The Buffalo Bills went into Metlife Stadium on Monday Night Football in Week 6 and came away with a close victory over the New York Jets, 23-20.
The game featured a lot of wild momentum swings: a completed Hail Mary by the Jets to conclude the first half; 22 total penalties which tied a season-high for the NFL; and four total missed kicks.
All that matters for the Bills (4-2) is they got out of it with a win and now have a commanding lead in the AFC East early in the season.
The Bills got back on track after consecutive letdowns against the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively. The offense looked more like they had in the first three weeks when they took the league by storm. And on defense, the Bills’ playmakers were flying around and making timely plays.
The Bills needed contributions from all position groups in the tight AFC East match-up. Here is Bills Wire’s report card for the Bills in Week 6:
Quarterback: A
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Josh Allen had a great bounce-back effort in Week 6. He was efficient and continuously put his offense in positions to succeed.
Allen had three total touchdowns (two passing and one rushing) while committing zero turnovers. He completed 19 of his 25 passes (76%) and posted the fourth-highest QBR in the NFL in Week 6 (85.5).
Running back: A+
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Bills rookie running back Ray Davis had his coming out party in the national spotlight on Monday night. He gave the Bills a huge boost on the ground and finished runs with force and physicality. He also had an incredible 42-yard catch on a broken play. He and James Cook could be a dangerous one-two punch.
Davis posted 152 total yards from scrimmage with 97 on the ground and 55 through the air. Ty Johnson added 34 rushing yards at an impressive 8.5 yards per carry.
Wide receivers: B
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The receivers weren’t asked to do much in the win but they were effective when targeted. Wide receivers Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Mack Hollins combined for just nine catches. Dalton Kincaid got on track Monday with six catches on seven targets for 51 yards. One thing the Bills did a great job of was drawing defensive pass interference calls, something they haven’t been good at to start the year.
The Khalil Shakir ankle injury opened up the idea of needing more pass catchers, and the trade for Amari Cooper on Tuesday should provide a boost in that regard.
Offensive line: A-
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The Bills did an excellent job of setting the tone early with the run game. The offensive line bullied their way down the field in the opening drive, constantly paving lanes for runners. And, when things got tough later in the game, they had the running game to fall back on given how that unit was moving people backward. There were times when pass blocking broke down, but for the most part, it was a solid showing. Penalties were a problem for the unit but they were a problem for just about everyone on Monday.
Defensive line: B
Oct 14, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is sacked by Buffalo Bills defensive end AJ Epenesa (57) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
According to Pro Football Focus, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was under pressure just six times in the game. The 40-year-old gunslinger did a good job of getting the ball out quickly. But, when the Bills got pressure, they made it count. They sacked Rodgers three times. The unit is clearly missing key guys like Ed Oliver and Von Miller, but they did a good enough job on Monday to cause havoc when given the opportunity.
Greg Rousseau led the team with a PFF defensive grade of 70.7. A.J. Epenesa posted two sacks while DaQuan Jones added another.
Linebackers: B-
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Bills linebackers had an up-and-down game on Monday night. They allowed some quick passes to go for good chunks of yards and struggled to tackle at times.
Dorian Williams posted three missed tackles. Terrel Bernard had the team’s worst PFF coverage grade (38.4) and gave up a couple of big catches. Given the athletes they are, they did have some flash plays, too. Each had a tackle for loss and the duo combined for 13 tackles.
Secondary: B
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Much like the linebackers, the secondary struggled at times. Christian Benford had his first rough game of the year. He allowed seven catches on eight balls thrown his way.
Jets wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard each had over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Hail Mary catch by Lazard didn’t help the secondary’s case.
They did make incredible plays when they needed to, however. Both Taron Johnson and Taylor Rapp were extremely effective in their return from injury in Week 6. Rapp made numerous clutch pass breakups while Johnson’s game-sealing interception was the most clutch of them all.
Special teams: D
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Bills kicker Tyler Bass continues to struggle. The team is sticking by him, perhaps because of his contract. However, he still missed two against the Jets which brings this grade way down despite anything else.
