ORCHARD PARK - There were times throughout Saturday and Sunday when it seemed like it would be next to impossible to play the AFC wild-card playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers even after it was pushed back to Monday afternoon.

The lake effect storm which hovered over Orchard Park and other suburbs south of Buffalo was another epic weather event, one that has been all too familiar for that area in recent years.

However, Mother Nature let up Monday morning - at least at Highmark Stadium - and thanks to Herculean efforts by citizens who trekked out to the venue to shovel it out, plus all the plow drivers who worked feverishly to not only clear the snow from inside the stadium but the roads and parking lots, the game will go on.

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As for what kind of game it will be, it’s going to be a struggle to operate for both teams as the temperature is not supposed to get out of the teens and the wind chill is expected to be in the single digits thanks to winds that are forecast to remain steady at 10-20 miles per hour.

Yes, that’s far better than Sunday at 1 p.m. when the game was originally supposed to start, but it’s still going to be bitter cold.

We’ll be updating things as they happen all day right here.

Final score: Buffalo Bills 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 17

The Bills are heading to the AFC Divisional Round to host the Kansas City Chiefs at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

Josh Allen completed 21 of 30 passes for 203 yards with three touchdowns and ran for 74 yards and a touchdown for the Bills. James Cook rushed for 79 yards on 18 carries and Dalton Kincaid had three catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker A.J. Klein was elevated from the practice squad and led the Bills with 10 tackles.

Steelers turn it over on downs - 4:50 4th quarter

Pittsburgh went three-and-out and turned the ball over on downs at their 32-yard line.

Bills 31, Steelers 17: Khalil Shakir escapes for amazing 17-yard touchdown catch

The Bills answered to extend the lead back to two scores. Buffalo marched 70 yards and Khalil Shakir made an outstanding effort for a 17-yard touchdown reception. Khalil caught a short pass over the middle. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick tried to throw Shakir down by the neck and shoulders but Shakir spun out of it, regained his footing and weaved through the Steelers defense for a touchdown.

Bills 24, Steelers 17: Mason Rudolph throws touchdown to Calvin Austin III

Pittsburgh is making it a game. The Steelers went on a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. George Pickens made an outstretched grab on third-and-11 for 19 yards and followed it with end around for 15 yards to close the third quarter. Mason Rudolph scrambled for 6 yards and a first down and then completed to Diontae Johnson for 11 yards to the Bills' 20. Johnson fought for extra yardage for an 8-yard catch on third-and-7 to set up first-and-goal. On second down Rudolph threw a 7-yard touchdown to Calvin Austin III. Offensive tackle Dan Moore was called for unnecessary roughness, which will be enforced on the kickoff.

Bills 24, Steelers 10: Tyler Bass makes 45-yard field goal

The Bills matched the Steelers' field goal in the third quarter. Buffalo chewed 7 minutes, 18 seconds of clock on the 14-play, 48-yard drive. Tyler Bass made a 45-yard field goal.

Bills 21, Steelers 10: Chris Boswell makes field goal

Pittsburgh had first-and-10 from the Bills' 23 but settled for a field goal. Najee Harris totaled 1 yard on two carries and Mason Rudolph's deep pass on third down was broken up. Chris Boswell made a 40-yard field goal.

Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard injured

Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard was taken off the field on a cart. Bernard landed awkwardly on his right leg making a tackle on Diontae Johnson after a 19-yard catch.

Bills go three-and-out to start second half - 13:10 3rd quarter

Buffalo got the first possession of the second half and punted. Dalton Knox dropped a pass, Allen was sacked by Alex Highsmith and Latavius Murray took a short catch 9 yards. Sam Martin, who was injured on a blocked field goal in the first half, punted 45 yards and Calvin Austin III returned it 12 yards to the Steelers' 40.

Halftime score: Buffalo Bills 21, Pittsburgh Steelers 7

Buffalo dominated for most of the half until it made a special teams mistake to the Pittsburgh hope. Josh Allen has completed 15 of 21 passes for 146 yards with touchdown passes to Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid. Allen has 58 yards on four carries, including a 52-yard touchdown. Mason Rudolph is 8 of 16 for 102 yards with a touchdown and interception.

Bills 21, Steelers 7: Mason Rudolph throws TD to Diontae Johnson

The Bills were on their way to another score, one that probably would have spelled the end for the Steelers.

