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NFL Sunday takeaways: Bills ought not panic after listless loss to the Jets

Presuming Josh Allen’s throwing elbow isn’t critically injured, it’s no time for the Buffalo Payments to be panic.

And even be overly involved about their listless loss on Sunday on the New York Jets, even when it dropped the Payments’ in-division document to 0-2 in ’22.

Certainly, as an alternative of bettering to 7-1 with a win, Buffalo fell to 6-2 with the 20-17 loss. That’s nonetheless profitable at a .750 clip, and tasks to a 12-5 or 13-4 document by common season’s finish.

Look, most years the perfect groups within the NFL sometimes lose wherever from two to 4 video games. Most likely, this was simply a type of two, three or 4 losses this Payments workforce can have by season’s finish.

And know, too, that Buffalo entered Sunday’s sport with out a number of injured impression performers.

However to see how disconsolate Allen appeared and spoke afterward, you might need thought the Payments had simply been eradicated from the playoffs. He put a big chunk of the accountability for the defeat on himself.

“It’s robust to win on this league if you’re taking part in a very good workforce and your quarterback performs like s**t,” Allen stated. “I made some unhealthy choices tonight that basically value our workforce. Tons to study from, heaps to develop from. That’s not the usual we maintain ourselves to, that’s not the ball that we play … They wished it a bit greater than us tonight.”

True, although he did run in each of Buffalo’s touchdowns, Allen did throw two pretty grotesque interceptions.

The primary got here on the third scrimmage play of the sport, on the Jets 13, when he didn’t see security Jordan Whitehead in any respect, who jumped in entrance of meant goal Dawson Knox, Allen’s trusty tight finish.

The second got here on Buffalo’s second play of the second half, which was returned to the Payments’ 19-yard line. 4 performs later second-year Jets QB Zach Wilson hit newly acquired working again James Robinson for a landing, giving New York its first lead, 17-14.

Buffalo by no means led once more. So, yeah, the picks have been impactful.

Greg Zuerlein’s 28-yard area purpose with 1:43 remaining gained it for the Jets. On that 13-play, 86-yard drive the injury-depleted Payments defence was achieved, unable to cease the run or go.

Allen and the Payments went backward on their try and tie, or win it, over the ultimate 1:43.

After a holding penalty and an 18-yard completion, Allen cocked to throw however Jets go rusher Bryce Huff swatted the ball exhausting on the top of Allen’s follow-through, knocking the ball out. The swat put nice stress on Allen’s arm.

Buffalo recovered the free ball for a 14-yard loss with 40 seconds left, however earlier than the subsequent snap Allen saved flexing his proper arm, and grabbed at his elbow a few occasions.

He then fired two deep incomplete passes, the final of which travelled a half-mile, so regardless of the harm to that elbow or arm is perhaps, it didn’t seem severe.

Requested about it afterward, Allen allowed that there’s “slight ache” however insisted “I’ll get by it.”

It was New York’s first win over Buffalo since 2019.


BRADY SNAPS OUT OF SLUMP; RODGERS DOESN’T

Every week all of us suppose, “Man, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers by no means have struggled like this.”

Solely to see them each then wrestle all of the extra the subsequent week.

On Sunday, Rodgers and the Inexperienced Bay Packers most likely anticipated to deal with the Detroit Lions as Biff and his bullying buddies tormented George McFly earlier than Marty went again in time in

Again to the Future.

Nope. The Packers saved ramming into the identical outdated manure truck on Sunday at Ford Subject.

Detroit gained 15-9 to drop the Packers to 3-6, tied with Chicago, half a sport up on 2-6 Detroit — and all three of them a three-day drive behind 7-1 Minnesota within the NFC North.

Rodgers appeared as miffed as ever all through. Timing’s off with all his unfamiliar or under-talented receivers, don’tcha know.

“Can’t lose a sport like this, towards that workforce,” Biff stated afterward. Er, Rodgers. “I had some s**t throws, for certain.”

Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, meantime, had appeared like a very good wager to defeat the offensively inept Los Angeles Rams, getting in. And although the Rams once more have been principally offensively inept once more, Brady and the Bucs remained much more so — that’s, till the final 43 seconds of the sport.

Over the sport’s first 59 minutes, Brady threw and accomplished a bunch of passes, however practically all of his completions but once more got here in the midst of the sector, or again in Tampa Bay territory. The Bucs appeared incapable of stringing collectively good beneficial properties. Like Rodgers and the Packers, Brady and the Bucs appeared like they’d practised most of their go performs a few times — ever.

Ah, however when the Bucs obtained the ball again at their very own 40, after one other late Rams three-and-out, with 43 seconds left, Brady and his receivers functioned at excessive effectivity — on six straight performs to win the sport, 16-13.

In succession, Brady hit tight finish Cade Otton for 28 yards to the L.A. 32 deep up the left aspect, earlier than spiking the ball with 28 seconds left; he hit working again Leonard Fournette on a brief crosser for 4, earlier than he went out of bounds; he hit wideout Scotty Miller on consecutive brief passes each on the left sideline for 14 and 7 yards, each of which stopped the clock; he threw incomplete in the long run zone to receiver Mike Evans however Evans was interfered with; and, lastly, with 13 seconds left, from the one, Brady hit Otton on a brief out path to the suitable, for the winner.

“We made some good performs,” Brady advised CBS of the final drive. “It’s only a nice win. We wanted it. We’ve obtained an extended solution to go.”

Not so long as Biff and his buddies, who … hate … manure.


SEAHAWKS ARE NOW GOUGING EVERYBODY

There are a number of shock groups this 12 months, in a great way. However none as shocking because the Seattle Seahawks, who improved to 6-3 with a 31-21 win at fast-eroding Arizona.

