NFL Saturday: Bills rally past Chargers, gain ground in AFC playoff race after Bengals lose to Steelers

There was no Chargers miracle in the final seconds. The Bills avert disaster and hold on for a 24-22 win. They improve to 9-6 and gain ground in the playoff race after the Bengals fell to 8-7 with a loss to the Steelers earlier Saturday. Big swing in the AFC playoff picture.

Tyler Bass kicks the go-ahead field. Buffalo leads, 24-22 with 28 seconds remaining.

Close call. Officials got it right. He was down. Very likely a good break for the Bills. They can potentially run out the clock for a game-winning field goal attempt rather than give the ball back to the Chargers with more than 2 minutes remaining.

Madness in the final minutes. Khalil Shakir appeared to have scored a go ahead touchdown with 2:25 remaining. Josh Allen beat the third-down blitz to find Shakir inside the 15-yard line. Shakir dove to catch the ball then ran to the end zone. But officials ruled upon replay review that he was down by contact before getting up.

Big conversion on third-and-8. Josh Allen hits Stefon Diggs to keep the drive alive. Bills across the Chargers 40 in the final three minutes of regulation needing a field goal to take the lead.

Cameron Dicker is clutch. The Chargers lose three yards after the turnover, but Dicker hits his fifth field goal of the game to put Los Angeles ahead, 22-21 with 5:26 remaining. This time from 53 yards.

Big turnover. James Cook fumbles and the Chargers recover with a chance to take the lead.

Another Cameron Dicker field goal pulls the Chargers to within 21-19 with 7:19 remaining. Bills with a needed stand after the Chargers took over near midfield.

The Bills just lost 22 yards on a disastrous 3-and-out and punted back to the Chargers, who remain within a touchdown of taking the lead.

The Chargers let the final 38 seconds run off the clock, and the Bills go into halftime with a 14-10 lead. A nice turnaround for Buffalo after an ominous start.

Josh Allen caps a run-heavy 63-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run around the right end. After digging a 10-0 hole, the Bill lead 14-10 with 38 seconds before halftime.

Leonard Fournette — elevated from the practice squad for Saturday's game — is pounding the ball in the red zone for Buffalo.

The Bills force a punt and have a chance to tie or take the lead before halftime. 10-7, Chargers with 4:29 remaining. Buffalo will start with the ball at its own 37.

That's a game changer. Gabe Davis breaks free down the right sideline, and Josh Allen scrambles to keep the play alive before throwing a deep ball for 57-yard touchdown. One play, and the Bills have cut their deficit to 10-7.

Big stop for the Bills. Chargers go 3 and out after starting inside their own 10. Good field position for the Bills, who start their fourth possession at their own 43. Can they capitalize?

The Bills punt again after gaining 15 yards on five plays. Three possessions, three punts and a 10-0 deficit for Buffalo early in the second quarter.

The Chargers capitalize on the turnover. Easton Stick runs it in for a 1-yard touchdown to cap a 27-yard drive. 10-0 Chargers in the second quarter, and alarms are sounding in Buffalo.

Welp. There will be no Bills score after the sack. Bills returner Deonte Harty was stripped on the punt return, and the Chargers recovered deep in Buffalo territory. Big early trouble here for the Bills. Chargers lead 3-0 at the end of the first quarter with a chance to add on more.

Cam Lewis comes up with a sack of Easton Stick on third down to get the ball back for Buffalo. The Bills are under pressure to come up with a score.

The Bills appeared to have an interception of Easton Stick. But a holding penalty on cornerback Christian Benford on the other side of the field negated it. Big break for the Chargers, who lead 3-0 late in the first quarter.

Another short Bills drive ends with a punt. They stall after gaining 25 yards on their second drive, and the Chargers have the ball again leading, 3-0. A concerning start in a high-stakes game for Buffalo.

The Chargers stall out in the red zone. Cameron Dicker's 20-yard field goal gives the Chargers a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Easton Stick is moving the Chargers on their opening drive. Los Angeles is in the red zone.

The Chargers start their first drive with Easton Stick at quarterback and interim head coach Giff Smith on the sideline. Not exactly how they drew things up for Week 16.

Bills are punting after their opening drive stalls at their own 41.

Stefon Diggs was shaken up on Buffalo's first play. But he's back on the field after missing a down.

The Chargers won the toss and have deferred. The Bills have the ball to open the game after a touchback.

Chargers inactives:

Bills inactives for the late game:

And that's the game. The Steelers roll to a 34-11 win to keep their playoff hopes alive while dealing a blow to Cincinnati's. Both teams stand at 8-7 on the outside looking in at a muddled AFC playoff race. The Bills face the Chargers next with a chance to improve to 9-6

A Chris Boswell field goal extends the Steelers lead to 34-11 midway through the fourth quarter.

Jake Browning throws another interception. His third of the day. Alex Highsmith picked him off on a second-down pass over the middle into a lot of traffic.