Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills closed out their regular season in epic fashion, denying the New York Jets any momentum in what was very likely the last meaningful game at the original Highmark Stadium. Buffalo’s Week 18 was about so many things other than winning, from exiting as healthy as possible, to giving quite a few players meaningful snaps and opportunities to claim incentive-based pay days.
There’s very little to linger on in the wake of the Bills’ 35-8 win over a Jets team clearly playing out the string, but what stands out most is how well Buffalo’s depth played. After the football world fell over itself complimenting New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye for a 42-10 win over these same Jets (and 35 points in the first half), backup quarterback Michell Trubisky decided he wanted in on some of the same fun.
Trubisky was dialed-in for his first real opportunity in a calendar year, finishing 22-0f-29 for 259 yards and four touchdowns. There have been plenty of doubts about what awaits Buffalo behind Josh Allen, so Trubisky’s work comes as a pleasant surprise even if it needs a dash of salt. If Maye’s performance was good enough for people to claim he’d won the NFL MVP, then Trubisky’s work cannot be ignored — especially when considering the host of backups around Trubisky.
There are a few concerns in the aftermath of the Bills’ Week 18 win, and it’s all about injuries. Kicker Matt Prater reportedly re-injured his right (kicking leg) quadriceps, and he was quickly ruled out. It remains to be seen how severe the injury is this time, but this is not the time for Buffalo to be trying out even more alternate kickers.
Also of concern is Maxwell Hairston, who reportedly injured his ankle, which appeared to be the right one while he was attended to on the field. Hairston spent several minutes in the blue medical tent before being escorted back to the team’s locker room. The good news, if there is any here, is that Hairston was able to walk unassisted to the lockers.
For the time being, running back James Cook III still leads the NFL in rushing yards. He only played a couple of snaps, gaining 15 yards. Is that enough to hold off running back Derrick Henry, who would pass him with a 153-yard effort on the ground this evening against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Thankfully, Buffalo is on the right side of history after refusing to give the Jets their first interception of the season. That’s hardly ever a guarantee when so many backup players take significant snaps, but the Bills understood the assignment, and they won’t have to be the butt of any Jets jokes.
Now Bills Mafia hits the ticket queue to buy up as many of those seats as possible in Duval. As the six seed, the Bills now prepare for a date with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Florida. It’s go time, Rumblers. Everything has been leading to this point, and...
