Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills had to overcome a few factors on the way to snapping a two-game losing streak on Monday night in New Jersey.
First, they had to overcome their opponent, the New York Jets, who saw their quarterback Aaron Rodgers have his best game in a Jets uniform.
The Bills also had to overcome themselves.
There were way too many penalties on Monday night. Just sloppy and undisciplined penalties.
They also gave up a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass as the first half came to an end, thanks to a bad plan by the coaches and a lack of execution by the players on the field.
Then there was Tyler Bass, whose struggles from the end of last season have continued into this season. Bass missed a 47-yard field goal kick, and also had an extra point attempt blocked, although it appeared to be going left to begin with.
At the very least, the Bills should be adding a kicker to the practice squad this week, if not signing one to replace Bass, who creates stress every time he attempts a kick.
Lastly, both teams had to play through one of the worst officiated games I have ever seen in my 50-plus years of watching the National Football League. There were 30 flags thrown by a crew that deserves, at the very least, a stern talking to from the league for nearly beating this game to death.
In terms of accepted penalties, the two teams combined for 22 of those for an eye-popping 204 yards.
At the end of the night though, the Bills won a game that wasn't a "must win", but was more of a "it would really be good if you won" game.
Not only did they avoid, what would have been, the first three-game losing streak in the Josh Allen era, but the Bills also created a little breathing room in the AFC East.
The 4-2 Bills are the only team in the division with a winning record, and have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Miami Dolphins (2-3) and Jets (2-4). New England is in the basement at 1-5.
The Bills recorded their seventh win in the last nine meetings with the Jets thanks to a terrific running game, some clutch throws by their franchise quarterback, and a defense that bent but didn't break.
On a night when running back James Cook was inactive due to a toe injury, rookie running back Ray Davis took the opportunity and literally ran with it.
Davis' running sparked an offense that struggled mightily in the two previous games. He had 48 yards on six carries during the Bills' first possession, which ended in an Allen touchdown run. He then caught a 42-yard pass on the Bills' third drive, and it propelled Buffalo from its own 10-yard line to the Jets' 48-yard line. That drive also produced a touchdown, an eight-yard dart from Allen to Mack Hollins.
Davis ended up with 152 yards on 23 total touches, the most scrimmage yards by a rookie in the NFL this season.
Allen did more Allen things during Monday's win.
That 42-yard bomb to Davis came off a scramble, in which he escaped the pocket from his end zone, rolled to the right and then chucked the ball before heading out of bounds.
Late in the second quarter, Allen ducked under, what was about to be a Jets sack, ran to his left and hit tight end Dawson Knox in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown.
Allen has struggled in a handful of games against the Jets, but on this night, he would go 19-of-25 for 215 yards, a pair of touchdown passes and no turnovers.
Allen's decision making this season has been terrific. He now has a career-best six-straight games without an interception.
The wide receivers were a little better than they had been in the back-to-back losses. The group caught nine of their 12 targets for 97 yards and the Hollins score.
Khalil Shakir returned after missing the last game with an ankle injury, but he was eased back in, as his 38% snap count will attest. But one of his two catches was a key 3rd-and-6 conversion on the drive that culminated in the Hollins touchdown.
The Bills actually threw the ball downfield to Curtis Samuel, and it resulted in a 38-yard gain. Samuel, who had just 48 yards receiving through the first five games, had 44 yards in this game.
Now, that "bend, but don't break" Bills defense.
Jets running back Breece Hall rushed 113 yards on just 18 carries. Receivers Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard combined for 14 catches, 221 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Rodgers threw for 294 yards and those two scores, one of which was that stunning 52-yard Hail Mary to end the first half.
But the Jets went just 1-for-4 in the red zone (while the Bills were 3-for-4), and New York converted just 33% on third down.
The Buffalo defense did just enough to prevent the Jets from moving into first place in the division.
They got a boost from the return of nickel back Taron Johnson and safety Taylor Rapp. Both came up with huge plays on, what turned out to be, the Jets' final drive of the game. Rapp jarred the ball loose on, what would have been, a first down catch for the Jets inside the Bills' 45-yard line.
Johnson then came up with, what essentially was, a victory-sealing interception inside the Bills' 20-yard line when Jets wide receiver Mike Williams slipped while adjusting to an underthrown ball.
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When all was said and done, the Bills left MetLife Stadium with the win, which is what matters most. They finished a brutal opening six-game stretch of the season with a 4-2 mark, and now face, what appears to be, a softer part of the schedule.
The next four opponents (Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts) are currently a combined 9-13.
