Larry Brown Sports

Brown Bag it, Baby

Blog

Rams benefit from a missed call on Caleb Williams interception

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Los Angeles Rams managed to benefit from a missed call on the very first drive of Sunday’s playoff game.

In the first quarter of their divisional playoff game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill., the Rams began on defense as the Bears were able to get the ball all the way to the fringe of the red zone. On a 4th-and-2 play from the Rams’ 21-yard line, Chicago QB Caleb Williams fired a pass towards the end zone that ended up getting intercepted by Los Angeles cornerback Cobie Durant.

Instant replay showed though that the referees missed what should have been a roughing-the-passer call against the Rams. Defensive end Kobie Turner smacked Williams in the helmet and head area right as Williams was letting go of the pass that was eventually intercepted.

Here is the video.

Though the rule itself is a controversial one, according to the letter of the law, that was a clear roughing violation by Turner. Per the NFL rulebook, it is a roughing foul if “an opponent forcibly hits the quarterback’s head or neck area with his helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder.”

The Rams would go on to score a touchdown on their ensuing drive on a four-yard run by Kyren Williams, but the Bears answered back in the second quarter with a three-yard TD pass from Williams to DJ Moore to tie the score at 7-7. That said, the Rams were on the receiving end of some bad missed calls towards the end of the regular season, so maybe this was just a nature’s way of evening things out.

Kayshon Boutte produces the catch of the playoffs with one-handed TD grab

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Kayshon Boutte did his best OBJ impression during Sunday’s playoff game.

The New England Patriots wide receiver Boutte produced the catch of the postseason during his team’s divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans. In the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., Boutte got the step on Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye fired the deep ball toward the end zone.

Boutte went at just about full-extension to haul in the ball and only needed one hand to do so. His momentum then carried him past the goal line for an absolutely breathtaking touchdown to give New England the 27-16 lead.

Here is the video.

There aren’t quite enough superlatives to describe a catch like that. On top of the one-handed acrobatics by Boutte, the circumstances (in the snow against a First Team All-Pro like Stingley to effectively ice the game in the fourth quarter) gave the catch a strong argument for one of the greatest playoff grabs of all-time.

Boutte, 23, is a former sixth-round draft pick out of LSU. As recently as a couple of years ago, he was best known for his alleged involvement in a gambling scandal. But Boutte has really taken off this season, leading all Patriots wide receiver with six touchdowns during the regular season and adding his seventh in emphatic fashion during Sunday’s playoff game.

Broncos sign a new quarterback after Bo Nix’s injury

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Denver Broncos are signing a new quarterback (who also happens to be their old one).

Denver has signed veteran QB Ben DiNucci to their practice squad, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Sunday. DiNucci, 29, is rejoining the Broncos after already spending time on their practice squad during the 2023 season.

The news comes with Denver’s staring quarterback Bo Nix having just been ruled out for the season in a shocker. While helping lead the Broncos to victory over the Buffalo Bills in Saturday’s divisional playoff game at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colo., Nix suffered a broken bone in his right ankle on the second-to-last play of the game.

As a result, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham is set to draw the start during next week’s AFC Championship Game against either the New England Patriots or the Houston Texans. Former University of Texas standout Sam Ehlinger is the only other QB on the Denver roster, so it is indeed wise for them to add some more insurance at the position ahead of next week’s high-stakes playoff game.

DiNucci, a seventh-round draft pick in 2020 (No. 231 overall) has spent time over the years on various NFL rosters, including with the Dallas Cowboys, the Buffalo Bills, the New Orleans Saints, and the Atlanta Falcons in addition to the Broncos. He was on Atlanta’s preseason roster for one week back in August but ended up being waived and had gone unsigned ever since then.

The James Madison product DiNucci also had a brief stint with the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons in 2023 and even led the league in passing yards that season. Though more of a meme at the NFL level than anything, DiNucci, who had been working as a college commentator for CBS Sports in recent months, is now officially back on an NFL roster.

