Von Miller wasn’t kidding a few weeks ago when, following a 37-point loss to the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars, he said that no one in the group Buffalo Bills the locker rooms should be too full of themselves.
“It’s working great for us right now, but at some point we’re going to encounter adversity, like every team, and that will show the type of team we have,” Miller said.
Miller didn’t know – or maybe he did – that adversity was going to hit him as he has since been suspended four games by the NFL. And for his teammates, adversity indeed hit them like a runaway train as well, resulting in back-to-back losses to two AFC powerhouses, Baltimore and Houston.
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In Sunday’s dramatic 23-20 loss to the Texans, in the absence of Miller and several other defensive stalwarts, Josh Allen played one of the worst games of his magnificent career, completing just nine of 30 passes for 131 yards. It wasn’t all on Allen as his offensive line struggled to protect him, and his receivers and offensive coordinator Joe Brady did nothing to help. Perhaps the most telling stat is that he was pressured on 16 back passes and finished a dismal 1 of 14 for 24 yards on those plays.
Those are staggering numbers for a player who was just named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September and was an early favorite for the NFL MVP award.
The Bills’ struggles were a topic of discussion during the Sunday Night Football pregame show. Chris Simms said: “I’m a little concerned about their offense. It’s been two weeks in a row of Josh Allen having to carry too much of the load… are they going to have a receiver they can count on and become a true #1 target for their offense and be consistent all year?
To which former Patriots star Devin McCourty added: “I think what Sean McDermott said is the problem in Buffalo. I don’t really think they thought about this situation other than, “We did it (Allen), he’ll make it.” »
The Bills now have a third straight road test next Monday night when they travel to New York to face Aaron Rodgers and the 2-3 Jets.
Is it time to panic? Naturally, Allen said no, but he also realizes that the Bills need to find a way forward because things have gone off the rails.
“I thought my guys did a great job early in the season, finding ways to get open, and Joe described that well,” Allen said. “It comes down to me executing at a high level and I just didn’t do it enough tonight. I have to be better.
The Buffalo Bills, the keys to victory
As if it wasn’t already difficult enough for the Bills to pass, they now face a Jets defense that ranks second in the NFL in passing yards allowed at 143 per game. If the Bills fail to mount a rushing attack in this game, the offense is in for a long night against an opponent that usually gives Josh Allen and company fits.
The New York Jets, the keys to victory
If the Bills’ injury situation on defense doesn’t improve, Aaron Rodgers, coming off a three-interception game and will be loaded at home on a Monday night, could have a big night, especially now that he and Garrett Wilson finally got on the same page during the loss to the Vikings. Buffalo’s pass defense struggled mightily in Houston as its youth and lack of quality depth really showed.
Bills vs Jets game to watch
It’s become pretty clear that the Bills’ passing game is severely limited, and facing an exceptional pass defense like the Jets, it’s only going to continue to be tough work for Allen and his band of misfit receivers. James Cook, who had a good game in the loss to the Texans, will need to be the focal point as both a runner and receiver. If the Bills line can win early and create space, Cook can keep the offense on schedule, and just as importantly, it would help Allen use Cook as a checking option.
Best players for the Jets
▶QB Aaron Rodgers: The 40-year-old played terribly in London as he threw a career-high three interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown, another that ended the Jets’ final possession as they looked a potentially winning score. If anything, it means Rodgers will be motivated enough to make amends, especially when a win would put the Jets in first place.
▶ RB Breece Room: He looked like he was on his way to stardom when he bounced back so well last season after his rookie year was cut short by a knee injury. But five games into the season, Hall has accumulated just 197 yards and is averaging just three yards per carry. He made 21 catches for 148 yards
▶ WR Garrett Wilson: After a surprisingly unremarkable first four games, Wilson was targeted 22 times against the Vikings and caught 13 of them for 101 yards and a touchdown.
▶ WR Allen Lazard: Rodgers’ old pal from Green Bay caught a touchdown in London and has 20 catches for 240 yards and a team-high four touchdowns.
▶ FROM Will McDonald: He’s becoming one of the best rushers in the NFL and his sack against the Vikings gave him six for the season.
▶LB Quincy Williams: He’s often overlooked in the Jets’ defense, but he had 139 tackles last season to rank second behind fellow LB CJ Mosley, and this year he leads the Jets with 37 and also has a forced fumble and a fumble recovery .
▶CB sauce keeper: He is part of one of the best CB duos in the NFL and he is capable of eliminating any WR in a game. Given how weak the Bills are at the position, Josh Allen probably won’t pitch too often.
▶CB DJ Reed: And the problem with avoiding Gardner is that Allen would then have to test Reed who is just as sticky in coverage. He had five assists in five games.
Who wins? Bills 20, Jets 16
Both teams come into the game on a two-game losing streak and while that’s not exactly news for the Jets, it is for the Bills. They haven’t lost three regular season games in a row since 2018, Josh Allen’s rookie season and the last season in which the Bills didn’t make the playoffs. Buffalo’s passing game will have all kinds of issues, but Cook could be the key, and the Bills defense could get a few key pieces back.
What time does the Bills vs Jets game start?
Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. Monday at MetLife Stadium.
Who is favored to win Bills vs. Jets?
The Bills entered the game as 2.5-point favorites. The money line is Bills minus-145 (bet $145 to win $100) and Jets plus-120 (bet $100 to win $120). The plus-minus is 41.5.
How to watch the Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets game on TV, streaming
▶ Cable/Network TV: ESPN. The game will be available on Spectrum 24 in Rochester, Syracuse and Albany; channel 25 in Binghamton; channel 29 in Elmira; channel 30 in Buffalo; and channel 43 in Utica.
▶ Online streaming services: With your TV subscription, you can watch ESPN.com, the ESPN mobile app and ESPN Deportes on your phone or tablet. You can also watch games on NFL.com and the NFL mobile app, and you can subscribe to NFL+, the league’s own streaming service, although you can’t stream the games on your TV – you have to watch them on your phone or tablet.
▶ Television broadcast: You can also stream if you have subscriptions to Spectrum, DirecTV, fuboTV, NFL+, Sling, Vidgo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV.
On the radio: How to listen to the Bills vs Jets game
You can listen to SiriusXM satellite radio on channel 225 (Bills feed) and channel 226 (Jets feed), and on traditional radio, the Bills Radio network has stations throughout the state. Chris Brown is responsible for play-by-play, Eric Wood is the analyst and Sal Capaccio is the sideline reporter. The network includes:
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Rochester (WCMF 96.5 and WROC 950 AM)
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Buffalo (WGR550, 550 AM)
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Syracuse (WTKW 99.5/WTKV 105.5)
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Binghamton (WDRE 100.5FM)
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Ithaca (WIII 99.9/100.3 FM)
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Bath (WVIN 98.3 FM)
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Newark (WACK 2:20 p.m.)
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Dansville (WDNY 93.9 FM)
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Elmira (WNGZ 1490 AM)
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Auburn (WAUB 98.1 FM/1590 AM)
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Geneva (WGVA 95.9 FM, 12:40 p.m.)
Sal Maiorana covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades, including 35 years as a full-time staff writer for the D&C, and he wrote numerous books on the team’s history. He can be reached at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana. https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast
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This article originally appeared on the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills Schedule: Monday Night Football vs. Jets in NFL Week 6
