No matter how things played out, the Buffalo Bills escaped with a very important win against the New York Jets in Week 6. The Bills needed to end a two-game losing streak that spiraled out of control against quality AFC opponents. The importance of having a two-game lead over their closest AFC East rival early in the season cannot be overstated.
I don’t know exactly how the night would have turned out had it not been for the missed kick, but the most damaging goal was the Jets’. Teams facing the Bills are often quick to point out that their self-inflicted mistakes are magnified when Josh Allen is on the opposing sideline. On Monday night, Allen gave the Jets everything they wanted by playing turnover-free football.
Trailing by three points, but definitely feeling confident after completing a 52-yard Hail Mary to Allen Lazard just before halftime, Aaron Rodgers decided to give fate another shot. Just before the mandatory two-minute warning, Rodgers threw a deep pass to Mike Williams, but the receiver’s error allowed cornerback Taron Johnson to parkour from wide, giving Buffalo a point.
In fact, there was no victory lap for the 40-year-old Rodgers, who was instead forced to watch as Josh Allen called his number near left end and put the “W” Buffalo ahead. This play, which ended the game with three points, was a perfect play to claim victory. It was a stark contrast to the fateful decision made at the last moment against the Houston Texans a week ago.
Without a doubt, this was an ugly victory for McDermott’s group. Despite a rocky first half, both teams had only scored three points each after the break. The Bills were lucky to bat last and didn’t let Rodgers and the Jets’ best offensive line of the season spoil their plans to stay in first place.
Despite Rodgers throwing for just short of 300 yards, Lazard and Garrett Wilson each receiving over 100 yards, and giving up over 100 yards on the ground to Brees Hall, the Jets were unable to overcome the turnover battle. Ta. Instead of celebrating the victory, Rodgers shook his head in exasperation on the bench.
Fortunately, everything worked out for the Bills in the end, but otherwise Hail Mary would have taken a much larger place in McDermott’s mantle of mistakes. “Eight Seconds” has now entered the lexicon of Burmese mafia terms. It might seem unfair to him considering Bobby Babic is behind that play as defensive coordinator, but there’s a real history between McDermott and his crazy mistakes during games.
Buffalo’s latest Hail Mary gaffe is inexcusable, no matter how anyone tries to whitewash it. Allowing a touchdown before halftime ended any chance for a double-dip for the Bills. This is a big reason why teams prefer kickoffs at the beginning of games. To make matters worse, Buffalo’s momentum to open the third quarter was wasted when Tyler Bass missed a 47-yard field goal to the right (trigger warning). From a hopeful double-dip to a 10-point swing in the wrong direction.
And things went from bad to worse for both teams.
Monday night’s game featured a number of memorable plays, none more so than Allen’s incredible 42-yard sideline throw that destroyed the field to a leaping Ray Davis. But there was also too much unnecessary drama, fueled by excessive penalties. In total, they allowed 22 penalties for 204 yards, 11 for 94 yards for the Bills and 11 for 110 yards for the Jets. Don’t ask about anything that is rejected.
Even Rodgers addressed some of these calls in his postgame press conference, stating that multiple roughing the passer flags was not a legitimate penalty for either team. However, for a team that is trying to keep fighting until January, there were a lot of self-inflicted flags that had no place at all. Head coach Sean McDermott noted after the game that the pre-snap penalty was a “non-negotiable” item that needed to be addressed.
Again, the biggest takeaway is that in just six weeks, the Bills are now 4-2 and firmly in control of the AFC East. No one outside of the team’s fan base would have made that bet in August. In the East, the Jets ended up losing with the aging Rodgers back in the saddle. And what about those Miami Dolphins? Oh, I’m sure they have some things to say about Buffalo’s reign. Obviously, the Bills were the third-best team in the division after losing Stefon Diggs and others.
Six games into the season, we begin to learn what the team is actually made of. guess what? Although many players have left, the Buffalo Bills once again move forward with great grit and determination, always rising to the challenge of redirecting lost routes. McDermott is responsible for the mind-boggling mistakes that happen too often during games, but his teams often compete above their weight class.
Yes, the passing game is still a major work in progress. That may sound crazy considering Allen’s overall start to 2024, but it’s true. The key, of course, is to focus on the progress that is taking place. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady must continue to find more opportunities for tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. Kincaid disappeared again for most of the second and third quarters. Knox only had one catch, but it was a great target for a 12-yard touchdown grab. If Knox scores at least one touchdown, the Buffalo Bills are 20-1. Giving these guys more opportunities means finding new ways to open Kincaid up for double coverage.
Thankfully, wide receiver Curtis Samuel has seen some looks and completion further down the field, but Brady should consider an overhaul of how he features on offense. There’s a lot more meat to his game. As for wide receiver Mack Hollins, a lot of people feel bad for him, but I’m going to keep beating the drum to find him more meaningful. It’s clear Josh Allen likes Hollins’ style in the red zone, and building that chemistry now could pay big dividends later in the season.
He’s an easy guy to root for, and there’s a lot to love about rookie running back Ray Davis’ game. Davis, who replaced James Cook, carried the ball 20 times for 94 yards and caught all three targets for 55 yards. It’s clear the Bills are focused on the ground game and have found the right talent to seamlessly integrate on any down.
Taron Johnson’s return was huge, but I’m curious to see how things will end without him on the field. That also applies to safety. This is Taylor Rupp, who made a number of big plays in front of audiences across the country. Nothing was bigger than chasing down running back Breece Hall to stop him from scoring a touchdown and then jumping across the opposite end zone from Damar Hamlin to stop his shot. touchdown pass.
The calls to replace Tyler Bass will continue to grow, but even if you’re not willing to consider all the factors, it would be disingenuous to claim he’s terrible. Just digging deeper into the position this season reveals that he’s not the only kicker to have made over 60 field goals. As it turns out, Bass’ poor night wasn’t as bad as Greg Zuerlein’s. This isn’t to excuse Bass’ mistakes or kickers who struggle to connect as expected.
The extra point Bass missed was ultimately thwarted, but it’s fair to wonder if they would have been heading in the right direction otherwise. Thanks to Super Bowl XXV, a 47-yard miss by the Bills kicker stings differently every time, but Meadowlands weather played a big role Monday night. I can’t argue with the idea that the kicker’s job is to score points. For now, I’d like to think more about what’s behind the bus’s mistakes, rather than arriving at the idea that the bus is simply “broken.” Perhaps a better question is whether the Bills should prioritize finding a good kicker even in poor conditions?
Yes, this season hasn’t been without its challenges for fans, and the Bills have only played six games yet. This means that there may be more difficulties along the way. Still, there’s a lot to like about this year’s Bills.
This year’s team is winning, so maybe it’s time to accept things as they are. It’s true that with Josh Allen at the helm, they chose to work their magic in a way that most fans aren’t used to seeing, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The challenge now is to ensure the magic formula continues into the playoffs, aided by a mantra of one game at a time.
On Deck: Home date against the Tennessee Titans.