CJ Stroud gets the memes for his horrific 4-INT half vs. Patriots

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

CJ Stroud was completely in over his head during Sunday’s divisional playoff game.

The Houston Texans quarterback Stroud produced one of the most nightmarish playoff halves of all-time against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Stroud fired not one, not two, not three, but four interceptions within the first 28 minutes of the contest.

He got picked off in the first quarter by Carlton Davis III, threw a pick-six to Marcus Jones in the second quarter, fired another interception to Craig Woodson on the very next drive of the second quarter, and then finally got picked by Davis again with two minutes remaining in the first half.

Stroud’s pick-six to Jones was particularly awful as he made an ill-advised decision while under heavy pressure to float a jump ball back towards the line of scrimmage.

Predictably, Stroud got torched online for his complete port-a-potty of a half. Here were some of the most savage memes at Stroud’s expense.

While Houston’s defense still managed to keep the game within strking distance by forcing New England QB Drake Maye into an interception and multiple fumbles, Stroud clearly did not pull his weight during Sunday’s game. After a standout 2023 rookie season in which he was named a Pro Bowler, Stroud has seemingly gotten progressively worse ever since then and recently even admitted to losing a step in a bizarre moment.

Mets have interest in former Yankee in free agency

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The New York Mets may not be done trying to make impact additions ahead of the new MLB season.

The Mets still have interest in outfielder Cody Bellinger, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. The team has interest in a versatile center fielder who can also fill in at the corners, and Bellinger fits that bill.

One sticking point may be contract length. The Mets would prefer to sign Bellinger to a short-term deal, and it is not clear if Bellinger would be as interested in that.

Adding Bellinger would certainly look good for the Mets, partly because it would come at the expense of the New York Yankees. The Yankees wanted Bellinger back badly, but contract talks between the two sides have stalled and the team appears pessimistic about bringing him back. Considering Bellinger has been pushing for a 7-year contract, it stands to reason that a short-term deal might be of even less interest to Bellinger.

The Mets have already made one big addition this offseason but certainly do not want to be done. Bellinger hit .272 last season with 29 home runs, setting himself up for a significant payday. He has had a hard time finding the right contract length so far, as the 30-year-old definitely wants some long-term security in his next deal.

Ja Morant reveals whether he wants a trade

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has had his name come up regularly in trade rumors over the last several weeks, but he suggested Sunday that he was not the one who was instigating them.

Morant on Sunday indicated that he hopes to stay with Memphis, citing his loyalty. That is despite the fact that his name has regularly come up in trade speculation.

“Anybody in here knows me (knows) I’m a very loyal guy. I got a logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be,” Morant told reporters, alluding to the Grizzlies logo tattooed on his back.

Morant may want to stay with Memphis, but he has not necessarily shown it. Reports have suggested there is one team in particular Morant wants to go to, and he has looked quite unhappy in recent weeks. There has even been chatter about friction with teammates and coaches that only seems to be growing.

Morant returned to action on Sunday with 24 points and 13 assists in a win over the Orlando Magic. If that were the norm, the Grizzlies would likely have no problem with how things are going, but the team is 18-23 and Morant has appeared passive at times. He has only appeared in 19 games due to injuries, and is averaging 19 points per game on the year.

Braves infielder to miss start of MLB season after falling on ice

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Atlanta Braves infielder Ha-Seong Kim is likely to miss the start of the MLB regular season due to a fluke accident.

The Braves announced Sunday that Kim underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger, and is likely to miss 4-5 months as a result. The team added that the injury happened when Kim “fell on ice while in Korea.”

This sounds like a fluke, albeit a frustrating one for the Braves. It is not great news for Kim either, considering he was limited to 48 games in 2025 by injuries.

The Braves added Kim off waivers late last season and signed him to a 1-year, $20 million deal for 2026. That contract was largely based on past production, as he was a Gold Glove winner who hit 17 home runs for the San Diego Padres in 2023. Atlanta had been banking on a full year of production from the infielder when they signed him.

