Tag: AFC East

For the Bills, a hard truth is settling in

There might not be a better time than now for Buffalo to win a Super Bowl title

Here are the Buffalo Bills, down 21-0 to the upstart New England Patriots on a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon in Massachusetts. Maybe the gravity of the moment didn’t hit the Bills at that time, but the perceptions from the outside looking in say a window is closing, and the opportunity to seize a moment is slipping away before our eyes. See, Buffalo has been knocking on the door of at least a Super Bowl appearance, only to see the Kansas City Chiefs (among other AFC counterparts) keep them from breaking through. The prevalent thinking says as long as the Bills have Josh Allen playing quarterback for them, the window for a title remains open, but over time, the teams Buffalo has been better than start to catch up. In other words, opportunities are precious, and if one gets missed, there’s no guarantee another is coming. As the Bills looked at what was in front of them, perhaps that thought crossed their minds, and they reacted like a team who understood what was needed for the current moment.

Before getting into the details of what happened in the game, let’s take a look at the big picture. The Chiefs, who have made at least the AFC Championship Game every year since 2018, are officially eliminated from playoff contention for this season. The Baltimore Ravens, who came in right there with Buffalo as a major candidate to dethrone Kansas City, are sitting at 7-7, struggling to win the weaker-than-normal AFC North. Yes, teams like the Patriots and Denver Broncos (the Jacksonville Jaguars can get thrown into the mix) are ascending as new contenders, but questions about how viable they can be ring loud. That brings us back to the Bills, who came into their second game with New England (the Patriots won the first contest 23-20 in western New York) at 9-4, needing a win to keep their hopes of reigning over the AFC East alive. Because of the numerous playoff scars, it’s logical to think they’re more tested than the aforementioned new kids on the block, and their main contenders are in a weakened state. It’s about as perfect of a scenario the Bills can hope for, and it looked dangerously close to being squandered a bit, or at least harder to take advantage of the situation.

But sometimes, it’s forgotten there are four quarters in a football game, and plenty of time remained for Buffalo to get it together. Did they ever, as they were able to erase that 21-point deficit to take the lead 28-24. New England running back TreVeyon Henderson broke off a 65-yard touchdown run to give the Pats the lead back, but the Bills would respond to land the final blow and solidify a 35-31 victory. Suddenly, a season (and perhaps the best title opportunity remaining) that looked to be on the brink of collapse is alive and well for Buffalo. After a squad wins, it’s normal to hear how it was the ultimate team effort, but it’s especially true in this case. Allen (who had 193 passing yards with three touchdowns) didn’t have to put on the Superman cape, because they remembered they have James Cook to run the football (107 yards with two touchdowns). A kickoff return by Ray Davis set the comeback in full swing, putting the Bills in position to quickly cut into a 24-7 deficit coming out for the second half. Finally, a much-maligned defense stood up and held New England to just seven points after getting ran through in the first half.

As it stands right now, the Patriots are 11-3, still a game up on Buffalo in the AFC East, but because they couldn’t finish Sunday, the pressure to hold on to the lead could start to heat up. One thing the Bills have in their favor is experience in crucial games, and it was apparent they leaned on that in this contest. Who knows? Buffalo might still be a wild card that would have to win three games on the road to make the Super Bowl, but the comeback on New England serves as a reminder of how dangerous they are. They might not have home-field advantage, but it would be hard to find a team excited about having the Bills visit for a one-and-done playoff game, especially with the reigning league-MVP on their side. Throw in the urgency factor, combined with past heartbreak, and there could be a certain intensity unmatched by anyone else.

During title runs, there’s always a turning point where things lock in. For Buffalo, this would be the moment if they are the last one standing in February, and this looks to be the best chance to finally bring a championship back to their passionate fan base. Understanding things are falling in their favor (mainly the struggles of the Chiefs and Ravens) might have been what woke the Bills up last Sunday. Maybe the team got together to look at a hard truth. Either way, at least for now, Buffalo is aware of the opportunity in front of them, and it’s imperative they cash in, because nothing is promised for the future.

