Well, I’m not leaving my Queens apartment this week. Use any sort of tough guy analogy you want…the Bills got punched in the face, gut, eye, ribs, arm, and back. Pretty much it looked like Clubber Lang vs Rocky Balboa I. The Bills were not ready to play today. You could tell by the first quarter of this game. Really? A 10-minute drive after a 3 and out? The Bills were lucky to be down by only 3 at halftime.
I’m not buying that this was a statement game. Hell, I don’t even buy the whole “This was the biggest game since” crap. You know how many times the Bills have played early season big games over the last few years?
Too many. They played two this year already (See: Eagles and Patriots)
Here’s the statement: The Bills don’t match up well against the Jets. In fact, I’ll go on a limb and say that the Jets are better than the Bills. Pick a position. Besides QB and RB, the Jets have better linemen, better wideouts, better linebackers, better secondary and a better D-line. Just…the Jets are better. (I HATE MYSELF FOR SAYING THAT!?) In order for the Bills to win today, Jackson and Fitzpatrick had to be the best players on the field. They weren’t even close today.
It will be interesting to see how the Bills will react to this. This is the first time this season the Bills got crushed. They did a lot of talking this week. The sounded like a confident bunch in talking about how this was going to be their time. Well, on day light savings time, the Bills probably wished they would have saved the “This is our time” talk for next week.
—I tweeted a few times this week about how Fitzpatrick has played like hot garbage against the Jets in his previous two starts (Less than 50% completions and averaging less than 120 yards a game) Well, at least he upped his number today by passing for 191 yards. Yeah, I still love Fitz, but he just doesn’t match up well against the Jets. The Jets have physical corners who know how to tackle and can take away the Bills ability to run after the catch. They blitz a whole lot and I feel if you want to beat Fitz, you have to get people in his face and play press coverage against the wides. He only completed 48 percent of his passes today, which gives him three straight games against the Jets that he’s hit below the 50% mark. Lastly, his two interceptions were awful. No excuse.
—I thought Chan Gailey got outcoach today. I didn’t understand the call to go for a deep pass on a 4th and 2 towards the end of the first half. I have absolutely no idea why you would waste a challenge on a spot when the Bills only had to get an inch. And for the life of me, WHY DONT YOU RUN A QB SNEAK ON THE VERY NEXT PLAY?! IT ALWAYS WORKS!? It boggles my mind. The Jets defense knows how to shoot up those gaps and to do a delayed hand off like that is just lame. In those five minutes, Gailey went into Jauron mode. Also, where the hell was the screen pass? Only one was called today, which picked up a nice chunk of yardage. The Bills should have called more of those plays. Also, I thought they lived by the pass too much today. The NFL is all about match-ups and the Jets pass defense is no joke and yet, the Bills tried to beat them to their strength. Didn’t think it was a good fight to pick.
—The only three Bills who made it across the border from last week’s game in Toronto was Byrd, Stevie Johnson and Barnett. Barnett always seems to show up on Sundays. He’s a tackling machine. I’ll echo the same thing I’ve said about Byrd, he’s developing into a nice all-around safety. Can’t knock Stevie, who led all WRs today with 84 yards and did it against Revis Island. That’s all I got for the good this week.
—The officials stunk today. At this point, I have no clue what makes an interception or pass interference. I know the Bills would have still been blown out even if the refs were fine. Even still, that George Wilson interception should have counted. I can only assume that Ed “My arms are bigger than John Cena’s” Hochuli, will probably get a great discount at a NYC sports clubs because of his calls today.
—I’m sorry…I underestimated the Jets. I think being in the tri-state for 9 years has made me kind of numb to them. But that is a physical team. They have guys who can hit. As for Sanchez, even though he was a turnover machine in the first half, he still made a lot of plays today. Yes, he outplayed Fitzpatrick.
—I know the Bills live and die by the pass first, but I would have liked to see more of Fred Jackson today. The Jets had the 25th best rush defense entering today and I thought the Bills didn’t get him involved enough in the 1st half. For the game, Jackson average almost 5-yards a carry, but only carried the ball 18 times. I think the Bills placed too much pressure on trying to establish the passing game.
—Amazingly, the Jets only out gained the Bills 348 to 287. I would have thought it was 500 to 200.
—Leodis McKelvin? I have no words.
—I know CJ Spiller can’t get on the field because of Fred, but you are telling me that they can’t find ways to utilize him in the passing game? That dude just seems lost.
—0-2 in games that Jim Nantz and Phil Simms have called. At least the Bills are 4-0 in home blues and guess what they wear during next two weeks on the road? You guessed it! BLUEEEEEEEEEEEE.
—I’m still not buying the Bills defense. I think the Jets shot themselves in the foot way too many times today and the score could have been a lot higher. It could have very easily been 41-11 today. The Bills gave up way too many conversions on long yardage situations, especially on that first drive. I also thought Dareus got owned today. Yes, he made like two plays, but Mangold abused him. But hey, he’s a rookie and at least the Bills didn’t give up over 200 yards rushing.
Last word: The next 3 weeks could make or break the Bills for this season. Three straight on the road is no easy task. You have to hope for 2-1. In the meantime, the Bills have a 5-3 record and you have to feel good about that. I do at least, do you?
Want more?! Of course you do. I did about a 30 minute podcast with fellow Buffalo transplant, The Scizz from Dear God Why Us? Sports. We recap this game and talk about where the Bills go from here. Enjoy.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsjLqO5EKy0&w=343&h=196]
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