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A16 SPORTS
Wednesday 11 november 2020
AFC features plenty of star power even without Tom Brady

By ARNIE STAPLETON their best record at the sea-
AP Pro Football Writer son's midpoint since 2001
The AFC doesn't lack for and have won four straight,
drama or star power even including both of Tago-
though Tom Brady has vailoa's starts.
taken his talents to Davis Tagovailoa outdueled Kyler
Beach. Murray last weekend in a
The six-time champion with big win at Arizona, suggest-
New England is tearing up ing coach Brian Flores' tim-
the NFC at age 43 although ing was right in making the
the Tampa Bay Bucca- widely scrutinized switch
neers' new (old) quarter- at quarterback from Ryan
back is realizing Drew Brees Fitzpatrick. Even the Jets
is every bit the nemesis Pey- (0-9) could be big winners
to Manning was. by prevailing in the Trevor
In the wake of his depar- Lawrence sweepstakes.
ture, the Patriots have NORTH: The Steelers have
crashed like a meteorite, already matched their
Tua Tagovailoa looks like eight wins from last season,
the answer in Miami and but the Ravens (6-2) remain
the Bills are chasing their a stout challenge despite
first AFC East crown in a Jackson, the reigning NFL
quarter century. MVP, not running or pass-
Lamar Jackson again leads ing as efficiently as he did a
an potent Ravens team, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass in the first half of an NFL foot- year ago when he led Bal-
Patrick Mahomes and the ball game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. timore to an NFL-best 14-2
Chiefs have suffered no Associated Press record.
hangover from their first Su- The Browns (5-3) are in po-
per Bowl title in half a cen- Roethlisberger has been previous games did. burgh on their way to hoist- sition to end the league's
tury and the AFC South- placed on the COVID-19/ The NFL's last unbeaten ing the Lamar Hunt Trophy longest playoff absence
leading Titans have weath- reserve list along with three team isn't overpowering in his most unusual of sea- at 18 years after bouncing
ered the worst coronavirus teammates. opponents as much as sons: back from an awful open-
outbreak of this pandemic This disturbing develop- they are outlasting them, EAST: After winning the divi- er in Baltimore in which
season. But the biggest ment came a day after and heading into the sec- sion 11 consecutive years, they were completely out-
story is in Pittsburgh, where Steelers tight end Vance ond half of the season, the the Patriots (3-5) needed a classed in a 38-6 blowout.
the unbeaten Steelers (8- McDonald went on the list Steelers are the hunted. last-second field goal just The Bengals (2-5-1) are
0) are off to the best start after testing positive follow- "We have a target on our to beat the winless Jets. Bill more competitive with No.
in the storied franchise's ing a closer-than-expected back," tight end Eric Ebron Belichick finds himself look- 1 pick Joe Burrow under
87-year history but were hit 24-19 win at Dallas, which said. "We're undefeated." ing up at the improving Bills center and have already
with the news Tuesday that came down to the final Plenty of teams believe (7-2) and the long-suffering matched last year's win
battered quarterback Ben snap just as Pittsburgh's two they can supplant Pitts- Dolphins (5-3), who have total.q

Bills fans support grieving Allen with charitable donations

coach Sean McDermott ished 31 of 38 for 415 yards ing each other's back,"
revealed the news of Patri- passing, matching a career Daboll said. "I know he's
cia Allen's death following high set earlier this season, very thankful for that."
Buffalo's 44-34 win over Se- and four touchdowns in- It's not unusual for Bills fans
attle. The donations come cluding one rushing to im- to rally behind their players,
as the hospital celebrates prove the AFC East-leading as well as those of other
its third anniversary at its Bills' record to 7-2. teams.
downtown home. Offensive coordinator Bri- In 2018, current Dallas Cow-
A number of the dona- an Daboll said Allen didn't boys quarterback Andy
tions have come in at $17 show his emotions until af- Dalton's charitable founda-
each in honor of the quar- ter the game. tion received a $450,000
terback's jersey number. "When he came in off the boost from the so-called
Allen acknowledged the field and into the locker Bills Mafia fanbase after
outpouring of support on room, he kind of fell into my playing a major role in end-
Twitter, writing: "At a loss for arms a little bit," Daboll said. ing Buffalo's 17-year playoff
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) rushes past Seattle Se- words. Buffalo, I love you." "A lot of emotion there, par- drought.
ahawks' Bruce Irvin (51) and Jayson Stanley (29) for a touch- Allen has been a big sup- ticularly for him, but for me Then with Cincinnati, Dal-
down during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday,
Nov. 8, 2020, in Orchard Park, N.Y. porter of the hospital and also. When you love some- ton's 49-yard last-minute
Associated Press has made regular trips body and something hap- touchdown pass on fourth
to visit patients during his pens like that, it's tough." down to Tyler Boyd sealed
By JOHN WAWROW than $200,000 to a Buffalo three seasons in Buffalo. What doesn't surprise the Bengals' 31-27 win over
AP Sports Writer children's hospital in her McDermott revealed that Daboll, who grew up in the Baltimore on the final day
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Bills honor. Allen elected to play Sun- Buffalo suburbs, is the com- of the 2017 regular season.
fans have rallied to support The Oishei Children's Hos- day after learning of his munity's support. The result pushed the Bills
quarterback Josh Allen fol- pital announced the latest 80-year-old grandmother's "It's Buffalo, man. It's people into the playoffs, ahead
lowing his grandmother's total on its Twitter account death the night before. Put- taking care of their own of the Ravens, who were
death by donating more Tuesday, two days after ting aside his grief, Allen fin- people, and people hav- eliminated.q