Instead, Josh Allen made two questionable decisions that resulted in a pair of incompletions, and that forced the Bills to settle for a 49-yard field goal attempt. And then things went from bad to worse very quickly.

The Steelers blocked the field goal and it bounded all the way to the Buffalo 33 where Pittsburgh finally recovered. In the process, Bills holder and punter Sam Martin may have hurt his hamstring.

From there, the Steelers quickly turned that mess into a touchdown as Mason Rudolph threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson and now, rather than being up 24-0 or even more, the Bills’ lead has shrunk to 21-7.

Steelers block field goal attempt - 2:11 2nd quarter

Buffalo attempted a 49-yard field goal instead of pinning the Steelers deep with a punt and it backfired. Montravius Adams blocked Tyler Bass' low kick and it was recovered by Nick Herbig at the Bills' 33-yard line.

Steelers with another three-and-out - 6:04 2nd quarter

Run. Incomplete. Incomplete. Repeat. On third-and-7, Mason Rudolph threw incomplete as he was hit by Ed Oliver. Pressley Harvin III punted 51 yards to the Bills' 21.

Bills 21, Steelers 0: Josh Allen beats entire Pittsburgh defense for 52-yard TD run

Wow, Josh Allen is truly unbelievable.

On a third-and-7 from the Bills 48, Allen took off up the middle for a scramble and easily gained the yardage for the first down, but he wasn’t satisfied. He kept going, and when two Steelers acted as if they had no intention of getting in the way of the runaway train, he took it all the way to the end zone for a 52-yard touchdown, the longest run of his career.

The Bills are now up 21-0 and appear to be on their way to route. Of course, they had a golden opportunity to make it a game minutes before the Allen TD, but Mason Rudolph threw an end zone interception to Kaiir Elam to take points off the board.

Mason Rudolph intercepted by Kaiir Elam - 10:52 2nd quarter

Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam was having a rough drive. Then he came up huge. Elam allowed a completion and was flagged for pass interference to give the Steelers first-and-goal from the Bills' 3. Two plays later, Elam stepped in front of Mason Rudolph's pass in the end zone intended for Diontae Johnson. Elam picked off the pass in the end zone for a touchback.

Pat Freiermuth fumbles but Bills lose challenge

Pittsburgh's offense finally made a big play and it still nearly turned the ball over. Pat Freiermuth made a catch on a deep ball and the ball popped out as he was hit by Christian Benford. Officials ruled the ball was out of bounds before it was recovered inbounds by Baylon Spector. The Bills challenged the call but the ruling was upheld.

Buffalo goes backward but gets great punt - 1:43 1st quarter

Josh Allen threw two straight incompletions before completing to James Cook, who was dropped by Minkah Fitzpatrick for a 4-yard loss. Sam Martin punted 52 yards to the Steelers' 8-yard line.

Steelers go three-and-out again - 3:12 1st quarter

Pittsburgh's offense has been dismal. Jaylen Warren ran for 1 yard and Mason Rudolph had two straight passes deflected at the line of scrimmage. Pressley Harvin III punted 30 yards to the Bills' 44.

Bills 14, Steelers 0: Josh Allen throws TD to Dalton Kincaid on first play after turnover

The Bills made a smart instant replay challenge after the Steelers’ first play of their third possession. It was clear that George Pickens caught a pass and fumbled, even though it was ruled incomplete on the field.

Sure enough, the officials got it right, reversed the call, and on the first from the 29, Josh Allen threw a laser to Dalton Kincaid for a touchdown that makes it 14-0.

Perfect start for the Bills.

George Pickens fumbles inside on first play of Steelers' drive - 4:15 1st quarter

Pittsburgh coughed up the ball on its first play. Mason Rudolph's pass to George Pickens was initially ruled an incompletion. Buffalo challenged the ruling and the play was reversed to a fumble. Taron Johnson forced the fumble and Terrel Bernard recovered at the STeelers' 29.

Bills go three-and-out - 4:21 1st quarter

Buffalo only possessed the ball for one minute on its second drive. Josh Allen threw incomplete on first down, avoided a sack and scrambled for 8 yards on third down and couldn't connected with Dalton Kincaid on third down. Sam Martin punted 47 yards to the Steelers' 18.

Steelers go three-and-out - 5:21 1st quarter

This could get ugly for the Steelers. Najee Harris rushed for 3 yards on back-to-back carries and Mason Rudolph threw incomplete on third down. Pressley Harvin III punted 42 yards to the Bills' 27.