There are definitely worse ways for a player to get hurt, but this sounds like a particularly painful one for Kim and the Braves. The fact that he will likely miss the start of the season as a result only makes matters worse.

Giannis Antetokounmpo may be holding up the NBA trade market

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The NBA trade deadline is just over two weeks away, but no significant moves appear close to being made. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the reason why.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week that some teams are holding off on making deals because they are not completely certain that Antetokounmpo will not be traded this season, and want to ensure they have a chance to acquire him if he is.

“When I talk to people in the league, they’re still holding, waiting to see,” Windhorst said. “The Bucks have just had two miserable performances. They are going the wrong direction. There are deals that are on hold because teams still aren’t 100 percent sure Giannis is going to be on the team the rest of the year.”

The Bucks have been adamant that they want to try to buy and get Antetokounmpo some more help. Antetokounmpo himself has made it clear that he is not trying to push his way out of Milwaukee. None of that has convinced some teams, especially since the Bucks continue to flounder.

Milwaukee has lost three in a row, all against Western Conference contenders, and only one of the games was particularly close. Their play continues to prompt questions about whether they are even a playoff team, which is nowhere near where Antetokounmpo expects them to be. Entering Sunday, they are a miserable 17-24 and would not even be in the play-in tournament if it started today.

Any Antetokounmpo trade is probably more likely to happen after the season than during it. There have been plenty of rumors to suggest that the scenario has at least been considered, though, and it may keep some teams in a holding pattern for a while longer.

Russell Wilson shouts out Seahawks after their playoff win

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Russell Wilson appears to be quite pleased to see his former team doing well in the NFL Playoffs.

Wilson shouted out the Seattle Seahawks after their 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Saturday’s NFC Divisional game at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash. Wilson said Saturday’s performance shows how “legit” this Seahawks team is, and he noted that he was a big fan of quarterback Sam Darnold’s comeback story.

Wilson did not necessarily leave Seattle on the best of terms, but there certainly do not appear to be any hard feelings. Most of the players and staff involved during his time there have moved on, and it’s not as if the quarterback has anything to gain by holding a grudge against the franchise where he had most of his success.

Wilson also has good reason to use Darnold as a template. His own future is in doubt after a rough year with the New York Giants that saw him benched early on for Jaxson Dart. He has made it clear he intends to keep playing, though not everyone believes that.

Like Wilson, Darnold once looked like a career backup after he flamed out with the New York Jets. The issue for Wilson is that he is nine years older than Darnold and does not have quite as much time to re-establish himself. He still sees himself as a starter, though, and clearly does not intend to give up on his career that easily.

Curt Cignetti had the most epic quote about Indiana’s title game focus

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Curt Cignetti was not in the mood for warm words one day before his Indiana Hoosiers face the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff title game.

Cignetti acknowledged the fairy tale nature of his team’s run through the playoff, as well as the praise his school has received over the last week or so. The Indiana coach does not necessarily have a problem with that, but he made clear that it’s time to focus.

“I think it’s time to sharpen the saw now,” Cignetti said Sunday. “Throw those warm fuzzies out the door, sentimentalism. It’s time to go play a game against a great opponent. We’ve got to have a sharp edge going into this game. You don’t go to war with warm milk and cookies.”

If Indiana does not come out laser-focused for the championship game, it certainly will not be because Cignetti was not pushing them hard enough. The guy knows when to ease off a bit and when to double down, and right now, it is clearly time for the latter.

Indiana enters Monday night’s title game 15-0. They rolled through the first two rounds of the playoff with relative ease and are a clear favorite to win the title — not that Cignetti wants his team dwelling on any of that.

Sean McDermott called a reporter to complain about Bills’ controversial ending

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott was still so aggrieved over how his team’s season ended, he called a reporter from the team plane to complain about it.

