Kaiir Elam, CB
For as loud (in a good way) that Elam’s play was in Buffalo’s wild card win over the Miami Dolphins, he was rarely involved over the course of the broadcast against the Bengals. Instead, Joe Burrow and Cincinnati’s offense elected to attack Buffalo’s linebackers and veteran corners Dane Jackson and Tre’Davious White. As we’ve said multiple times throughout the course of the season, having a quiet game at the cornerback position is a good thing.
James Cook, RB
Some bright spots during the course of the regular season didn’t carry over into the playoffs for Cook. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was forced into playing a script predicated on passing the ball and doing nearly everything through quarterback Josh Allen.
Khalil Shakir, WR
Shakir was the Bills’ second leading receiver in this game, posting two receptions for 40 yards on two targets. Shakir was clearly more involved in the twilight of the 2022 season, while his overall play was enough for promise to remain strong heading into 2023. His talent shone through such that he’s a likely candidate to factor heavily into the receiver rotation next season. Wide receiver will be discussed often as a position of need for Buffalo this offseason.
Christian Benford, CB
Benford was a healthy inactive once again. He never factored into the lineup after returning from Injured Reserve for the second time. Head coach Sean McDermott mentioned him as a potential position-change candidate in his end-of-season press conference.
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