen and got all the receivers involved at the right times. The Bills were the best offense in the NFL for big stretches thanks to the OC who got even more creative with more weapons added to his offensive playbook. Daboll, who didn’t get a head coaching job in the offseason, is back in 2021, which is enormous for Allen and the entire offense. Consistency in this league is huge. See: Tom Brady-Bill Belichick-ownership-assistant coaches-etc.=20 years of dominance, six rings, and nine Super Bowl appearances for the Patriots.
Key game: September 27 vs. Rams. After a 4-yard TD pass from Allen to Diggs early in the second half, the rout was on with Buffalo leading 28-3. But then the Rams scored 29 unanswered points thanks to Buffalo’s careless defense, a bad 3 and out, an Allen fumble, Aaron Donald being the best defensive player in football, stupid penalties, and more. At 32-28 Los Angeles, this writer, and many Bills Mafia members started to whisper “Same Old Bills” to themselves. And then came the first real sign that Josh Allen could take the next step. Allen and the offense put together a spectacular 11-play, 75-yard drive over 4:15, capped by a 3-yard TD pass to tight end Tyler Kroft with 15 seconds left. The Bills won 35-32, beat a Super Bowl contender, and moved to 3-0. From there, the Bills were built for every level of adversity during the season. This win set the tone.
Salary Cap/NFL Draft. This leads into the final item. The Bills have hard decisions to make in the offseason. For example, Beane may have to cut WR John Brown and a plethora of defensive players so they can sign Matt Milano long-term, pay Allen and restructure contracts like Diggs and Cole Beasley. Also, the Bills have seven picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, including #30 overall in the first round. An edge rusher, cornerback opposite White, an offensive lineman, and a running back are all areas of need depending on who comes back.
What’s next? Many Bills fans assume that the team should be in the Super Bowl next season. That’s the next logical step, right? Wrong. The reset button gets hit year after year. There are too many variables and injuries and other teams improving and making changes and so much more to just pencil the Bills into the final game. Having said that, Buffalo has gone from the hunter to the hunted in the NFL and is right thereafter coming one win away from the grandest stage in sports. Now, it’s a matter of plugging and playing and fitting people in with the same coaches and a core of players. One thing is certain. In the NFL, you must have a franchise quarterback, a head coach, and a general manager to contend annually. Buffalo has those key pieces, and for those in Western New York, that is a wagon-circling feeling.
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