McDermott was furious that what he saw as a clear catch by wide receiver Brandin Cooks wound up being ruled an interception by Denver’s Ja’Quan McMillian during overtime of Saturday’s AFC Divisional game. Even after criticizing the call during his postgame press conference, he doubled down by calling reporter Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News while on the team plane to offer some further frustrations.

McDermott argued that the play was “not even close,” and that he was angry over what he saw as a rushed replay review for such a pivotal play.

Skurski went on to admit that getting a phone call from McDermott for this express purpose was “so unusual it probably won’t happen again in my career.”

Like many Bills fans, McDermott was clearly trying to make sense of how Saturday’s game got away. The team was devastated not just by the loss, but the nature of it. They missed several opportunities to finish off the Broncos and failed to do it, and some mistakes loomed very large in such a narrow overtime defeat.

As for the play in question, the league said it was reviewed properly by New York and determined to be an interception because Cooks failed to complete the process of the catch. Since the ball never hit the ground, it had to be either an interception or a catch, and the Broncos wound up benefitting from the ultimate decision.

Jaxon Smith-Nijgba’s brother roasted 49ers DB on social media

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Seattle Seahawks obliterated the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night in the NFC Divisional playoff, and their victories came off the field as well as on it.

Canaan Smith-Njigba, the older brother of Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, took to social media after the game to taunt 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir after Seattle’s 41-6 victory at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash. Lenoir lost his cool and headbutted Smith-Njigba during the third quarter of the game, and that definitely did not go unnoticed.

“Jax always wanted a little brother to bully. Welcome to the family,” Canaan posted on X while tagging Lenoir.

Smith-Njigba did not even have to do much during the game, as he caught just three passes for 19 yards, though one of them was for a touchdown. The wide receiver did not really need to take on a starring role considering the Seahawks jumped out to a 17-point first quarter lead.

Canaan Smith-Njigba has pursued a baseball career and is currently a free agent. He certainly is not falling short in the trash-talking department.

Mike McCarthy is a candidate for prominent head coach job

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

After a year away from coaching, Mike McCarthy may wind up on a short list of candidates for one available job.

The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to speak with McCarthy about their vacant head coaching job, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, has previously worked with Steelers general manager Omar Khan.

If the Steelers value experience and stability, McCarthy has a history of bringing plenty of both. He has a lifetime record of 174-112-2 with the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, and won a Super Bowl with Green Bay in 2010.

On the other hand, McCarthy does not really fit the profile of past Steelers head coaches. The 62-year-old is unlikely to be a long-term solution in Pittsburgh, a franchise that has had just three head coaches since 1969. Many initially anticipated the Steelers hiring a younger coach with the potential to stick around for a while, but Pittsburgh may be considering a change of pace.

McCarthy has extensive history with Aaron Rodgers, though not all of it has been positive. Still, it could factor in if the Steelers really want the quarterback to return for one more season.

McCarthy has also been linked to another head coaching vacancy, but for now, that team does not appear to be strongly pursuing him.

Steelers players have strong feelings about potential Aaron Rodgers return

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

As unlikely as it may be, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still holding out some hope of an Aaron Rodgers return.

The Steelers remain “open” to a reunion with Rodgers in 2026, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team’s experience with the quarterback appears to have been overwhelmingly positive, with Rodgers drawing “universal praise” from his fellow players during exit interviews.

The Steelers do recognize that this is unlikely to happen. Coach Mike Tomlin was one of the biggest reasons Rodgers wanted to play for Pittsburgh. Now that he has stepped aside, it is tough to envision Rodgers returning for another season under a new coach, whoever that may wind up being.

Rodgers, 42, threw for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns for the Steelers last season. Like most of the team’s offense, he was very poor in the team’s playoff loss to Houston and turned the ball over twice.

It is not completely out of the question that Rodgers could opt to play another season. However, at this point, it feels more likely that he finally decides to call it a career.

