Bills Central

3 winners & 2 losers from Bills' hard-fought win over Steelers in Week 13

The Buffalo Bills went into Pittsburgh and knocked off the Steelers, with these players standing out as the winners and losers in Week 13.
Randy Gurzi|
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III rushes during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III rushes during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

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The first half was ugly for the Buffalo Bills, who were down 7-3 on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both teams struggled to move the ball on offense, but the Bills had two turnovers, one that allowed Pittsburgh to take the lead.

In the second half, they were able to settle down thanks to their defense and the run game. Buffalo created two turnovers on the first two drives in the third quarter, including a defensive touchdown to kick off the second half.

MORE: Refs ignore blatant late hit on Josh Allen in chippy Bills-Steelers showdown

That led them to their eighth victory of the season. With that out of the way, let's look back at who stood out as the winners and losers for the Bills this weekend.

Winner: James Cook, RB

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III rushes during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III rushes during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The one thing that will bother James Cook will be his fumble in the second quarter that allowed the Steelers to take a 7-0 lead. That said, the first half would have been a disaster without Cook, who had 81 yards rushing and led the team with 17 yards receiving heading into the half.

He continued to move the ball well on the ground throughout the game, finishing with 144 yards on 32 carries, and helped the Bills run for more total yards in Pittsburgh than anyone over the past 50 years. This game was the equivalent of a heavyweight boxing match, and Cook was the one who kept throwing punches for the Buffalo offense.

Loser: Alec Anderson, OT

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Alec Anderson practices before the game at Highmark Stadium.
Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Alec Anderson practices before the game at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Buffalo was without their starting offensive tackles in this game, which meant Ryan Van Demark started at left tackle, and Alec Anderson was on the right side. Their performance would be one of the keys to this game, and unfortunately for Anderson, he got off to a shaky start.

Anderson was flagged for a false start on each of the Bills' first two drives. Each was on a second down, forcing the offense to try and dig out of holes, which they were unable to do. Anderson and the O-line did an excellent job in run blocking, but the penalties were frustrating, and Josh Allen hardly had time to throw in this one.

Winner: Joey Bosa, EDGE

Buffalo Bills DE Joey Bosa watches the offensive line on the field during second-half action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buffalo Bills DE Joey Bosa watches the offensive line on the field during second-half action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The first half was a low-scoring battle, which saw the Steelers head to the break with a 7-3. Buffalo needed a spark to get back into the game, and Joey Bosa provided that for them.

The veteran defensive end drilled Aaron Rodgers from behind for a sack, forcing a fumble in the process. Cornerback Christian Benford scooped up the loose ball and ran it back 17 yards for a touchdown.

Loser: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks to pass as Buffalo Bills defensive end AJ Epenesa defends.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks to pass as Buffalo Bills defensive end AJ Epenesa defends. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Buffalo had all the momentum following a defensive touchdown, as well as the departure of Aaron Rodgers due to injury. They were even about to have a 3rd-and-11 on the third snap with backup Mason Rudolph, but A.J. Epensa changed that.

Epenesa hit the ball out of D.K. Metcalf's hands following an incompletion, leading to an unsportsmanlike conduct flag. That gave the Steelers 15 yards, and while Christian Benford ended the drive with a pick, Epenesa's poor decision could have changed the momentum.

Winner: Christian Benford, CB

One drive after Christian Benford scored a defensive touchdown, he ended up with the ball once again. This time, he hauled in a pass from Mason Rudolph, which didn't reach its intended target, Darnell Washington.

It was a terrible pass by Rudolph, but Benford was able to capitalize on this just as he did the previous fumble recovery. It was an excellent third quarter for Benford, who helped his team take over.

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Randy Gurzi
RANDY GURZI

Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.