Buffalo Bills

Four plays that decided the Buffalo Bills’ Monday fate vs. Kansas City

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An ugly second half against the defending champions doomed the Buffalo Bills on a rainy night in Orchard Park.

The Buffalo Bills managed to keep Patrick Mahomes mostly in check on a rainy Monday night, but it still wasn’t enough to take down the defending Super Bowl champions.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire put up an infantile career-best 161 rushing yards, pacing the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense on a cold overcast night at Bills Stadium en route to a 26-17 victory in Monday night’s showdown between AFC divisional leaders. Mahomes did contribute to the Kansas City (5-1) cause with two touchdown passes, each to Travis Kelce.

Buffalo (4-2) has now lost consecutive regular season games while at full strength for the first time since 2018 (not counting the season-ending losses at the end of last season, when the Bills played mostly backups in their unsuccessful Week 17 game against the New York Jets).

ESM looks back on the four plays, one from each quarter, that determined Buffalo’s fate on Monday night…

1st Quarter: Matt Milanooooo

If this is the way the Bills’ defense looks without Matt Milano, it might be time to give the veteran linebacker some MVP consideration in absentia.

The Bills knew it would be a tall task dealing with Kelce with or without Milano, but his prescience might’ve at least made things more difficult in the red zone. His physicality and coverage prowess were particularly missed on the Bills’ second defensive drive when Kelce outworked Tremaine Edmunds (whose still working off the effects of a shoulder injury) to score the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the game. It echoed the success Tennessee was able to earn from the tight end spot on Tuesday, as Kelce was able to match Jonnu Smith’s two touchdowns scored in Nashville.

2nd Quarter: Walk the Klein

Kelce had three receptions in the first half, each of them playing a major role in the game’s timeline. He scored another touchdown in the second quarter (one that wound up giving Kansas City the lead permanently) and seemed poised for a chance to get another when the Chiefs got the ball back with just a minute to go and all their timeouts on the board. Stationed at the Kansas City 32, Kelce took a Mahomes pass to just about midfield, where he was stripped of the ball by A.J. Klein. Josh Norman was able to pounce on it, giving Buffalo a chance to try a potential tying field before the halftime gun.

While Tyler Bass missed the 52-yard attempt, the play was part of a strong stretch for the Buffalo defense. Not only did the turnover keep things at three points going into the locker room, but they also forced another Kansas City punt on their next drive. What could’ve been a 23-10 deficit remained stagnant at 13-10. For a team facing the mighty defending champions’ high-octane offense on short rest, that’s one of several moral victories gained against a brutal opponent.

3rd Quarter: Run All Night

With 11:22 to go in the second quarter, the Bills took a 10-7 lead through a 13-play, 75-yard masterpiece that was capped off by a Stefon Diggs touchdown grab. It was a drive that took 6:43 off the game clock…nearly seven minutes without Mahomes, Kelce, Edwards-Helaire, etc. on the field.

But over their next three possessions, Buffalo ran just 14 plays, tallying only 53 yards, and 5:18 on the time of possession clock. Kansas City noticed, taking advantage by showcasing their run game. In addition to Edwards-Helaire’s breakout effort, Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson united for 43 yards in relief. Williams dealt a crushing blow to a tired Buffalo defense, busting loose for a 13-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-one.

Each of Kansas City’s eight regular-season losses in the Mahomes era has come in games where they lost the time of possession battle. Buffalo failed to fulfill that requirement on Monday, as the offense was on the field for only 22:15.

4th Quarter: One-Hit Blunder

Penalties have been a bit of an issue (6.6 per game) for the Bills despite their success in the early going. They did manage to play a mostly clean game with only four flags on Monday, including none in the first half.

However, one of them was an unforced error of drastic proportions, a show of frustration that was almost…Jets-ian in nature.

With the Bills down 20-10, Poyer was able to briefly neutralize Edwards-Helaire by stopping him on a screen pass for a loss of two. Had Poyer let go once Edwards-Helaire was forced out of bounds, the Chiefs would’ve faced a third down with seven to go at circa midfield. Alas, Poyer forced Edwards-Helaire out of bounds and slammed him to the ground, drawing a 15-yard penalty and a first down. Kansas City would go on to earn a Harrison Butker field goal, more or less settling things at a two-possession game.

Penalties are going to be an issue if the Bills have any hopes of recovering and moving forward. Their currently per game tally is eighth-worst in football.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills Game Preview Week 6: Kansas City Chiefs

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The Buffalo Bills’ Monday late afternoon football excursion sees them battle the defending champions in Orchard Park.

What: Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
Where: Bills Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
When: Monday, 5 p.m. ET
Watch: Fox/NFL Network/Amazon Prime

Schedule shifts have canceled the battle of unbeatens, but the anticipated matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs will finally get the national spotlight it deserves. 