Bills 7, Steelers 0: Josh Allen throws touchdown to Dawson Knox on first drive

After the Buffalo defense forced a Pittsburgh punt to open the game, the Bills took possession at their own 20 and Josh Allen put together a methodically efficient 80-yard drive.

Allen completed all five of his passes for 56 yards including a nine-yard TD to Dawson Knox who was pretty much wide open in the end zone. Allen also converted a third-and-1 with a QB sneak for the initial first down.

That was about as perfect a start for the Bills as they could have hoped for.

Steelers get the ball first and punt - 12:35 1st quarter

Buffalo won the toss and deferred, and Pittsburgh started from its 30-yard line. Jaylen Warren took a short pass 15 yards to the Steelers' 47 for the only first down of the drive. Mason Rudolph threw incompletions on the ensuing second and third downs. Pressley Harvin III punted 30 yards to the Bills' 21.

Bills inactive list is troublesome

As expected, the injury report is not good for the Bills. Cornerback Rasul Douglas and linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who were questionable coming into the game, are inactive, joining safety Taylor Rapp and wide receiver Gabe Davis who were already ruled out.

The other three inactive players are all healthy decisions - defensive tackle Poona Ford, offensive lineman Alec Anderson and edge rusher Kingsley Jonathan.

The coaching staff has decided to go with Linval Joseph at defensive tackle instead of Ford, presumably because he’s a little better-suited to play against the run. The Steelers are very likely going to test the middle of the Bills’ defense with running backs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris.

With Jonathan down, Von Miller will once again be active, still looking for his first sack of the season.

Douglas is a big loss. He has been so good since coming to Buffalo from Green Bay at the Halloween day trade deadline having forced six turnovers, not to mention being outstanding in coverage, Dane Jackson will probably start in his place and be backed up by Kaiir Elam.

Is it snowing in Buffalo now?

In Orchard Park, the sun is shining, there is no snow falling, and the wind is not very strong at noon, 4 ½ hours before kickoff. The field is clear, but the seats are a mess for the most part.

Next weekend’s playoff schedule mostly set

If the Bills beat the Steelers, they will host the Chiefs on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. That’s about as good a scenario as the Bills could have hoped because they would already be playing in the divisional round with one less day of rest, so at least it’s the last possible time slot.

The schedule begins Saturday at 4:30 in Baltimore where the Ravens will host either the Texans or the Chiefs. If the Bills lose, the Steelers would play the Ravens in that late Sunday night slot. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes would stay home again because the Chiefs would avoid coming to Buffalo and would host the Texans on Sunday.

On the NFC side, the Packers play at the 49ers Saturday night at 8 p.m. And at 3 p.m. Sunday the winner of Monday night’s game between the Eagles and Buccaneers would travel to Detroit to play the Lions.

Andy Isabella, A.J. Klein elevated from practice squad

The Bills had already ruled out wide receiver Gabe Davis on Friday, so that’s why Isabella was elevated Sunday and he’ll provide depth behind Stefon Diggs, Khalil Shakir, Trent Sherfield and Deonte Harty.

Klein was re-signed to the practice squad early last week after Tyrel Dodson suffered a shoulder injury in the victory over the Dolphins. Dodson did not practice all week outside of limited work, and while he’s questionable to play, it seems as if he won’t with Klein getting called up to the active roster.

The Bills also listed cornerback Rasul Douglas as questionable with a knee injury which he suffered in Miami, but Douglas did not practice in any capacity and even with an extra day, it seems unlikely that he will play. Dane Jackson would probably get the start in place of Douglas and Kaiir Elam would be active for the game as a backup.

Already ruled out is backup safety Taylor Rapp so Cam Lewis will fill his role and Damar Hamlin will probably be active as the fourth safety.

One player who did not get called up from the practice squad was running back Leonard Fournette. Per NFL rules, only two players can be called up from the practice squad each week and the Bills needed those two spots for Klein and Isabella because of their injury situation. So Fournette will have to watch as Latavius Murray and Ty Johnson - who are already on the 53-man roster - will play behind James Cook.

The Steelers injury report is very good. The only player who is ruled out is star edge rusher T.J. Watt. That’s obviously not great for them, but they have no other players with a game day designation.

