So far, so good for new Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes in the team’s first game since they fired Ken Dorsey earlier this week and the Bills ended a two-game losing streak by routing the Jets 32-6 at home. The win moves the Bills to 6-5 and allows for some relaxtion about the state of the offense as they head into a challenging Week 12 trip to Philadelphia.
Allen threw an interception on a Hail Mary at the end of the first half, but the offense was otherwise able to avoid the kinds of turnovers that have led to most of their five losses. He was 20-of-32 for 275 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown pass to Khalil Shakir that is the longest play from scrimmage in the league this year.
James Cook chipped in 73 yards on 17 carries and the Bills put the game away with back-to-back touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half.
While the Bills found some better offensive footing, the Jets remained way off track. They were able to score their first touchdown since Week Eight, but that 84-yard scoring drive was an aberration. Zach Wilson threw an interception and led the team to five punts before head coach Robert Saleh pulled him from the game in the third quarter. Tim Boyle didn’t do much better and Saleh will now face questions about whether Wilson, Boyle or Trevor Siemian will start against the Dolphins on Black Friday.
None of those is an ideal answer to the Jets’ problems, but the trade deadline has passed and the open market doesn’t offer any hope of a real upgrade for a team that fell to 4-6 with the loss. The day began with a report that Aaron Rodgers is targeting December 2 for a practice return, but the question will shift from whether that’s possible to whether there’s any point in trying with another loss or two.
Things aren’t nearly as bleak for the Bills, although they may be thin in the secondary against Philadelphia after Taylor Rapp, Taron Johnson, and Dane Jackson all left Sunday’s game with injuries. Rasul Douglas, who had two interceptions and a fumble recovery, was also hurt late in the game, so they may need to shuffle some pieces around as they try to make it two in a row next Sunday.