Originally set as last week’s Thursday night football showing, the ongoing health crisis moved things between these division leaders to Monday late afternoon. It will be part of a Monday doubleheader, as the regularly scheduled meeting between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals will kick off shortly after (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Seen by some as an AFC Championship Game preview, Monday’s game features a pair of strong squads coming off tough losses. Buffalo (4-1) was already victimized by the rescheduling process, as they forced into a Tuesday night game in Tennessee last week. Josh Allen threw for 263 yards and two more touchdown passes, but the Bills fell by a 42-16 final to the Titans at Nissan Stadium. Ryan Tannehill was responsible for four Tennesee touchdowns (three passing), while Derrick Henry added two more on the ground. Stefon Diggs paced all receivers with 106 yards passing.

Meanwhile, the defending champion Chiefs (4-1) are coming off their first loss since November of last season, as they were dealt a 40-32 loss at home by the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes threw for 340 yards and two scores in defeat, with 108 yards of that tally going to Travis Kelce.

The Series

The Bills currently lead the all-time set by a 26-21-1 tally. Kansas City had won the prior three matchups, but Buffalo broke the streak in their last meeting in November 2017 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs have not visited Western New York since 2014, when they topped Buffalo in 17-13 fashion. Buffalo is currently 1-0 in their AFC West slate this season, having defeated Las Vegas in Week 4.

History Happens: 1994

Buffalo and Kansas City have seen each other in the postseason three times, with the most recent get-together being the 1993-94 AFC Championship Game. The Bills took the proceedings by a 30-13 final to advance to the list of their four consecutive Super Bowl appearances. They jumped out to an early 20-6 lead after a pair of Thurman Thomas touchdown runs, but the Chiefs narrowed the gap when Dave Kreig (subbing for an injured Joe Montana) led a 90-yard drive that was capped off by Marcus Allen’s one-yard score. In a hat trick that would make the Sabres proud, Thomas capped things off with one more short score, the finishing touches of a day that saw him earn 208 yards of offense.

They Said It

“He just makes stuff work. Throws back across his body which, a high school kid you’re watching it and the coach is telling you, ‘Do not do that.’ But he does it and they complete passes. When guys are covered 50 yards down the field, they have enough speed on that team. He still throws the football and those guys breakaway, and then come down with the football. (It’s) definitely jaw-dropping to see what he’s able to do…You got to know at any given play where the speed guys are. Mahomes is able to get it to them. If I’m back in the middle. If you don’t see me on the TV and I’m 60 yards back, you know why.”-Bills S Micah Hyde on Patrick Mahomes, per Matt Parrino

“He’s a guy I know that I’ll be facing a lot as our careers go on. It’ll be a great challenge and a great opportunity for me to go against that team and him at quarterback.”-Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on Josh Allen, per Haley Lewis 

Matchup To Watch

Kansas City Speed vs. Buffalo Secondary

The Kansas City area (the Kansas edition, not Missouri) recently welcomed in the NASCAR circuit for playoff action. It might not be anything compared to what we see on the field on Monday night.

Buffalo will not reunite with injured former comrade Sammy Watkins on Monday, but the Chiefs are ready to enjoy the high-speed antics of Mecole Hardman in the meantime. Opponents have seen hints of Hardman’s potential, including an 81-yard performance in Kansas City’s Week 3 win in primetime over Baltimore. There’s already the established group of Tyreek Hill and Demarcus Robinson as well. If any of them get loose, it could be a long late afternoon. In their long-gestating preparation for Kansas City, the Bills have done their due diligence on their renowned tempo. Hyde brought up a play in last week’s tilt with Las Vegas where Hill beat out a well-positioned Erik Harris on a deep-ball that was later called back due to a holding penalty.

“Good ball beats great defense,” he noted, per Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News. “I want to say Harris was in great position but at the end of the day they came down with the ball. He’s a special talent, the receivers are special talents. You’ve got to be the deepest of the deepest.”

“I’m prepared,” Hardman said of his opportunity, according to Fox 4. “I did it last year when Tyreek (Hill) went down and Sammy went down one time, too. I’m prepared for the challenge. It’s nothing I can’t handle. I’m practicing hard, doing what I can do. Just see what Coach Reid has in store for me, what they want me to do, and just do it the best I can.”

The Bills Will Win If…

They make Mahomes uncomfortable and control the ball.

Cliche as it sounds, making the quarterback uncomfortable is going to be the key to victory in Buffalo. That lesson applies perhaps thirtyfold when the quarterback on the side is Mahomes. There’s a prime opportunity to make him extra uneasy in the pocket on Monday. Kansas City will be missing two starters on the offensive line, which could lead to added pressure from the Buffalo rush.

The Bills’ offense can do their part in neutralizing Mahomes, if only by making sure he stays off the field. Each of Kansas City’s nine losses with Mahomes under center has come when the Chiefs lose the time of possession battle. That trend continued last week when Las Vegas held the ball for 35:18 last Sunday.

