Buffalo just won't make it easy on themselves. If you're asking who won the Bills game yesterday, the short answer is the Buffalo Bills walked out of MetLife Stadium with a 23-20 victory over the New York Jets. But man, that scoreline doesn't even begin to cover the chaos. It was a Monday Night Football mess in the best way possible. Flags everywhere. Two kickers who suddenly forgot how to do their jobs. A debut for a new Jets play-caller.
Honestly, it felt like a game Buffalo should have lost three different times.
Josh Allen was Josh Allen. He ran for a score and threw two more, finishing with a 127.4 passer rating because he basically refused to make the "big mistake" that usually haunts these divisional matchups. The Bills are now 4-2. They're sitting pretty at the top of the AFC East, but if you watched every snap, you know this wasn't a "dominant" performance. It was a survival mission.
The messy reality of how the Bills won yesterday
The atmosphere in East Rutherford was weirdly intense. You had Todd Downing taking over play-calling for the Jets after Robert Saleh got the axe last week. People expected a spark. They got a bonfire of penalties instead. The two teams combined for 22 penalties for 204 yards. It was brutal to watch at points. You’d get a big gain from James Cook, then—clink—there’s a yellow flag for holding.
Ray Davis was the actual hero nobody talked about enough before kickoff. With James Cook dealing with a toe injury, Davis stepped up and looked like a seasoned vet. He put up 97 yards on 20 carries. He was hitting holes with a level of violence that New York just wasn't ready for in the first half.
Buffalo's defense is where things get interesting. They were bend-don't-break personified. Aaron Rodgers threw for 294 yards and had that vintage "how did he do that?" Hail Mary to Allen Lazard right before halftime. That 52-yard bomb could have broken a lesser team. Most teams go into the locker room at half after giving up a Hail Mary and just collapse. Buffalo didn't.
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Why the Jets couldn't close the gap
New York had every chance. Greg Zuerlein, usually reliable, missed two field goals. Both hit the left upright. It was almost poetic in a tragic way for Jets fans. If he makes those, we aren't talking about who won the Bills game yesterday in terms of a Buffalo victory; we're talking about an overtime thriller or a Jets upset.
The turning point was the Taron Johnson interception.
With about two minutes left, Rodgers tried to force a deep ball to Mike Williams. Williams slipped. Johnson, playing with a broken forearm held together by a brace and sheer willpower, dived for the ball. It was a highlight-reel pick that effectively iced the game.
Breaking down the Josh Allen factor
Josh Allen didn't have to throw for 400 yards. He didn't have to leap over three defenders. He was efficient.
- 18 of 25 passing.
- 215 yards.
- No interceptions.
That last stat is the only one that matters. When Allen doesn't give the ball away, Buffalo is almost impossible to beat. He found Mack Hollins for an 8-yard touchdown in the second quarter and hooked up with Dawson Knox for a 12-yarder that looked like vintage 2021 Bills.
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What this win means for the AFC East standings
The division is basically Buffalo's to lose now. They have a two-game lead over the Jets and Dolphins. That’s a massive cushion in mid-October.
But there are cracks. The Bills' pass rush was almost non-existent for large chunks of the game. Rodgers had all day to sit back and pick apart the zone. If Buffalo plays a team with a more consistent kicker and a better run game, they might get punished for that lack of pressure.
Also, the injuries are piling up. Seeing James Cook limited is a worry. He's the engine of that offense. While Ray Davis was great, you need that 1-2 punch to survive the December stretch in Western New York.
The officiating was... something
I have to mention the referees. It felt like they wanted to be the stars of the show. We saw roughing the passer calls that made no sense. We saw holding calls on both sides that felt "soft."
It slowed the game down to a crawl. The rhythm was non-existent. For Buffalo to stay focused through that many stoppages shows a level of veteran maturity that we haven't always seen from this roster. They stayed composed when the Jets were clearly getting frustrated.
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Key takeaways for Bills Mafia
If you're looking at the box score today, don't just look at the final score. Look at the third-down efficiency. Buffalo went 9-for-15. That’s how you win on the road. You keep the chains moving and you keep the opposing quarterback on the sideline.
- Ray Davis is a legitimate RB2. He showed vision and power that suggests he needs more touches even when Cook is 100%.
- Taron Johnson is the heart of the defense. His return changed the energy of the entire secondary.
- The kicking game is a league-wide mess. Tyler Bass made his kicks, including the 22-yarder to take the lead, but he’s had his struggles lately too. Seeing Zuerlein struggle just highlights how thin the margin for error is in the NFL right now.
It wasn't pretty. It wasn't a "statement" win in the sense that they blew someone out. But it was a divisional win on the road under the lights. In the NFL, you take those and you run.
Next steps for Buffalo fans
If you're following the team's trajectory, keep an eye on the injury report regarding James Cook's toe. His explosiveness is vital for the upcoming stretch against the Titans and Seahawks.
Also, watch the trade market. With the trade deadline approaching, Buffalo might look for another veteran receiver or some help on the edge. This win gives them the luxury of being buyers rather than just trying to tread water.
Grab a jersey, celebrate the win, and maybe don't look too closely at the penalty count. A win is a win.