Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - It was a good day for the Buffalo Bills and "Bills Mafia" on Sunday. A very good day.
It feels like there haven't been many of those this season, so the 32-6 domination of the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium was exactly what everyone needed.
What went well? I'm glad you asked.
First and most important was the badly-needed victory.
The Bills improved to 6-5 and jumped up from 10th in the AFC standings to eighth place, just a half game behind the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card race.
The Bills beat a team they should beat, and didn't have to sweat this one out. They had already lost to the Zach Wilson-led Jets, as well as the New England Patriots, and barely hung on to beat the New York Giants.
In Joe Brady's debut as interim offensive coordinator, the Bills put 32 points up on the scoreboard against a terrific Jets defense, which got the better of the Bills offense in each of the last three matchups.
By the way, the 32 points scored is the most by the Bills since their Week 4 shredding of the Miami Dolphins defense.
It was also the most points given up by the Jets since 2021.
Over the last three games against the Jets, the Bills had averaged just 17 points a game, and had never topped the 20-point mark.
Josh Allen had just two touchdown passes in those three games, but he threw for three scores on Sunday. Allen was sacked 13 times in those previous three meetings, but the Jets recorded just one sack of the Bills quarterback on Sunday.
One of the things Brady did in his first game as the Bills' offensive play-caller was get the running backs more involved.
James Cook had 20 touches, the second-most for Cook in a game this season. He totaled 102 yards, and had a five-yard touchdown catch. Cook and third-string back Ty Johnson combined for six catches, 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Johnson's touchdown catch was on 4th-and-1, and went for 28 yards and sealed the victory.
Brady made sure to use rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid as a weapon in the middle of the field, where Allen and company had great success with their passing game. Kincaid was the main weapon in the passing game in the first quarter with four catches for 43 yards.
Second-year Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir is in the best stretch of his career. His 81-yard catch-and-run touchdown was part of a three-catch, 115-yard performance. It was a beautiful pass from Allen just beyond the reach of standout Jets cornerback Sauce Gardener.
Shakir now has 288 yards receiving over his last four games. He had just 161 yards in his rookie season.
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The Bills did all of this despite the fact that top wide receiver Stefon Diggs was limited to 27 yards on four catches, and No. 2 wide out Gabe Davis didn't have a single target.
Being able to win a game with other offensive players carrying the load is a very good sign.
Now it's time to give the defense a little love.
Granted, that was a historically bad Jets offense they faced, but you still have to go out and win your matchups. The Bills did just that.
The six points given up is the second-fewest total of the season. The Bills held the Washington Commanders to just three points in their Week 3 showdown.
The Bills defense shut down the two-best weapons on the Jets offense. Running back Breece Hall had only 23 yards on 10 carries, while their very talented top receiver Garrett Wilson was targeted eight times, but had a mere two catches for nine yards.
Cornerback Rasul Douglas was one of the reasons why Wilson was so ineffective. A trade deadline pickup from the Green Bay Packers, Douglas had two interceptions (the first multi-interception game by a Bills defender since Tre'Davious White in 2019) and added a fumble recovery.
Leonard Floyd has been a tremendous addition to the Buffalo defensive front. He had 2.5 sacks on Sunday, bringing his season total to 9.5.
Tyrel Dodson had his best game as a member of the Bills with seven tackles, one sack and a forced fumble.
The Bills defense recorded six sacks, and did not allow a single third down conversion by their opponent. The Jets were 0-for-11 on third down, and New York's longest play of the day went for just 18 yards.
I don't want to forget special teams, since they set the tone for the day by forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff. That immediately put the Bills offense in prime position on their first possession field goal.
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You can now enjoy your Thanksgiving, Bills fans.
However, as the late and great Van Miller would say, fasten your seat belts.
The Bills begin the toughest part of their schedule this coming Sunday with games in Philadelphia against the Eagles, in Kansas City against the Chiefs, at home against the Dallas Cowboys and on the road again against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Hopefully the win over the Jets means the Bills' offense is back, and will be up for the challenge down the stretch.
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