The Chiefs Will Win If…

They take advantage of Buffalo on a short week.

The Titans took advantage of their two weeks off last Tuesday in Nashville. Through no fault of their own, the Bills are in a position where they’re playing in a short week. If the powerful Chiefs can take advantage of that, it can get ugly pretty quickly. The key to using speed in victory comes through conditioning, and the Chiefs have the advantage of an eight-day prep period. It’s up to them to use that on Monday.

Prediction

If there’s one thing that’s for sure about this unpredictable season on both sides, it’s that we should probably see offensive explosions galore. While everyone knows that the Chiefs are a known commodity after their Super Bowl trek, the Bills are in a bit of an awkward spot in their 2020 timeline. This is the first time in their period of contention that they’re facing some true adversity after a one-sided loss in Nashville. They previously dealt with a small amount of it after a narrow loss to lowly Cleveland last season, but they quickly shook it off with four consecutive wins to solidify their playoff status.

The Bills have several chances to get back on the right track. Asking to do that against the defending Super Bowl champions on a short week is simply too much to ask for at this rate in time. A win may be a lot to ask for, but if the Bills can hang tough with an established contender that shows no signs of fading anytime soon, they can enter the future, one that hopefully contains more normalcy from a scheduling standpoint, feeling confident with their heads high.

Chiefs 34, Bills 28 

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills: Three reasons why they didn’t need Le’Veon Bell

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Le’Veon Bell and the Buffalo Bills weren’t a match made to be, but that’s not a cause for concern for the AFC East leaders.

Buffalo Bell simply was not to be.

Despite reportedly keeping the Buffalo Bills on his shortlist, Le’Veon Bell opted to sign with the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week. The three-time Pro Bowl running back spent less than 48 hours in free agency after his release from the New York Jets on Tuesday night, during the Bills’ 42-16 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Bell will not be eligible to play in the Chiefs’ Monday late afternoon meeting with the Bills (5 p.m. ET, ESPN), but is expected to join an already powerful offense headlined by Patrick Mahomes soon enough.

It may be a tough break for the Bills (4-1) to miss out on Bell, but ESM has three reasons why it’s not the end of Buffalo’s football world…

New York Jets, LeVeon Bell
 Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t Get Caught Up in the Bell Drama

During his brief availability, Bell had reportedly narrowed his list down to three suitors: Buffalo, Kansas City, and the Miami Dolphins. Bell surely had football reasons for his whittling, but it’s probably no coincidence that each of those choices each had meetings with the Jets on their schedule (Bell wouldn’t have been ready for the Jets’ Sunday visit to South Beach, but the teams are scheduled to reunite in New Jersey on November 29).

That’s the type of “baggage” that the Bills simply didn’t need.

In the grand scheme of things, it probably wasn’t a dealbreaker, but a personal revenge story nonetheless removes focus from the ultimate goal of a win. The Bills’ rise to power has been done with relatively little drama and an emphasis on team performances. It’d be great, at least from a Buffalo standpoint, to see Bell go to a division rival and torch the Jets for 150 yards and two scores at MetLife Stadium. But that’s the type of thing the Bills don’t need to concern themselves with. This is a story about the Buffalo Bills…not the Buffalo Bells.

Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

There’s More Help Available

If the Bills really want to improve a rushing game that’s struggled to find traction in the early going (currently 28th in the NFL at 93.8 yards per game as top option Devin Singletary has struggled to regain his rookie season form), there are other names available, even on their own roster, that can help things out. The injured Zack Moss struggled in the early going (48 yards on 17 carries) but T.J. Yeldon made the most out of an extended opportunity in the loss to Tennessee on Tuesday (74 total yards and a receiving touchdown). If the Bills do opt to seek help elsewhere, serviceable options linger in the form of Spencer Ware and Bilal Powell.

Adjusting the run game, for better or worse, might be moot, however, because…

Rushing Isn’t the Problem on This Team

For the first time in this era of contention, the Bills are facing some true adversity. They might’ve faced some scrutiny after the narrow loss in Cleveland last November, but they went to four of their next five games to wrap up a playoff berth. Questions now surround Buffalo after suffering a one-sided loss to the Titans, with doubters questioning who they’ve beaten and if they’re really ready to dethrone the Patriots in the AFC East.

Adding Bell to the run game wasn’t going to answer that question either way.

Even if the top option Singletary has struggled in the early going (down to 3.9 yards a carry after averaging 5.1 last season), Buffalo has managed to procure a 4-1 record thus far. If anything, Josh Allen’s ability to partially sustain the ground game in the early going (a 3.5 average but 101 yards, 3 touchdowns) should only add to his MVP case. The passing game, bolstered by the addition of Stefon Diggs, has them situated as one of five NFL teams averaging 400 yards a game. If any outside help should be contacted…and the Bills have only about $4 million in cap space (which more than likely rules them out on a trade deadline candidate like David Johnson)…it should go toward the defense, namely the efforts in stopping the pass. The Bills let up just over 263 yards through the air a game (24th in the NFL), and matchups with the pass-happy Chiefs, Patriots, Seahawks, and Cardinals loom large before their Week 11 bye.