There’s now no thriller to the Seahawks’ victory methodology.

In the beginning, Geno Smith — for a livin’ truth the NFL’s comeback participant of the 12 months — is very correct and clutch together with his passes. Secondly, the Seahawks working sport has come alive, principally behind offensive rookie-of-the-year candidate Kenneth Walker III, who rambled for 109 yards and two touchdowns towards the Playing cards.

All of that offensive effectivity has protected a younger defence that now is ready to do sufficient to maintain Seattle in each sport.

That’s 4 wins in a row for the Seahawks, and 5 victories of their final six after an unsightly 1-2 begin.


DICKER THE KICKER TO THE RESCUE!

Don’t snicker, however due to Dicker the kicker, Chargers followers for as soon as had no want to achieve for the clicker in a flicker with their ticker beating faster than normal.

In anger, that’s.

As a result of the Chargers’ newest temp placekicker, Cameron Dicker, drilled a 37-yard area purpose at sport’s finish to raise Los Angeles to a 20-17 win at Atlanta.

Most likely no franchise in trendy league historical past has come up smaller in late alternatives to win tight video games than the Chargers, as all their followers painfully know.

Dicker joined the Chargers observe squad solely about 72 hours earlier, on Thursday, and was elevated for the primary time to L.A.’s energetic roster on Saturday.

Common Chargers placekicker Dustin Hopkins has been out since Week 6 with a nasty hamstring pull. His substitute, Taylor Bertolet, injured a quad on Wednesday — necessitating an emergency substitute.

Dicker is a 22-year-old rookie. This was his second NFL sport.

In his first, simply 4 weeks in the past, whereas temping for injured Jake Elliott with the Philadelphia Eagles, he did the identical flippin’ factor — making each of his field-goal makes an attempt. First, a 42-yarder to place Philly forward 17-10 early within the third quarter. Then a game-winning 23-yard chip shot to interrupt a 17-17 tie with 1:45 left.

The Eagles dropped Dicker from their observe squad every week in the past Saturday. The Chargers picked him up Thursday.

On Sunday, with 5:27 remaining towards the Falcons, Dicker made his first field-goal try, a 31-yarder, to tie the rating, 17-17.

Earlier, Dicker made each of his extra-point makes an attempt.

He made his game-winner look simple, because it cut up the uprights and splashed excessive into the netting.

Dicker’s new teammates hoisted him up and carried him off the sector at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“His leg power is considered one of his property,” Chargers head coach Brandon Staley stated of Dicker. “He’s obtained good raise on the ball. We felt good at 35 (yards out). The blokes have been placing some stress on him (in observe) on Thursday, so I assumed he type of earned his stripes … Actually glad for him, and pleased with our workforce for supporting him.”

Los Angeles improved to 5-3, in playoff place within the AFC. Atlanta dropped to 4-5, tied for first place now within the lowly NFC South with Tampa Bay, and possibly with New Orleans too after Monday night time.

Oh, and one different factor — don’t go mentioning previous Chargers meltdowns with Staley.

“There’s far an excessive amount of give attention to the previous with this membership, and there’s not sufficient give attention to the current,” he stated. “Since I’ve been head coach we’ve performed in a bunch of shut ones. And we’re comfy on this house.”

Particularly Dicker the Kicker.


JUSTIN FIELDS, PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Miami might need gained in Chicago as anticipated, 35-32, however the actual winner might need been the Bears, and particularly all of a sudden fast-improving second-year QB Justin Fields.

Yeah, he threw for under 123 yards, however three of his 17 completions went for touchdowns. And he rushed for a whopping 178 yards and a rating. Maybe most significantly, all through the sport Fields saved keen the Bears again into the sport with large performs. That’s the mark of a gutsy QB.

Child’s getting it collectively, after a dreadful first six weeks.


BENGALS BOUNCE BACK, BLOW OUT CAROLINA

Six days after getting blown proper out of Cleveland on Monday night time, the Cincinnati Bengals proved as a lot as any workforce this 12 months has, that when gamers are targeted and motivated, they’ll play properly. Even nice.

In any other case, overlook it.

The Bengals on Sunday appeared like they have been motivated to make amends for his or her embarrassingly unhealthy efficiency towards the Browns, and took it out on the hapless Carolina Panthers.

Working again Joe Mixon had 211 scrimmage yards and scored 5 touchdowns — 4 on the bottom, one on a go reception — because the Bengals gained 42-21.

The Panthers have been so all-around terrible in trailing 35-0 at halftime that they trailed in first downs, 21-1, and in whole yards, 311-32.

The PJ Walker experiment at quarterback that had labored so properly for 2-3 weeks hit a convincing wall in Cincinnati. He was pulled for Baker Mayfield at halftime after going 3-of-10 for 9 yards and two picks.

“We got here out firing, and it was bodily,” Mixon stated of the Bengals. “We have been attempting to be as bodily as potential.”

After having been the anti-thesis of that in Cleveland.

Effort and motivation go a good distance in sports activities, people.


EXTRA POINTS

The Las Vegas Raiders are simply canines. In falling 27-20 in Jacksonville they fell to 2-6 on the season, which certainly is over now. Already. The Jags improved to 3-6 … Minnesota as soon as once more one way or the other gained, 20-17 on a last-minute area purpose at Washington, to enhance to 7-1 … Sam Ehlinger vs. Mac Jones was all that unhealthy a QB battle. Yeah, 250 mixed go yards, as New England smoked Indy 26-3.



John Kryk writes a weekly publication on NFL issues. That’s the place you may first see his straight-up picks every week. You may have the publication mechanically dropped into your e mail inbox on Wednesdays just by signing up — totally free — at https://torontosun.com/newsletters/

[email protected]

@JohnKryk


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