Same overhype, and probably same results coming for Jets

There’s a lot of noise coming from New York, but chances are it will be just that

It’s getting close to the start of another NFL season, and with that comes the renewed hope for teams and their millions of fans, the belief that says this could be the year where a Super Bowl victory parade can be seen in their city. Of course, there are some places that deserve the hype more than others, but a few that is going to get bulks of conversation simply because of where they reside. The New York Jets are one of those clubs, and if they weren’t in the nation’s top media market, it would be hard to imagine them receiving the hype they get every season. It’s not like their play on the field gives reason for conversation (unless it’s staying in purgatory). The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since 2010, and have had seven last place finishes in the AFC East since their last postseason appearance. Coming into this season, there’s actually championship talk centering around New York, and with hype machines ESPN and HBO’s “Hard Knocks” driving the bandwagon, that talk is going nowhere fast. Last time it’s been checked, no team has ever won a title on paper, and here are reasons why the Jets might stay that way when the season is finished.

Before diving into those reasons, let’s be frank by saying there’s more cases for belief than any other season in memory. New York has a legit quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, replacing Zach Wilson as the starter. They have a defense (led by Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner), who was one of the top units last season, returning the majority of their players. The team even have some shiny toys as weapons (with Offensive ROY Garrett Wilson among them) for Rodgers to throw to. With the Jets, the roster looks like one that can compete with any in the NFL, but the offensive line is a worrisome spot that could derail any dreams of glory days. Last season, New York quarterbacks were sacked 42 times. The QBs that were back there, whether it was Wilson, Mike White (now with the Dolphins) or Chris Streveler, weren’t that good. That’s no secret, but with the protection they were getting, there aren’t many quarterbacks who would thrive under those conditions. Wilson, in particular, has more issues on his own, but he was far from the only problem. Yes, Rodgers should be a significant upgrade at arguably the most important position in all of sports, but the offensive line better be upgraded along with him. If not, a record hovering around .500 could once again be in the Jets’ future. No QB likes getting knocked down, and it’s not uncommon for other people start getting blamed for it, especially if it’s Rodgers telling the story. When New York City is the place the drama unfolds, it’s a totally different beast. Either Rodgers gets protection, or it’s going to be open season in the tabloids.

Of course, nothing happens if things that can be controlled aren’t taken care of, but even if that does happen, there’s a lot of competition in the aforementioned AFC East that could eliminate New York. The Buffalo Bills, who have won the division the last three season, are still the favorites to win the crown once again. The Miami Dolphins, coming off of a playoff appearance a year ago, look to be formidable with an explosive offense and improvements on defense (at least through transactions). As for the New England Patriots, they’re never an easy team to face, and they seem to beat the Jets no matter when they play. Long story short, if New York wants to become the team to beat, it’s going to be tough to get through division battles alone.

Let’s say the Jets are to make it out of the AFC East as champions. If that happens, the conference as a whole doesn’t lack for quality teams that look to be in the running for a Super Bowl berth. The defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, won’t give the title up easily. The Cincinnati Bengals made it to at least the AFC Championship Game two seasons in a row. In Jacksonville, the Jaguars are young and hungry. The Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Los Angeles Chargers also figure to make some noise. New York can turn out to be a good team, but how much better is a significant question. They won seven games last year, and their win total odds are set at +9.5. Even if they go over, it still might not be enough to make it to the playoffs, not because the Jets aren’t formidable, but because there are other teams that may turn out to be better.

This isn’t an effort to rain on the optimism for fans in the city that never sleeps and beyond. It’s merely a caution, warning against getting blinded by the hype. New York has a good roster, and it’s easy to believe they could be ready to win right now with the addition of Rodgers. Of course, we’ll start getting answers soon, but don’t be surprised if the Bills win the AFC East, and it’s a struggle for the Jets to make the playoffs as a wild card. The conference is loaded with good teams, and hype machines are known to set people up for heartache. Consider this an effort to help bring realistic expectations to the table, so if (and probably when) the Jets get grounded, there should be no one saying there wasn’t people seeing things with clear eyes. The buyer beware sign is out, and now, it’s time to see how the bandwagon looks after each passing game.