Problems on offense can be adjusted. Missing out on Bell stings now, but that wasn’t going to be the make-or-break move when it comes to a potential Buffalo Super Bowl run. Using whatever cap space they have would be much better spent on bolstering the defense.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Four plays that determined the Buffalo Bills’ Tuesday night fate vs. Tennessee

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Finally allowed to kick off, the Buffalo Bills were on the wrong end of a one-sided loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Empire State football’s propensity for tough-to-watch football finally made its way up to Western New York.

Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill united for six touchdowns, while their Tennessee Titans teammates countered Josh Allen’s two scores with two interceptions. Allen’s Bills were thus doomed to their first loss of the season, falling to Tennessee by a 42-16 final at Nissan Stadium. It was safe to say that the Titans (4-0) took full advantage of the 16 days of rest brought upon by positive tests for COVID-19.

How did the undefeated trek of the Bills (4-1) come to an unceremonious end in the Music City? ESM highlights four plays that shaped Buffalo’s present and future, for better or worse, over a rare Tuesday night excursion…

1st Quarter: A Good Return

Andre Roberts has the initials “WR” next to his name on the official roster, but it’s safe to say that he has made a far bigger name for himself by removing the W and changing the meaning of the R…in other words, he’s a returner. But Tuesday saw Roberts get plenty of snaps on offense, particularly in the early going. Roberts looked out of place on the first drive, as his would-be reception became a tip into the hands of Malcolm Butler, whose interception set up the first Tennessee score of the day.

Roberts, however, made up for the gaffe on Buffalo’s next possession, a rare point in the game where they looked like the Bills of September if only for a short while. Facing 3rd and 15 at the cusp of the Tennessee red zone, an illegal shift penalty nullified a Buffalo touchdown. An Allen rollout, however, found Roberts at the edge of the sidelines, as his tiptoe catch was the last of four third-down conversions the Bills earned on their way to the end zone. Two plays later, Allen hooked up with Isaiah McKenzie to tie the game.

2nd Quarter: PI on the Case

Penalties were a major problem for the Bills on Tuesday. The Bills doubled their average penalty tally from the first four games, drawing ten flags over the course of the evening. While the infractions were mostly minor, the lost yardage reaching 56, the numbers taken turned out to be vital in the long runs.

Buffalo’s most costly penalty came in the late stages of the first half. Corey Bojorquez “saved” the season by following up a three-and-out with a punt that situated the Titans at their own 10. Tennessee, however, embarked on a methodic drive that reached Buffalo territory. Bills penalties on rare Tennessee third downs allowed the drive to stay alive. Josh Norman was called for a seven-yard pass interference at the 35, while Jerry Hughes jumped offside on third-and-four at the 22 (though it was declined after the Titans got the first down anyway). Tannehill could score from 10 yards out after the Hughes infraction to permanently set momentum in the Nashville corner, creating a 21-10 halftime lead.

3rd Quarter: The Butler Did It

Enough can’t be said about the progress Allen has shown in his third season under Buffalo center, but Tuesday showed some troubling flashbacks to his turnover-laden rookie season. Allen wasn’t afraid to take some risks, but some of those proved costly, like an underthrown cross-body pass intended for Gabriel Davis that went right into the hands of Butler, who broke out of an attempt Cole Beasley tackle to take it back to the Buffalo red zone.

From this brutal evening comes a huge opportunity for Allen. This is the first time both he and his team is facing major adversity in his junior season, and the chance to redeem themselves comes against the defending champion Chiefs on Monday. A true test awaits to see just how much he has learned.

4th Quarter: Five From New York

There were no truly dangerous or egregious penalties on the Buffalo end…no ridiculous roughing the passers, no late hits, no spot-of-the-foul pass interference calls that set the Titans up deep in opposing territory. But what the Bills did in their misdemeanors was set Tennessee up with must-win situations that were far more manageable. They put in a touchdown (a 22-yard Allen pass to TJ Yeldon that capped off a 90-yard trek) at the end of the final frame’s first-third, and had a fighting chance down 28-16 as time began to wind down.

Tennessee responded to that score with a strong drive of their own. They reached the Bills’ 29, but there was still a chance to keep things situated at two possessions by forcing a third down. Seven stood between the Bills and more time off the clock…but they were all-too-happy to wipe away a majority of the deficit when A.J. Epenesa invaded the neutral zone. Blessed with a shorter distance, the Titans took advantage with a seven-yard interior run from Jeremy McNichols that more or less decimated Buffalo’s will. Three plays later, a Henry score officially put the game out of reach.

The Bills return to action next Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs (5 p.m. ET, Fox/NFL Network)

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills Game Preview Week 5: Tennessee Titans

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Uncertainty has given way to anticipation, as the unbeaten Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans take on a rare Tuesday night endeavor.

