The Bills just played their worst game of the season. Even worse than the Miami game that was also separated. You know what this means. I need more than a recap segment to cover this, erm… glorious occasion. Somebody kill me, please.
The buildup to this game was pretty unassuming. The Bills were coming off a win, but admittedly a lackluster performance against a Packers team deep into a decline. The Jets, meanwhile, were coming off their worst game of the season; a 22-10 loss to a Patriots team that looked dead on arrival. However, this wouldn’t be Bills football without more injuries on defense, because we haven’t had enough of that over the past month and change. This time, safety Jordan Poyer and the Bills’ best linebacker in Matt Milano were both injured and out for the game. Also, as usual, Buffalo entered the game as a huge favorite. -400 to be exact. Despite the injury concerns, it was looking to be a stomping of all things Jets.
It seemed that way to start. The Jets did their typical thing of tripping over themselves- quite literally. Their punter slipped on the opening kickoff and the Bills recovered at the 45-yard line. One play later and they were in the red zone. What happened next? Allen lobbing a meatball to the defense for an easy pick… wait, what? That’s not in the script. Oh well, then. Hopefully, the interception would lead them to realize the Jets would play hard. They seemed to get the message. A 3-and-out gave the ball right back to Buffalo, who drove the length of the field for an efficient touchdown. The Jets would go back down the field for a field goal, but this is Buffalo, they’ll ram the ball and finish it early. So their offense stalled out, too. Okay, time to settle for plan B: Have the defense turn into a brick wall. They made stop after stop as the Jets could do nothing with the ball. Even the offense woke from its underachieving slumber to score another touchdown. The Bills were suffocating the Jets in their own home, everything was going to plan- until their defense chose to bend on the final drive of the half to allow a touchdown.
With the game at 14-10 at halftime, there weren’t any serious issues that were bubbling to the surface. Yes, it probably shouldn’t have been a 1-score game and Allen looked a little off, but the Bills had been a 2nd half team all year. They would wake up in the 3rd quarter to finish the Jets.
Or not, as they keep getting in their own way on offense. It’s alright, though, look at the defense recover a Jets fumble in the red zone for a critical stop! It would be roses and sunshine as Allen drops back to throw… another pick. This was one of the worst performances I’ve personally seen Allen put up. Wildly inaccurate, reverting to rookie form, and unable to throw downfield. He’s lucky the Jets DBs couldn’t catch a cold, or he would have had at least 3 more interceptions. The Jets take advantage of the prime field position to score a touchdown. It’s all right, though, the Bills went down and tied the game at 17. Even better, they stopped the Jets and had another chance to punch it in. In typical fashion as of late, they stalled out thanks to an underthrown ball and punt the ball back to the Jets. This is where the Bills’ defense finally broke. Gashed by the Jets’ running game all 2nd half, they willingly lied down and allowed the Jets to get into field goal range. They took the lead with a minute and change left, but if anyone could come from behind in this situation, it’s the Bills. Watch them go, as… a holding call backs them up and they turn it over on downs. Jets win.
This was honestly one of the worst games I’ve seen out of the Bills in a very long time. The Miami game could be excused due to the conditions, but this? Against an 11.5-point underdog, with no wind, mild temperatures, and none of their offensive skill players injured? This should have been cake! They proceeded to blow it, just like most other times they’re facing an inferior opponent. The Jets’ defense was in and out of the infirmary for most of the game. Even with everything lining up in the Bills’ favor, they still found a way to screw up immaculately and made the Buttfumblers’ defense look like the ‘85 Bears. New York did nothing special. They were fine, but they didn’t make that many big plays that weren’t handed to them by Buffalo. The Bills beat themselves, just like most of their losses over the past two seasons. It’s the equivalent of the Luigi wins by doing nothing meme. Now they’re potentially in trouble with Minnesota coming up next week and only a half-game lead in the division. Oh yeah- the division. What was once thought of as all but Buffalo’s property is now up in the air once again as the Jets and Dolphins both hold tiebreakers. Shameful.
