Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott preaches complementary football. On Sunday at Highmark Stadium, he saw it on full display as his team put together a 40-14 win over the New York Jets.
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Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott preaches complementary football.
On Sunday at Highmark Stadium, he saw it on full display as his team put together a 40-14 win over the New York Jets.
It took a bit to materialize, but once it did, there was no stopping it. The Bills led just 12-0 at halftime – but in the final 5½ minutes of the third quarter, they put on a masterclass, scoring three times to go ahead 33-0. They added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter to make it 40-0 before the Jets scored two garbage-time touchdowns.
“The offense got rolling in the second half there and that was good to see, capitalizing in some red-zone opportunities and some takeaway opportunities there that we had,” McDermott said. “So, a lot of game balls went out after the game, as you’d imagine.”
Still, an offensive output in the third quarter revealed more about the strength of the Bills as a whole, as they rode complementary football on their way to a shellacking.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper, who got the quarter going with a 30-yard touchdown catch, noted how big play after big play kept the Bills rolling.
“It’s very contagious,” Cooper said. “Momentum is a huge part of this game. And the way that momentum is created, generally, is by way of complementary football. So, the defense, they made some plays – and hey, we complemented that. We started making some plays. And that’s how things get rolling.”
Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers breaks away for a 69-yard touchdown after his first career catch during the fourth quarter against the Jets on Sunday. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Allen’s touchdown to Cooper came with 5:13 left in the third quarter. Counting in a touchdown from practice-squad call-up Tyrell Shavers in the fourth quarter, the Bills scored 28 points in 7:33 of game time.
The Bills’ three third-quarter touchdown drives were indeed sparked by defense and special teams. Two of the three drives came off takeaways. All three series started at or inside the Jets’ 38-yard line.
All told, the Bills only needed to go 74 yards on those three drives. No drive lasted more than five plays.
“Playing on short fields, it makes the game a lot easier, I’ll tell you that,” quarterback Josh Allen said. “Our defense, man, they played lights out today. They had juice. They had energy. And then offensively, I thought we ran the ball well. And a couple really, really big plays, especially there in the third quarter.”
Cooper’s touchdown capitalized on an interception by Bills cornerback Christian Benford. The Bills took over on the New York 38-yard line. Five plays later, Cooper leapt and twisted his way to haul in a perfectly placed 30-yard pass by Allen, kick-starting the rout.
Cooper was shaken up on his touchdown after a hard landing and was evaluated for a head injury but eventually cleared. He said afterward that he also hit his tailbone, and the evaluation time gave him a chance to reset before he retook the field.
The next drive for the Bills’ offense came after the defense forced a three-and-out and Brandon Codrington returned the punt 25 yards to the Jets’ 37. After four plays, the Bills found themselves on the Jets’ 1-yard line.
From there, running back James Cook took care of business, carrying it in for the score.
It was Cook’s 15th rushing touchdown of the season, one shy of the Bills’ franchise record. Knowing that mark was on the horizon, right tackle Spencer Brown lobbied for a give to Cook.
“Super-happy for Jimmy,” Brown said. “We ran that one play, got down right at the 1-yard line, and I told Jimmy today, ‘We gotta get you two.’ And I knew we were on the 1-yard line, and I was like, ‘OK, QB sneak’s coming.’
“And I point (offensive line coach Aaron) Kromer out down the sideline, and I was like ‘(No.) 4! (No.) 4! Run Jimmy!’ And he’s just shaking his head yes, and then we ran that duo, and Jimmy put his head in. So, happy for him. We gotta get him one more so we can get him that franchise record.”
On the final touchdown drive of the third quarter, the Bills started on the Jets’ 15-yard line thanks to a fumble recovered by linebacker Matt Milano. A 1-yard run by running back Ty Johnson followed by a 14-yard touchdown catch by rookie Keon Coleman did the trick quickly.
Allen was hit on the play, but he still managed to connect with Coleman, who made a stunning leap to haul in his fourth touchdown of the year.
Coleman’s touchdown came with just 21 seconds left in the third quarter.
Complementary football prevailed to the very end of the quarter – the last play of the period was a sack by Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who dropped Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers for a loss of 12.
When the Bills’ defense feasts, the offense benefits.
On Sunday, the Bills showed that over and over.
“Yeah, it’s fun,” McDermott said. “It’s a lot of fun. It certainly makes my job easier.”