What: Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m ET
Watch: CBS

Countless tests and 54 hours later, one of the NFL’s most anticipated Week 5 matchups will finally be staged.

The league will have one less unbeaten team after Tuesday night, as the Buffalo Bills hit the road to take on the Tennessee Titans. This game, originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon’s early slot, will finally kickoff after numerous issues involving positive tests for COVID-19. Consecutive days of fully negative tests out of the Titans allow the Bills to descend upon Nashville for a battle of perfection.

Tennessee’s Week 4 game against Pittsburgh was previously postponed due to positive tests. The Titans last played on September 27, stealing a 31-30 decision from the Minnesota Vikings. Stephen Gostkowski booted a trio of field goals from at least 51 yards out, including the game-winner in the game’s penultimate minute. Some called for the Titans (3-0) to forfeit their contests against Pittsburgh and Buffalo in the wake of the delays, but the Bills have instead rolled with the punches.

“We knew adversity was going to hit. We’re just going to take it day by day and focus on this week only,” Bills offensive lineman Cody Ford said of the delay, per Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “I don’t know anybody who wants to lose money because of something that they couldn’t control. It’s one of those things where we can only control what we can control. It would hurt not to get paid, but I would rather be healthy than be rich.”

The Bills (4-0) topped the Las Vegas Raiders in their latest matchup, earning a 30-23 decision in their first-ever visit to Nevada. Josh Allen put in three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) while Quinton Jefferson and Darryl Johnson earned a sack each.

This marks the NFL’s first Tuesday night game since December 2010, when the Minnesota Vikings’ visit to Philadelphia was delayed by threats of a blizzard. Tuesday’s game is one of eight affected by the NFL’s rescheduling process at it continues to play on in the wake of the ongoing health crisis.

The Series

Tennessee leads the all-time series 28-19 (including the matchups under their Oilers moniker), but the Bills have won each of the last three get-togethers, including a 14-7 final at Nissan Stadium last season. Current Cardinal Jordan Phillips had three sacks for the Bills, while Allen had two touchdown passes, including the game-winner to Duke Williams in the fourth quarter.

History Happened: 2000

Everyone knows how the teams’ January 2000 playoff meeting ended…the Music City Miracle that haunts Buffalo fans to this day…but few talk about the immediate follow-up.

After the Titans’ special teams madness against the Bills gave birth to a Super Bowl run, the teams met up for the first Sunday night football game of the 21st century exactly eight months later in Orchard Park. The game was mostly a defensive struggle, with the teams uniting for nine sacks. Eddie George had a touchdown that tied the game in the fourth quarter, but most otherwise neutralized with 37 yards on 17 carries.

Buffalo was already missing Doug Flutie and was forced to turn to third-stringer Alex Van Pelt when Rob Johnson suffered an ankle injury. Van Pelt threw for 67 yards in relief, a majority of it coming on a 36-yard hookup with Eric Moulds that set up Steve Christie’s game-winning field goal. Deja vu nearly struck in the most horrifying way, as Derrick Mason set the Titans up near midfield on the ensuing kickoff. But one last stand from the Bills defense forced Tennessee to try a 60-yard overtime enforcer. Craig Hentrich’s kick failed, and the Bills escaped with a 16-13 win…hardly a sign of things to come for the fruitless decade.

They Said It

“Everybody’s being understanding. This isn’t a one-team league, it’s 32 teams. Everybody’s doing the best they can, things are going to happen. This isn’t a league-wide disaster or anything, the world’s going through it as well. As far as handling it one day at a time, I’m being understanding more than anything because I feel for those guys too. As far as people being sick, you don’t want anybody sick.”–Bills WR Stefon Diggs on the Titans’ situation, per Maddy Glab & Dante Lasting

“At the end of the day, we’re not going to make any excuses man,” Byard said. “We’re going to come in here and focus on what we need to focus on, and that’s winning the ballgame.”–Titans CB Kevin Byard on Tennesee’s approach to Tuesday, per the Associated Press

Matchup To Watch

WR Stefon Diggs vs. CB Malcolm Butler

The Titans have greatly missed Adoree’ Jackson, who has been dealing with a knee injury and has yet to appear in a game this season. They’re 23rd in the AFC by allowing just over 256 passing yards a game and have let up an average of 472 total yards over the last two weeks, skating by thanks to strong offensive performances. The former Super Bowl hero Butler has been part of the struggles in the early going. Both he and fellow secondary defender Chris Jackson have also been working with injuries, but both are expected to play.

It sets up the potential for a perfect Buffalo storm, as Diggs has been one of their most explosive catalysts behind their undefeated start. If he’s allowed to get loose, especially in the early going, it well could be another long 60 minutes, ones that could cost the Titans their perfect record.

The Bills Will Win If…

They attack the Titans’ suspect secondary and get off to a fast start.

