Out of all the divisions in the NFL, the AFC East could end up being the most intriguing. Obviously they already have the Super Bowl favorite Buffalo Bills, but also a contender in the Miami Dolphins, combined with upstart teams like the New England Patriots and New York Jets. On a week-to-week basis, you never know what you’ll get, and Week 8 was a great example of that.
The Bills can win in so many ways
Two things were apparent on Sunday night in Buffalo, Josh Allen didn’t play his best game. It didn’t matter. At all. He tossed two interceptions, was held below 250 yards passing, and didn’t do a ton of damage on the ground either. However, the Bills won, despite their run defense getting a little exposed by Packers’ running back Aaron Jones. At the end of the day, this Bills’ defense continues to be incredible and they are tough to beat. Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been at his best this year and these are not the Packers we have gotten used to seeing, but the Bills made Rodgers look atrocious. He was uncomfortable and was forced into mistakes, which was enough to allow Buffalo to emerge victorious. If the defense keeps playing like that and keeps up with the rate of pressure they can get on the quarterback, then Allen might not have to be superhuman in order for the team to get to Glendale in February. Watch out.
Zach Wilson is hurting the Jets
Well, that’s stating the obvious. In a way, it’s hard to pile on the guy considering that everyone has, rightly, done so this week. There are many more things that go into one game than just a quarterback, and typically in fairness, there isn’t just one player that loses a team the game. Fans are reactionary. Jets fans ripped Zach Wilson apart for a poor performance against the hated division rival Patriots. It was another step back in his development, something we’ll touch on with the Patriots as well. Wilson has a problem when the play breaks down, something that he supposedly excelled at in college. However, the pressure, figuratively and literally, seems to be getting to him. It’s hard to imagine how one quarterback can go from one extreme to another, depending on how well protected he is. It’s something that will need to be corrected and fast if he is to stick around in Florham Park for another year. Granted, Sunday was the first game in what has basically become a new offense without Breece Hall. Wilson doesn’t always need to be the reason his team wins, but he certainly cannot be the reason they don’t. He’s not seeing ghosts, but Jets fans definitely are right now. Wasting what is a really good defense, paired with a great special teams group would be a disappointing outcome for the team that owns the league’s longest playoff drought.
The Pats might have a quarterback problem
It is a popular belief that a game cannot be won or lost on a particular penalty. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Patriots were in deep trouble at MetLife Stadium as Michael Carter II returned Mac Jones’ second interception of the day for a touchdown. It was a horrid decision that turned out to be erased due to a penalty on the Jets’ defense. That serves as yet another example of how fragile the NFL can be. Minor details can completely change everything. If that play stands, how many Patriots’ fans are calling for Bailey Zappe again? You’d be amazed with how many of those number four jerseys were in the stands on Sunday. Bill Belichick did something similar earlier that week at home against the Bears. Would he have done it again? Naturally, Jones settled more into the game and the rest is history. However, he hasn’t played to the same level we saw last year, which should start forcing the team, fans, coaching staff, and front office to all at least consider potentially sounding the alarm. Don’t push the button yet, but it would be foolish to not consider it based on the work we’ve seen since early September.
Fins hard to beat when Tua, Tyreek, and Waddle are on
The Dolphins defense might want to take Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle out to dinner as a thank you for the work they put in on Sunday. Miami’s defense left a lot to be desired, allowing the Lions to jump out to an early lead that was in danger of getting out of hand. Luckily for them, Mike McDaniel’s group is never out of a game thanks to the track team that poses as an NFL offense on Sundays. Tagovailoa deserves a ton of credit as well. For someone that takes a ton of heat for arm strength (a valid concern that was also evident at times), he was able to overcome those deficiencies which can position the Dolphins for a big run later in the year.