For much of the 2020 season, the conversation about the Buffalo Bills' defense focused on what it wasn't.
It wasn't as good as the dominant unit that ranked third in the NFL in total yards allowed last season and second in points permitted.
It wasn't effective at stopping the run.
During Saturday night's divisional round playoff game, this is what the Bills' defense was: Dominant. It held the Baltimore Ravens to a field goal on the way to 17-3 victory that advanced Buffalo to next Sunday's AFC championship game against either the Kansas City Chiefs or Cleveland Browns.
One of the Bills' best defensive performances in years couldn't have come at a better time.
“It has to be up there certainly," coach Sean McDermott told reporters. "To hold a team in the divisional playoffs to three points is tough to do, especially a team with the weapons they have. We had to be disciplined and they played hard the entire game.”
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The Bills broke the game open when Taron Johnson intercepted a Lamar Jackson pass in the end zone late in the third quarter and returned it 101 yards for a touchdown to put the Bills up, 17-3.
Taron Johnson's return tied the longest in NFL postseason history.
Jackson, the most dynamic running quarterback and playmaker at any position in the league, was held to only 34 yards on nine carries, 162 passing yards and an interception before he left the game at the end of the third quarter with a concussion.
The Ravens, who had averaged 191.9 rushing yards per game, finished the night with 150 yards on the ground.
"I thought it was a good team effort on defense and fun to watch," McDermott said. "Just a phenomenal job. That's a tough offense to stop, unique in what they do as it relates to the NFL."
"I can’t say enough words for what that game was for our defense," quarterback Josh Allen said.
It was the first time the Ravens failed to reach double digits in scoring since producing only nine points in Week 5 in 2018. It also was the fewest points they produced since a 20-3 loss against the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round of the 2009 playoffs on Jan. 16, 2010, which was 11 years to the day of Saturday night's game.
"We took it as a challenge. A lot of us, just because we had this late-night game, we sat around, we watched TV, we enjoy football," said Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes, who had two sacks. "It's our job. It's our passion. So, you know, when we see the guys on TV talking about how they don't play defense in Buffalo, we're going to give up 30 points.
"That's a challenge that we all see. We take it as a challenge and we accept it, so I think we went out there and we played like we had something to prove, and that's how you're supposed to play football at your house, especially in the playoffs."
Hughes now has five career playoff sacks, joining Daryl Talley, Bruce Smith and Jeff Wright as the only Bills players with at least five sacks in the postseason.
"Man, that’s an honor, he said. "To be mentioned with Daryl Talley and big Bruce, that’s a big honor. Just walking into this building back in 2013 I used to see their faces plastered onto the walls. All the great quotes and great things they did for this organization. I certainly know all about those guys and it’s an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as them."
McDermott had high praise for his defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier, and the rest of the defensive coaching staff.
"They did a phenomenal job," McDermott said. "It was a great plan, a well-executed plan. The way they practiced during the week was well mapped out and intentional. And I thought the players showed that in the way that they played."
