ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills acquired cornerback Rasul Douglas at the trade deadline to shore up a depleted defense and reverse the team’
The Buffalo Bills acquired cornerback Rasul Douglas at the trade deadline to shore up a depleted defense and reverse the team’s slide in the standings.
The ballhawking Douglas delivered Sunday, and now Buffalo is on the doorstep of another playoff berth.
The 29-year-old Douglas returned one of his two interceptions for a score and tipped a pass to cause a third turnover in helping the Bills maintain their clear path to the playoffs with a 27-21 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
“I don’t know what we gave up to get him,” safety Micah Hyde said of the deal in which Buffalo also acquired a fifth-round draft pick by sending a third-round selection to Green Bay. “But we won that trade.”
Josh Allen made up for his poor passing by scoring twice on 1-yard runs, and the three-time division champion Bills (10-6) now prepare for a season-ending showdown at Miami (11-5) next weekend that will decide the AFC East title.
Buffalo has already defeated the Dolphins this year, and Miami blew a chance at clinching the division with a 56-19 loss to Baltimore on Sunday. The Bills have yet to clinch a playoff berth but could do so Sunday with a Pittsburgh loss or tie at Seattle and a Cincinnati loss or tie at Kansas City.
However things go, a patchwork defense that’s spent much of the season without cornerback Tre’Davious White (torn Achilles tendon) and linebacker Matt Milano (right leg) rose up in forcing four turnovers and limiting the Patriots to 16 first downs and 294 yards. Tackle Ed Oliver had an interception on a pass tipped by Douglas, and cornerback Christian Benford forced a fumble by stripping the ball from receiver Pharaoh Brown.
