‘Be assertive, wrap up the second seed and rest players who are injured and/or older against New England next week. Check. The Bills scored on their opening drive, led 33-0 after the third quarter and helped Allen up his touchdown total to 28 passes and 12 rushes.’
BillsBeat - December 30, 2024
Observations: Buffalo Bills' defense feasts on disinterested New York Jets team in blowout win
‘A dose of Aaron Rodgers is exactly what the Buffalo Bills’ defense needed.’
Complementary football in third quarter by the Buffalo Bills puts the game away
‘“The offense got rolling in the second half there and that was good to see, capitalizing in some red-zone opportunities and some takeaway opportunities there that we had,” McDermott said. “So, a lot of game balls went out after the game, as you’d imagine.”’
Three questions: What the Bills' rout of the Jets tells us, and looking at the Bills' ideal playoff road
‘The play of defensive ends Greg Rousseau and Von Miller also is key. Rousseau will enter the playoffs on a roll. He consistently has made big plays down the stretch. The 35-year-old Miller got a sack, just his fifth of the season. But Miller has looked impactful rushing off the edge the past six weeks. The Bills have limited his playing time. Hopefully, they’ve been saving him for the playoffs. The Bills can’t get to the Super Bowl without Miller making a good impact.’
Recapping the Buffalo Bills' rout of the New York Jets to clinch the No. 2 seed
‘The Bills led 12-0 at halftime before scoring 28 points in a span of 7:36 bridging the third and fourth quarters.’
Plays that shaped the game: Trust bond grows between Josh Allen, Amari Cooper in rout of Jets
‘On a 30-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter that broke the game open, Cooper was covered. But the Bills quarterback threw the ball anyway, and the veteran receiver came down with an outstanding catch that gave the Bills a 19-0 lead.’
Report Card: Buffalo Bills' pass defense leads a strong overall performance against hapless New York Jets
‘The Bills needed a bounce-back performance after a mediocre showing in Week 16 against New England, and they certainly got that. “A lot of good things. I thought the defense came out and played aggressive, took the ball away, set up the offense,” head coach Sean McDermott said. “Special teams – good, sound quality football overall. The offense got rolling in the second half there, and that was good to see.” The win allows McDermott the freedom to rest his key starters in Week 18, with the second seed in the AFC playoffs secured. That’s a big deal. One minor complaint: The clock management at the end of the first half could have been better. The Bills ran an Allen keeper to convert third-and-1 with a 2-yard gain, but it took 23 seconds for the next play to start. The team ended up taking one timeout into halftime. A timeout after Allen converted the first down would have saved enough time that the approach late in the quarter might have allowed for more aggressiveness.’
Bills defense is ferocious against Jets as Buffalo clinches No. 2 seed in playoffs
‘But Sunday, it was as if the Bills saved all their biggest defensive moments for the New York Jets, play after play after play, all of which led to a smashing 40-14 victory that allowed Buffalo to clinch the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and will also give coach Sean McDermott the opportunity in Week 18 to sit out some of his key players, including Josh Allen, for most or all of the game in New England.’
Bills report card: Blowout earns high marks. Here's who earned an 'A'
‘Allen had to work his way through a challenging first half as the Jets were giving him the same fits they always do. They were getting pressure, they were making life difficult for the wide receivers, and after a game-opening TD drive, all he could produce was a field goal which came on the final play of the second quarter.’
Big-play defense seals No. 2 seed for Bills in rout
‘With a 33-0 lead over the Jets, Buffalo’s unofficial victory cigar came out in the form of Mitchell Trubisky with a quarter left in Sunday’s game. The game’s outcome had long been decided, but with that substitution, the Bills could rest as the AFC’s No. 2 seed, and Josh Allen could likely rest his 2024 regular season and MVP case.’
Bills' defense feasts on inept Jets led by Aaron Rodgers, locks up No. 2 seed (Takeaways)
‘Benford had his second interception in the win and continued a tremendous season as the team’s top cornerback.’
Did Josh Allen secure MVP with 3 TDs vs. Jets? Teammates make his case
‘“With people like Lamar Jackson, we get fatigued,” Clark said recently on ESPN’s First Take. “What happens is the MVP becomes a narrative-driven award. Every time you see the numbers on the screen, you can see that (Jackson) is having a better season than Josh Allen. Even though Josh Allen is having a great season.”’
Bills' defense makes statement in lopsided win over Jets (encouraged/worried)
Worried: Nothing: It’s hard to criticize a team when the starters post a 33-0 shutout and only allow scores with backups in the game. Buffalo should be very encouraged about putting away a bad Jets team in just three quarters.’
Buffalo Bills clinch No. 2 seed in AFC: Who will they host on Wild Card Weekend?
‘Cincinnati’s win over Denver kept hope alive for the Bengals, but they would need Denver and Miami–as long as the Dolphins hold on in Week 17–to lose next weekend. The Bengals would also have to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road to keep their playoff hopes alive.’
Bills stifle Jets, clinch No. 2 seed with AFC postseason weeks away
‘A strong defensive effort propelled the Bills to the win, as Buffalo shut out the Jets during the first two quarters of play, taking a 12-0 advantage into halftime before sealing the deal with a strong second half.’