Fans help shovel out Highmark Stadium as snow piles up in Orchard Park

Bills Mafia, sometimes shirtless, to the rescue. The Buffalo Bills offered $20 per hour to anyone age 18 and over interested in assisting crews remove snow from Highmark Stadium on Sunday and Monday. Nearby residents abiding by the local travel ban bundled up and walked to the stadium pitch in.

Orchard Park received 17 inches of snow from Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening. The travel ban was lifted at 6 a.m. Monday.

Bills vs. Steelers game postponed to Monday due to 'dangerous storm', travel ban

The Buffalo Bills' wild-card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was pushed back due to a winter storm pounding western New York. The decision was a collaborative effort between the Bills, New York state and Erie County, governor Kathy Hochul announced Saturday.

The game at Highmark Stadium will kick off at 4:30 p.m. Monday. It was originally scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday. The game will be televised on CBS.

What time is the Bills vs Steelers game?

● Date: Monday, Jan. 15

● Time: 4:30 p.m.

● Place: Highmark Stadium

How to watch Buffalo Bills vs Pittsburgh Steelers game on TV, streaming

● Cable/Network TV: CBS. The game will be available locally via the following stations: WROC (Channel 8, Rochester), WIVB (Buffalo area), WTVH (Syracuse area), WKTV (Utica area), WENY (Elmira area), WRGB (Albany area), and WBNG (Binghamton area).

● Online streaming services: You can watch games on NFL.com and the NFL mobile app, and you can subscribe to NFL+, the league’s own streaming service, though you can’t cast the games to your TV - you must watch on your phone or tablet.

● TV streaming: You can also stream games if you have subscriptions to Spectrum, DirecTV, fuboTV, Sling, Vidgo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Paramount+.

Who is favored to win Bills vs. Steelers game

● Tipico betting line (As of Monday morning): Bills -10

● Over-under: 38.5

● Money line: Bills minus-525 (bet $525 to win $100) and Steelers plus-410 (bet $100 to win $410).

Bills vs. Steelers prediction

Sal Maiorana: Bills 20, Steelers 13

This has the potential to be a scary game for all the reasons I just laid out, mostly because of the weather. The Bills have been a resilient team and that was evident when they won their final five games to steal the AFC East from the Dolphins. That resiliency will be put to the test again as they face the pressure of being a heavy favorite against a No. 7 seed, and they will likely be without Davis, CB Rasul Douglas, LB Tyrel Dodson and S Taylor Rapp.

The way the Bills have run the ball this season is why I think they will be able to deal with the expected weather, and a big part of that, obviously, is the threat that Allen provides. He’s the X factor because he’s the QB in this game who you would expect to make the biggest plays at the biggest times. However, if the Bills turn the ball over, which has been a problem for them, this game could definitely wind up being a disastrous loss.

It’ll be tough, it’ll be tense, and I think it’s going to come down to the end when the Bills defense might need to stand tall to protect a lead late in the game, and I think the Bills will survive and advance

Here’s the broadcast and betting information for Bills vs. Steelers:

Who is announcing the Bills vs. Steelers game

● Play-by-play: Jim Nantz

● Analyst: Tony Romo

● Sideline reporter: Tracy Wolfson

On the radio: How to listen to the Bills vs Steelers game

You can listen on SiriusXM satellite radio on Sirius channel 81 and XM channel 226 (Bills feed) and Sirius channel 85 and XM channel 225 (Steelers feed), and on traditional radio, the Bills Radio Network has stations all across the state. Chris Brown has the play-by-play, Eric Wood is the analyst, and Sal Capaccio is the sideline reporter. The network includes:

• Rochester (WCMF 96.5 and WROC 950 AM)

• Buffalo (WGR550, 550 AM)

• Syracuse (WTKW 99.5/WTKV 105.5)

• Binghamton (WDRE 100.5FM)

• Ithaca (WIII 99.9/100.3 FM)

• Bath (WVIN 98.3 FM)

• Newark (WACK 1420 AM)

• Dansville (WDNY 93.9 FM)

• Elmira (WNGZ 1490 AM)

• Auburn (WAUB 98.1 FM/1590 AM)

• Geneva (WGVA 95.9 FM, 1240 AM)

Sal Maiorana can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana. To subscribe to Sal's newsletter, Bills Blast, which comes out twice a week during the season, please follow this link: https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 17: Final score, stats, highlights