Buffalo is only second to Dallas in passing yards a game at over 316. The Titans come in struggling in the deeper parts of the field and haven’t suited up in over two weeks. Pouncing on your host is advisable under normal conditions, and it could become downright vital in such a crucial conference showdown. It’s perhaps very, very early to start thinking about the postseason, but Tuesday could well play a role in playoff seedings…perhaps even the all-too-valuable, single first-round bye.

The Titans Will Win If…

They used their time off well.

Eyes in all NFL, maybe in all sports, circles are on the Titans after they’ve been responsible for one of the bigger COVID outbreaks since the return to action. They’ve used the momentum they’ve earned from an AFC title game appearance well, but they’ll have a plethora of taunts and problems to deal with if Tuesday’s match doesn’t go well. Tennessee reserves may have to come up big as well. AJ Brown is nursing a knee injury, so don’t be surprised to see names like Kalif Raymond or Geoff Swaim rise to the occasion.

Prediction

It’s been a long, long time since the Titans suited up for a game. Beating a Buffalo squad that’s firing on all cylinders and eager for more seems like a lot to ask for at this point. If Buffalo is truly serious about contending, these are the types of games that need to come away with, especially with their divisional competition from New England sidelined by the health crisis as well. Expect the Bills to take advantage on Tuesday.

Bills 28, Titans 24

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

New York Jets, Buffalo Bills games affected by NFL schedule shift

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One of the New York Jets’ games against Miami has been moved up to next weekend, as the league makes changes during the health crisis.

The future of the AFC East took a major shift on Sunday, as both the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills are affected by the NFL’s continuing attempt to navigate its way through the ongoing health crisis. Eight games in total have been affected by positive COVID-19 tests emerging from New England and Tennessee.

As of press time, the Bills’ Week 5 tilt against the Tennessee Titans is scheduled to go on in its Tuesday slot (7 p.m. ET, CBS) after being moved from Sunday. Tennessee revealed on Sunday that they saw another positive test, forcing another shutdown of their Nashville facility. The Titans have now had 24 positive tests in their organization since September 24.

Consequently, the Bills’ Thursday night game against the Kansas City Chiefs has been moved to October 19, the Monday night of Week 6. That game will remain shared between Fox, NFL Network, and streaming service Amazon Prime with kickoff slated for 5 p.m. ET.

These new changes also affect the Jets, who will now face the Miami Dolphins much earlier than anticipated. The first meeting between the divisional rivals moves up to next weekend with a Sunday kickoff on October 18 (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS). Miami was originally scheduled to take on the Denver Broncos, but the latter’s matchup with the Patriots was instead moved to Week 6 instead. New England and Denver were originally scheduled for Week 5’s Sunday late slot, but they were later moved to Monday. However, Week 5 now serves as de facto Broncos bye week, as they’ll now play the Los Angeles Chargers on their original open date. Miami and Denver’s meeting now moves to Week 11.

Another Jets game affected by the movement is their original Week 6 date with the Chargers. That one now moves to Sunday, November 22, when they originally were set to take on the Dolphins. Jacksonville’s visit to the Chargers in Week 8 has been moved to October 25 during Week 7’s action (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).

This story will be updated pending further developments.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

New York Jets: LeVeon Bell to return in week 5

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New York Jets, Leveon Bell

The New York Jets have been without their former All-Star running back since week one of the season. In the Jets’ 27-17 loss to the Bills, Bell seemed to have an awkward fall in the midst of running a route.

It ultimately ended up being  a hamstring injury that sent him to the IR. Now, before the Jets take on the Arizona Cardinals, Bell will be joining them.

What’s This Mean?

This is great news for the Jets organization for multiple reasons. The first that tomorrow marks the first start for Joe Flacco while Darnold sits with a shoulder injury, so adding a playmaker like Bell back into the fold could ease some of the pressure. Especially with a veteran quarterback who is coming off an injury himself, having Bell can open up things more for him.

The next reason this is so important, is because of the impact Bell has when healthy. Without Bell for the past few games, the Jets have accumulated only 263 yards on the ground from running backs.

Sam Darnold is currently the team’s leading rusher with 117 yards, while Frank Gore sits at 74 yards on 55 carries. It’s safe to say the Jets need a boost out of the backfield and Bell could provide that.

The last reason this is crucial is because of a potential trade. With Bell likely out the door after this season, the team could use the next two or so games as a showcase for what Bell can do. If he’s the key cog in the offense for the next couple of games, don’t be surprised because that may be an order from management. A trade of Bell could shed around eight million dollars of cap space for the organization and potentially nab a mid rounder. It may not be the route the team goes, but it’s certainly a possibility.

One thing is for sure though, the Jets need some kind of fire on offense right now. That’s a fire that Bell can bring. Who knows, his return may just make this offense competitive.

