ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Playoff football arrives in Orchard Park this week, as the Steelers visit the Buffalo Bills for Sunday's Wild Card round game.
With Pittsburgh coming to town, Buffalo knows a very specific style of football is on tap this weekend.
"Just trying to take it one moment at a time, get our bodies right, understanding that we're going to have to face a very physical AFC North team," Bills center Mitch Morse said. "Kind of their brand of football, the AFC North, and we know if we want to have any sort of success on Sunday, we're going to have to match their physicality and intensity."
Physicality takes on extra importance this week not just because of looming inclement weather, but also because the Steelers have emphasized physicality, especially on offense.
Pittsburgh is running the ball an average of 43 times for 178.5 yards the last two weeks.
Running back Najee Harris has been particularly effective over that stretch, carrying 27 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns in a win at Seattle, then last week carrying 26 times for 112 yards and one touchdown in a win at Baltimore that helped send Pittsburgh to the playoffs.
“I know that they're going to want to come with a lot of physicality, and so are we," Bills cornerback Taron Johnson said. "That's just what kind of game it's going to be."
Buffalo has shown an ability to run the ball as well in less than ideal conditions, exemplified by the team's 266 rushing yards in the rain against Dallas last month. The Bills will look for that same sort of mentality on Sunday.
“It starts with a mindset, so you've got to have that,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. "That's really where it starts. It's a physical game, they re a physical team. Look, if we want to have a chance, we've got to play physical. There's no negotiating around that or finding a way around it.”
Especially when playoff football arrives in Orchard Park.
"That's the style of football you have to play in particular this time of year and against this football team," he said.