If your team’s final game of a season in which they underachieved and missed the playoffs needed some storylines to add incentive for the players, then Sunday’s Buffalo Bills’ matchup with the New York Jets certainly had that. The Bills faced their head coach’s former team, the New York Jets, quarterbacked by the Bills’ former quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, with the Jets needing the win to secure a playoff spot. On top of that, there were rumblings of dissension in the Bills’ locker room with players suggesting that Mario Williams checked out a long time ago and was a selfish player. So how did the Bills respond? With a rousing effort that got them a 22-17 victory and ruined the Jets’ playoff hopes. Their win put the Pittsburgh Steelers into the playoffs as a wild card, and also ensured a non-losing season (8-8) for the second straight year for Buffalo. It’s very disappointing that a non-losing season passes for a positive, especially in a season that had so much promise, but at least the Bills didn’t run for the bus.
On the contrary, they played with as much passion as they’ve shown all year, especially the defense. Even the guy supposedly dogging it, Mario Williams, had a sack, while Leodis McKelvin, Manny Lawson and rookie A.J. Tarpley all picked off former Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter to seal the win. It was a great all-around game for a unit that struggled all year, as they couldn’t quite adjust to coach Rex Ryan’s defensive scheme. On offense, the Bills had a tough time running against the Jets’ top-ranked rush defense. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor was their leading rusher with 51 yards on 10 carries, including an 18 yard scoring run in the first quarter. Taylor was his usual consistent self – his passing stats were ordinary, as he hit on 18 of 28 passes for 182 yards. He was extremely efficient, however, in keeping drives alive with third and fourth down conversions. The Bills controlled the clock for most of the game, doubling up the Jets in time of possession. Taylor’s biggest positive in the game may have been his ability to get the ball to his top weapon, Sammy Watkins, even though Watkins was being covered by the game’s top cover corner, Darrelle Revis, and the rest of the Bills’ receiving corps was depleted by injury. Watkins caught 11 passes for 136 yards.
A loss would have sent the Bills into the off-season with a bad taste in their collective mouths, especially if they had lost to Ryan’s former team, quarterbacked by their former signal caller. Instead, Buffalo salvaged a .500 season and now must regroup and hopefully make a run at the postseason in 2016.