Larsa Pippen responds to the LiAngelo Ball dating rumors

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

LiAngelo Ball apparently is not following in the footsteps of Marcus Jordan.

Rumors went viral over social media this week claiming that Ball is dating Larsa Pippen, the ex-wife of Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen. The rumor appears to have originated from an Instagram page that posted an edited photo of LiAngelo and Larsa supposedly together.

Over the weekend though, Larsa took to the Instagram comments section to address the chatter. Larsa, 51, indicated that her and LiAngelo, 27, were definitely not an item.

“Stop w the fake news,” Larsa wrote, according to TMZ.

Larsa, who finalized her divorce from Scottie in 2021, has dated a couple of notable names in the basketball world over the last several years. She was linked romantically to former NBA swingman Malik Beasley in 2021 and then proceeded to have a highly-publicized relationship with Marcus Jordan, the son of Michael Jordan. That caused a lot of drama since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are estranged former Chicago Bulls co-stars. But Larsa and Marcus ended up splitting a couple of years back, bringing the saga to an end.

As for LiAngelo, he has since moved on from pursuing professional basketball and transitioned into a semi-successful career as a rapper. LiAngelo had a viral hit song “Tweaker” in 2024 and managed to turned that into a huge music deal. But he has since experienced some drama in his personal life, including messy public splits from multiple of his exes.

Tre’Davious White blasts referees after being called for costly penalty

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Tre’Davious White blasted the officials after he was called for a costly penalty in his Buffalo Bills’ 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in their AFC Divisional playoff game on Saturday at Mile High in Denver, Colo.

The Broncos had a 2nd-and-12 at the Buffalo 38 with the game tied at 30 and 5:24 remaining in overtime. Bo Nix threw a pass deep to Marvin Mims. White was providing coverage and jumped into Mims to prevent the catch. White was called for pass interference, which set the Broncos up at the Buffalo 8-yard line.

White was so upset that he was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty a play later for throwing his helmet in front of an official.

White had effectively cost his team the game with his penalties. He was so upset that he blamed the officials after the game.

“I just think it should be up to the players to decide the game with a game that’s fought so hard. It’s a bang-bang play. … referees just don’t know ball man,” White said.

Some fans stood with White and were angry with the officials for the call, while others thought White had committed an obvious infraction.

White was frustrated for obvious reasons — the call effectively ended Buffalo’s season. But he also made contact with Mims too early and put himself in position to be called for the penalty.

Deommodore Lenoir loses his cool with a headbutt of Jaxon Smith-Njigba

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Deommodore Lenoir was out there crashing out during Saturday’s season-ending loss.

Lenoir and the San Francisco 49ers got absolutely trounced by the Seattle Seahawks during their divisional round playoff game at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash. It was all Seattle all night as the Seahawks jumped out to a 17-0 advantage by the end of the first quarter and ended up winning by a laugher of a final score of 41-6.

During the third quarter as the 49ers were trailing 27-6, the San Francisco cornerback Lenoir lost his cool. As Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Nijgba walked up to him during a Seahawks drive, Lenoir responded by giving Smith-Njigba a helmet-to-helmet headbutt.

Here is the video.

It appeared that Lenoir had enough of Smith-Njigba by that point as the First Team All-Pro receiver got the better of him for much of the night. While Smith-Njigba finished with just three catches for 19 yards as Seattle’s run game took center stage, one of those catches was a first-quarter touchdown reception to put the Seahawks up 16-0.

The 26-year-old Lenoir also made headlines a few months ago after getting embarrassed by Ashton Jeanty. While San Francisco’s 2025 campaign is now officially over, Lenoir will almost certainly be facing a fine from the NFL over the headbutt of Smith-Njigba and possibly even a suspension to start off next season.

Everyone made the same joke after Bo Nix was ruled out for the season

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Denver Broncos are in desperate need of a quarterback after Bo Nix was ruled out for the season. Several fans had someone in mind as a potential two-game replacement.