Buffalo Bills’ Week 5 contest moved to Tuesday night

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The anticipated matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans will move to Tuesday night, pending further Tennessee testing.

Buffalo Bills fans will be waiting all day for Tuesday night this week.

The team confirmed on Thursday that their Week 5 tilt against the Tennessee Titans will be shifted from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday night. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET and will be nationally broadcast on CBS. Tom McCarthy and Jay Feely are expected to retain the call.

Buffalo (4-0) has been on standby in the wake of positive COVID-19 tests out of Tennessee, a number that moved up to 23 since September 24 this week. This Tuesday date hinges on whether more positive tests emerge prior to kickoff. The Titans (3-0) previously saw their Week 4 game against Pittsburgh rescheduled to October 25 in the wake of their positives.

This week’s situation with the Bills was made all the more precarious with the BIlls’ situation in Week 6, as they were slated to open the proceedings with a Thursday night match against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. If the Bills and Titans play on Tuesday, Buffalo’s visit to Arrowhead Stadium will be moved to Week 6’s Sunday slate at an unspecified time. Otherwise, it will retain its spot in Fox and NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football package.

Buffalo last had a game rescheduled in 2014, when a snowstorm moved a November tilt against the New York Jets from Sunday to Monday. Proceedings were also moved from Bills Stadium (then known as Ralph Wilson Stadium) to Ford Field in Detroit. The Bills won the game 38-3.

This anticipated matchup between unbeaten teams is one of two Week 5 games shifted in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks in the NFL. For the second straight week, the New England Patriots will partake in a Monday night doubleheader, as they’ll battle the Denver Broncos a day later than anticipated (5 p.m. ET, ESPN). That’ll be followed by the originally scheduled Monday night showing between the Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags 

Buffalo Bills stand by in wake of opponent’s COVID woes

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The Buffalo Bills can only be patient as their battle of unbeatens against the Titans hangs in doubt due to Tennessee’s COVID woes.

The ongoing health crisis has officially invaded the NFL’s bubble…or lack thereof…in the form of an outbreak amongst the Tennessee Titans organization. A Thursday report from ESPN indicated that another member of the Titans’ organization has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing their total to 23 since September 24. The positives have forced a shutdown of the Titans’ Nashville facility.

It obviously pales in comparison, but the positive tests put a highly anticipated NFL showdown in jeopardy. Already forced to reschedule their Week 4 matchup against Pittsburgh, the Titans are, as of press time, slated to battle the Buffalo Bills this coming Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

As the situation awaits further developments, the Bills (4-0) are going to continue to push forward with business as usual while taking the proper precautions to ensure that they’re not forced to deal with an outbreak themselves.

“The best thing that we can do is prepare like we’re playing a game on Sunday,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said earlier this week, in a report from Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com. “If the game does happen I trust what coach Sean McDermott and the league tell us to do…It takes one guy to go to the grocery store and it’s simple as that sometimes. You don’t ever suspect anybody to have it in the facility, but you’ve got to hope that guys are wearing their masks and the contact tracers are working.

“It’s just like holding each other accountable to that standard where if you are feeling something, tell somebody,” Allen added. “We are accountable, and we trust the guys in this locker room to do the right thing.”

Buffalo previously deal with a rash of false positives during training camp. Allen was among those affected by those and was forced to miss a practice session as a result.

The continuing situation is all part of the challenges a most unusual season that veterans like safety Jordan Poyer saw coming.

“I think coming into the season everybody knew that it was going to be something different. Everybody knew that there were a lot of challenges and obstacles that we’re going to have to overcome,” Poyer said, per Maddy Glab and Dante Lasting at BuffaloBills.com. “I figured at some point during the season this situation was going to happen, I just didn’t know when. I think Sean said it before the season, having the understanding that mentally, it’s going to be different than any other season that we’ve been a part of. We’re going to have to overcome it.”

While the previous matchup against the Steelers was pushed back three weeks (during Pittsburgh’s original open date), postponing the Bills game could be very tricky. Buffalo is scheduled to partake in Week 6’s Thursday night opener, another high-profile matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. ESPN’s Dianna Russini states that their tilt against Tennessee could be moved to Monday or Tuesday, not unlike how the Chiefs and New England Patriots rescheduled their own Week 4 matchup from Sunday to Monday after a few positives tests on each side, including the latter’s starting quarterback Cam Newton. If that were the case, the Bills’ Thursday night visit to Kansas City would shift to Saturday.

A Tennessee forfeit is also on the table, though players would not receive a game check in such an event. Many fans have clamored for such a result after Tennessee reportedly broke protocol by practicing at a Nashville preparatory school while their facility was shut down.

Bills receiver Stefon Diggs, however, held no ill will toward the Titans and advocated to play if everything is safe and secure.

“This isn’t just a league-wide disaster or whatever, the world’s going through it as well,” Diggs said in Parrino’s report. “(We’re) handling it one day at a time. I’m being understanding more than anything because I feel for those guys, too. You don’t want anybody sick.”

