QB Josh Allen shakes off turnovers, leads Bills’ comeback win over Jets
NEW YORK — Better late than never, right?
The Buffalo Bills scored 17 unanswered points Sunday against the New York Jets to cap a second-half rally, earning a 17-16 victory despite a whopping four first-half turnovers — their largest comeback since beating the New England Patriots in Week 3 of the 2011 season. For all his faults, second-year quarterback Josh Allen orchestrated a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter to pay back his Jets counterpart, Sam Darnold, for their down-to-the-wire matchup last season.
There are things Buffalo needs to clean up — specifically controlling the ball and incorporating the run game — but there’s even more to like heading into a Week 2 matchup against the Giants.
Describe the game in two words: Whatever works. Allen was not perfect and made at least three throws that should’ve resulted in interceptions, but he was ruthlessly efficient when he needed to be in the fourth quarter, completing 8-of-10 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown in the game’s final two drives. His negatives may be the most prevalent plays in critics’ minds, but there’s no denying he matured during today’s game.
Troubling trend: Allen’s four turnovers in the first half is the most by a Bills quarterback since Nathan Peterman threw four interceptions in the first half against the Chargers in 2017. One could make the argument not every turnover was Allen’s fault but he also had a brutal interception overturned after a defensive holding call against a player who was not overly involved in the play, and another one dropped at the goal line. Allen’s job, along with the Bills offense as a whole, is to make smart decisions with the ball and give this defense a lead it can work with. Buffalo’s defense can win games by itself — but it can only do so much without any offensive production.
Everything you need this week:
• Full schedule » | Standings »
• Depth charts for every team »
• Transactions and top news »
• Projected 2020 NFL draft order »
More NFL coverage »
Biggest hole in the game plan: Where was the running game during the first three quarters? The Bills started the game with seven straight passing plays — the last of which ended in a drive-killing fumble. Buffalo did not commit to running the ball early on, resulting in just 55 rushing yards through three quarters. But the ground game exploded in the fourth quarter, when the Bills racked up 68 rushing yards during a spirited comeback.
Silver lining: It looks like GM Brandon Beane knew what he was doing when he released running back LeSean McCoy this preseason. Rookie Devin Singletary was not featured in this offense until the fourth quarter, but finished the game with 98 yards on nine touches — including a whopping 70 rushing yards on four carries. He showed enough proficiency in the run and passing game to earn himself a three-down role sooner than anyone predicted. Especially with the Giants and Bengals maligned defenses on the schedule over the next two weeks, Singletary could find an explosive rhythm by the time Buffalo hosts the Patriots in Week 4.