Nix led the Broncos to a 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in front of a rabid home crowd at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo. Disaster struck, however, in the closing series as Nix suffered a fracture in his right ankle.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced that Nix was scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday, which will keep him out for the remainder of the playoffs.

Fans couldn’t help but daydream about a certain 7-time Super Bowl winner taking a break from the broadcast booth to suit up in place of Nix. Many joked about how Tom Brady might have let an intrusive thought linger in his mind about coming out of retirement.

Brady turns 49 years old later this year and has not thrown a football on an NFL field since the 2022 season. But fans just saw a 44-year-old Philip Rivers come out of retirement from an even longer hiatus to man the Indianapolis Colts’ starting job for a few games. While the Rivers failed to record a win across three games played, he did perform much better than most were expecting.

Brady’s body may no longer be able to endure a full season of wear and tear, but the man can probably sling it for a couple of contests — especially if the AFC Championship Game comes against his New England Patriots.

Broncos fans, however, will have to settle for a former Brady backup to replace Nix. Jarrett Stidham, who backed up Brady on the Patriots in 2019, is set to start for Denver in the conference title game.

Falcons have hired a new head coach

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Atlanta Falcons have plucked one coach off the carousel.

The Falcons have hired Kevin Stefanski as their next head coach. The team announced the news on Saturday night and says the move came after Stefanski met with Falcons leadership, including team owner Arthur Blank.

Stefanski was hired by new Falcons president of football Matt Ryan, to whom the coach will report. Ryan, who is a Falcons legend as a former player, shared a statement about the hiring.

“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” Ryan’s statement said. “Coach Stefanski is a team-first leader who puts a premium on accountability for everyone and a player-driven culture. His experience in Cleveland and Minnesota has given him a great understanding of the importance of working in sync with scouting, personnel and the rest of the football staff to maximize talent across the roster and in doing everything possible to put our players in the best position to succeed. Kevin’s style of leadership, combined with the staff and infrastructure in place here in Atlanta, gives us confidence in our shared vision for the team and we are excited to have him as the leader of our football team.”

Stefanski had been termed on Friday as a favorite for the job, and that report proved to be accurate. The 43-year-old Stefanski coached the Cleveland Browns for six seasons from 2020-2025. He led the team to the playoffs twice, and helped them make their first postseason appearance since 2002.

The Falcons have top offensive options in Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Falcons fans are eager to see what Stefanski will be able to do with former first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback.

Bills star was an emotional wreck after Josh Allen said he let the team down

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Tears were flowing Saturday in the Buffalo Bills’ locker room as the team’s season came to an end.

The Bills blew several chances to take control of their Divisional Round matchup against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo. One big pass or timely scramble from Allen could have been the difference in Buffalo’s 33-30 loss in overtime.

Allen was in tears during his postgame press conference. He apologized to his Bills teammates, stating that he “let my teammates down tonight.”

A reporter later asked Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins about Allen’s words. The Pro Bowler fought back tears of his own when he heard what Allen had to say.

“He let us down?” Dawkins said in a mix of anguish and disbelief.

With his emotions getting the better of him, Dawkins then stepped away from the media scrum.

Dawkins has served as Allen’s primary blocker since the Bills drafted the Wyoming product in 2018. The two have developed an undeniable bond since then, with both players emerging as one of the best in their respective positions.

Allen and Dawkins have led the Bills to seven straight double-digit win seasons. But that regular-season success has yet to translate to playoff glory.

Saturday’s loss must have stung even more for Bills fans when they learned that Bo Nix had suffered a season-ending ankle injury in overtime. The Nix-less Broncos will face a formidable defense in the AFC Championship Game regardless of who advances between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans.

  • Read more stories

Football

College Football

Basketball

Baseball

Media

Headlines

  • i want more great stories!

Sign up today for free and get the best sports content sent to your inbox.

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

.
LBS iPhone App
Get the App

Get instantly notified of the most viral news stories via Google!