Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills defeated the New York Jets, 40-14, on Sunday to secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC Playoffs, and also finish a season undefeated at home for the first time since 1990.
Here are my Arrows Up and Arrows Down from the game:
ARROW UP:
Shutout for first-team defense
When most of the starting defense exited the field in the fourth quarter, the score was 40-0. The first unit pitched a shutout.
QB - Josh Allen
Allen gave his (most likely) final case for league MVP on Sunday with two touchdown passes, both of which were highlight-reel plays, and added a touchdown run, too.
The Bills quarterback finished the game going 16-of-27 (59%) in the air for 182 yards with the pair of scores, plus 17 yards on the ground, including the other touchdown.
Three more touchdowns on the day for Allen, while also playing responsibly with no turnovers or sacks taken.
Fourth down stop
On the Jets' very first drive of the game, they drove it to the Bills' 24-yard line, where they faced a 3rd-and-1. Rodgers' pass fell incomplete.
They then went for it on 4th-and-1, and the Bills defense stuffed running back Braelon Allen for no gain and took over right there.
It was a huge stop to start the game defensively.
DE - A.J. Epenesa
Epenesa made a huge play when he sacked Aaron Rodgers for a safety to make the score 9-0 in the second quarter.
The veteran pass rusher finished the game with four tackles, the sack, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit.
DT - Ed Oliver
Oliver filled up the stat sheet with four tackles, including three tackles for loss, a sack, a quarterback hit, and a forced fumble.
Jordan Phillips’ interception
Defensive tackle Austin Johnson has two picks this season, and now fellow defensive tackle Jordan Phillips has one. After Greg Rousseau batted an Aaron Rodgers pass in the air, Phillips was able to grab it on the way down.
Amari Cooper’s touchdown catch
Cooper went high to somehow pull down a 30-yard pass in the end zone for a touchdown. That catch made the score 19-0, and really forced the Jets to become one-dimensional the rest of the way.
Keon Coleman’s touchdown catch
Late in the third quarter, as Allen scrambled right, he launched one for Coleman on the left side of the end zone. Coleman jumped up and snagged it over top of two defenders to make the score 33-0.
WR - Tyrell Shavers
After being elevated from the practice squad before the game, Shavers got into the game in the fourth quarter and caught his first NFL pass from quarterback Mitch Trubisky. He then weaved his way through traffic for an electrifying 69-yard catch-and-run touchdown to put the Bills up 40-0.
Christian Benford’s interception
Not long after Benford almost grabbed an Aaron Rodgers overthrow, he was able to undercut a ball intended for Allen Lazard, pick it off, and take it back 24 yards.
Another 15 yards were added on after Rodgers pushed him late.
K - Tyler Bass
Bass was perfect on all his kicks, going 5-for-5 on extra points and nailing a 39-yard field goal.
P - Sam Martin
Martin punted three times on the afternoon. One went for 51 yards, and another was placed perfectly at the Jets' 5-yard line, which eventually led to the safety.
Third down offense
The Bills were excellent on third down, converting 8-of-15 attempts (57.1%).
Red zone offense
The Bills were a perfect 3-for-3 inside the Jets' 20-yard line, scoring touchdowns when getting into the red zone.
The Weather!
It was like football in October! Mid-50s and the rain didn’t fall. There were some strong wind gusts, but not consistently windy, either.
The fans! 8-0 at home
Bills fans deserve an Arrow Up for showing up all season, and being a part of the team going undefeated at home in the regular season for the first time in 34 years!
ARROW DOWN:
Big runs allowed
The Jets had five runs of, at least, 10 yards. That allowed them to finish the game with 112 rushing yards and an average of 5.3 yards per-carry.
Running game
The Bills couldn’t get their running game going. They ran for just 2.9 yards per-carry, running 34 times for 97 yards.
Fourth quarter run game
When several of the Bills' backups were playing in the fourth quarter, they had even more trouble running the ball.
Ray Davis and Reggie Gilliam, who both mostly carried the ball in the final quarter, combined for just 12 yards on eight carries (1.5 yards per-run).
Keon Coleman’s drops
Coleman had two drops that could have both gone for big yardage. One was down the field on an Allen scramble, and the other was a slant that was tipped at the line, but still hit him in the hands.
First half penalties
In the first half alone, the Bills were flagged six times for 65 yards. They were called for just one penalty in the second half.
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