The NFL has continued to monitor their attempts to work through the health crisis, which has proved risky without a bubble setting adopted by other leagues like the NHL, NBA, and WNBA. Adopting face coverings on the sidelines has proved to be a problem for coaches, forcing the league to threaten more progressive penalties, such as the forfeiture of draft picks.

Geoff Magliocchett is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Four plays that decided the Buffalo Bills’ Week 4 fate in Las Vegas

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Familiar faces in familiar spots came up huge for the Buffalo Bills, who hit the perfect quarter-mark jackpot in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas may have been too much for the Wolfpack, but there was no undefeated hangover for the Buffalo Bills.

Josh Allen threw for 288 yards and two scores, with 115 of those yards going to Stefon Diggs on six hook-ups. The defense also earned a pair of fumble recoveries en route to a 30-23 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in their first-ever visit to Allegiant Stadium. With the win, the Bills (4-0) are one of six remaining undefeated teams in the NFL after Week 4.

It was another big step for Diggs, who paces the NFL with 403 receiving yards alongside Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf.

“He plays so strong,” McDermott said of Diggs, per Issac Brekken of The Buffalo News. “He’s got the mentality and the attitude and it rubs off on our football team.”

A big play from Diggs is one of several plays that affected Sunday’s win and beyond, as ESM tracks down a big play from each quarter that affects the Bills’ present and future.

1st Quarter: Third’s the Word

Sunday’s matchup featured two of the NFL’s top five teams in third-down conversion rate. Through four weeks, the Raiders and Bills respectively rank third and fifth in the vital category and the two teams lived up to their strong reputation in the department on Sunday. The Bills went 7-for-13 on the down, while Las Vegas countered at 8-for-14 when they had the ball.

Buffalo had an early opportunity to show off that prowess. After converting two first downs on their opening set (including Josh Allen’s 26-yard score to Gabriel Davis), the Bills held a 7-3 lead but a tenuous 13 yards to go at the cusp of Las Vegas territory. Allen threw short of the sticks, but Isaiah McKenzie navigated through traffic to earn a pivotal first down. McKenzie’s elusiveness helped him reach the imaginary yellow line. But the Bills’ non-ball carrying skill players, namely Diggs, John Brown, and Devin Singletary got in the way of pursuing defenders to allow McKenzie the extra steps necessary to get the first.

Five plays later, another third down led to paydirt, as Allen found Cole Beasley from 11 yards out, giving the Bills a 14-3 lead in the early stages of the second.

2nd Quarter: Bitten By Witten

The sight of Jason Witten is one of the few remaining reminders of that classic, uncanny Buffalo choke in an October 2007 Monday night showdown against the Dallas Cowboys. Witten came back to haunt the Bills one last time on Sunday, making his first touchdown grab in a Raiders uniform just before the end of the first half.

Witten’s score is part of what’s becoming a recurring problem in Buffalo: the struggle to cover the tight end. The four receptions for 74 yards between Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee last weekend only seemed pedestrian after Mike Gesicki had eight grabs for 131. So far, the Bills have been able to withstand the storm. But with a meaty part of the schedule looming…including a Thursday night tilt with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the defending champion Chiefs…they need to solve this problem sooner rather than later to keep the good times rolling.

3rd Quarter: 4th and Fun

Buffalo has climbed toward the top of the NFL standings and power rankings thanks to their continued willingness to take risks. That includes their situations on fourth down. Through Week 4’s games, the Bills are one of six teams with a perfect conversion rate on fourth down. Of that tally, they’re tied for second with three conversions (only Cincinnati has more at a perfect 6-for-6).

When Las Vegas cut down the lead to 17-16, it felt like they could permanently shift momentum with a stop. But Buffalo trickery, namely an end-around from McKenzie, got things rolling and put a major rut into the Raiders’ comeback plans. The Bills wound up punting on the drive…a holding penalty on the ensuing downs prevented any points…but it provided a strong message to the rest of the league that they’re not going to let fourth-and-short stop them. This is a team that’s willing to take the risks a great team is willing to take.

4th Quarter: Star Power

The Bills’ rise to power has been fueled by a sense of cashing in on opportunities. The biggest chance on Sunday came in the third quarter with the Raider breathing down their necks. Buffalo led 23-16 but stifled a counter when newcomer Josh Norman officially became a member of the Bills by forcing and recovering a Derek Carr fumble. It took only four snaps to cash in, snaps that allowed the Bills to showcase their marriage of homegrown and acquired talent. Allen hooked up with Diggs for a 49-yard gain, a leaping grab over Erik Harris that would set up a two-yard score from Devin Singletary that more or less ended any true Las Vegas threats.

The difference between good teams and great teams is that the latter group finds a way to capitalize to the fullest extent on every opportunity. That’s among the many reasons they’re among the remaining undefeated squads and ready to make the leap toward NFL elitehood.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags