AFC East

After being elevated to the No. 2 quarterback spot earlier this week, Zach Wilson will start for the New York Jets on Sunday.

Head coach Robert Saleh announced on Friday that Mike White won't be available against the Detroit Lions. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Jets doctors won't clear White to play following the rib injury he suffered in Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills.

White later told reporters he was diagnosed with a fractured rib.

Saleh announced on Wednesday that Wilson was being moved up the depth chart. He was inactive for the previous three games, with Joe Flacco serving as White's backup during that stretch.

Wilson was benched following a disastrous Week 11 outing against the New England Patriots. The 23-year-old went 9-of-22 for 77 yards in a 10-3 loss.

SNY.tv's Connor Hughes reported after the Patriots game that Wilson's demeanor rubbed some of his teammates the wrong way because he was walking around the locker room "like he isn't the problem."

.@Connor_J_Hughes: "Do you feel like you let the defense down at all?"

Zach Wilson: "No." pic.twitter.com/tiJiTSrFPE

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) November 20, 2022

Saleh expressed confidence in Wilson's ability to figure things out after naming him the starter for Sunday's game.

"He's the same quarterback that once went 18 for 18 in a bowl game," the Jets coach said.

White threw for 952 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in the past three games as the starting quarterback.

The Jets succeeded with Wilson as their starter this season, despite his struggles. They are 5-2 in seven games with him under center. He is only completing 55.6 percent of his attempts with four touchdowns and five interceptions.

Wilson moves back into the starting role as the Jets are fighting for a playoff spot. They are tied in the standings with the Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers at 7-6, but both teams are ahead of them based on tiebreakers.

New York is hosting a Lions team that has won five of their last six games.

The New England Patriots have struggled on offense this season, and NBCSports Boston's Tom E. Curran said on the Merloni, Fauria, & Mego show Thursday that Matt Patricia returning as offensive coordinator is a possibility for next season:

Tom E. Curran reveals there is still a possibility that Matt Patricia will return as the Offensive coordinator next season.

"I think that, from conversations that I've had Meg, I think everything is TBD."
-@tomecurran pic.twitter.com/tf2XQrEJhf

— WEEI Afternoons (@WEEIAfternoons) December 15, 2022

He did add, however, that the Patriots may need to take a closer look at the coaching staff this offseason:

"I think that the biggest concern is that this is a very cloistered Patriots' society right now, and when you think about it, some of the biggest voices in it are people who are retreads, who are relied upon but not even paid by the team right now completely. Joe Judge and Patricia are both collecting from their former head-coaching jobs. So, to me, the world has to be opened up to new and fresh ideas, and I would imagine that Bill Belichick will probably do that if it keeps going the way it's going."

Patricia's official title is senior football advisor and offensive line coach, while Judge is considered an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach.

But for all intents and purposes, Patricia is the offensive coordinator and calls the team's plays on that side of the ball. As Arizona Cardinals' defensive coordinator Vance Joseph noted in the lead-up to New England's 27-13 win against the Cards on Monday night, Patricia's background as a defensive coach has shone through in his offensive style.

"I see an offense that's running the football well. It's a very conservative pass game—lot of screens, all kind of screens. It's how a defensive guy would call offensive plays—'let's not turn the ball over, let's get four yards a play, and let's try to burn clock,'" he told reporters last week. "That's what they're doing and that's what he's going to do on Monday night. He's going to be patient. Maybe take a shot from time to time. But for the most part, it's run game, it's quick game, and it's screens."

It is not an offense, however, that has been terribly effective overall. The Patriots rank 21st in pass yards per game (214.8), 23rd in run yards per contest (104.8) and 18th in points per game (21.2).

It has clearly caused frustrations for second-year quarterback Mac Jones, who was seen getting visibly frustrated on the sidelines during the team's 24-10 loss against the Buffalo Bills two weeks ago. At one point, cameras caught him appearing to say, "Throw the f--king ball! The quick game sucks!"

"Obviously, I just kind of let my emotions get to me," he told reporters after the game. "What I said was about throwing it deeper within the short game. I got to execute that part better. But it's the short game that we kept going to, which is working. But I felt like we needed chunk plays. I shouted that out to kind of get everyone going. That's emotional. That's football. I'm passionate about this game.

"Obviously, you don't want to let your emotions get the best of you," he added. "I think that's pretty much it. It wasn't directed at anybody. Just emotion coming out. We kind of needed a spark."

The stakes are high for the Patriots down the stretch. At 7-6, the Pats are currently the No. 7 seed in the AFC, with the Los Angeles Chargers (7-6) and New York Jets (7-6) nipping at their heels. The Pats have a tough close to the season, with the Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and Bills looming on the schedule.

The Pats need the offense to produce. If it doesn't, missing the playoffs is a very real possibility. And if that happens, the Patriots will have to take a long, hard look at whether Patricia—whose coaching background is primarily on the defensive side of the ball—is the right man to be calling plays for the offense.

Voting for the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl closes Thursday, and Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson are currently the top two vote-getters.

Tagovailoa has received 182,118 votes and Jefferson has received 177,163 votes, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (172,400), Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (170,034) and Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (168,503) round out the top five.

Here's a deeper look at the AFC and NFC leading vote-getters:

With one day remaining, #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa leads all players in voting for the Pro Bowl Games. https://t.co/xFSvwmBY1q pic.twitter.com/St9gnseD5B

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 14, 2022

The format of the 2023 Pro Bowl, which will be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, has been changed from a true football contest to a skills competition as well as a non-contact flag football game. Any player voted to the Pro Bowl is required to participate, barring injury.

With Pro Bowl games of the past lacking intensity, mainly because players didn't want to get hurt, a change to the format was very much needed to make the event more exciting.

The current top vote-getter, Tagovailoa, would be appearing in his first Pro Bowl since being selected fifth overall in the 2020 draft out of Alabama. He has had an impressive season despite missing Weeks 5 and 6 with a concussion.

The 24-year-old has completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 3,004 yards and 22 touchdowns against five interceptions. It has been his best season in the league, and the Dolphins are second in the AFC East with an 8-5 record.

Hill has also contributed to Miami's success in his first season with the team. The 28-year-old has caught 100 passes for 1,460 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games. His receiving yards ranks second in the NFL.

Hill was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first six NFL seasons that were spent with the Chiefs.

Jefferson has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons. The 2020 first-round pick is on pace to surpass the 1,616 yards he posted during the 2021 campaign.

The LSU product has caught 99 passes for a league-best 1,500 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games. Jefferson has played a significant role in Minnesota's success this year, and the Vikings are first in the NFC North with a 10-3 record. The Vikings haven't finished first in their division since the 2017 season.

Finally, the Chiefs duo of Mahomes and Kelce has Kansas City once again sitting atop the AFC West with a 10-3 record, and they are arguably the best quarterback-pass catcher duo in the NFL.

Mahomes has earned a Pro Bowl selection in each season since he became Kansas City's full-time starter in 2018. This season, he has completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 4,160 yards and 33 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 13 games in addition to rushing for 280 yards and two scores.

The 27-year-old's 4,160 passing yards and 33 touchdowns leads the NFL.

Kelce has earned seven straight Pro Bowl selections since 2015. In 13 games this season, he has caught 81 passes for 1,039 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is tied for the league lead in touchdowns with Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams.

The Buffalo Bills coaxing Cole Beasley out of retirement will not prevent them from pursuing Odell Beckham Jr., general manager Brandon Beane told reporters Wednesday.

"We haven't closed any doors. We had a good visit," Beane said.

Beckham has met with the Bills, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants as he explores his NFL return. The three-time Pro Bowler is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Super Bowl LVI and is not expected to play during the regular season.

"I haven't made a decision, and for me, I would like to be in a stable environment, get up at 6 a.m., leave at 6 p.m. for four weeks, and then let's talk about it," Beckham said last Thursday on TNF in the Shop. "I've played football for a long time. I'm not saying that I couldn't step in and play regular season, but I don't see the point. I really don't. I would rather play when the pressure is on."

Beckham has torn the ACL in his left knee twice in as many seasons. His journey back to the field is bound to be fraught, and it's noteworthy that none of the teams that met with Beckham appears determined to sign him immediately.

It's possible, not likely at this juncture, that Beckham winds up waiting until the free-agency period of this upcoming offseason to sign a new deal. Even if he were to sign with a team during the playoffs, there's no guarantee he would be in football shape or effective. The 30-year-old has not made a Pro Bowl since 2016 and has not topped 1,000 yards receiving since 2019.

Beasley played the previous three seasons in Buffalo before a brief two-game stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier in 2022. Signing him makes a ton of logical sense, given he already knows the playbook and has a built-in chemistry with Josh Allen.

Buffalo has also struggled to replicate Beasley's consistency in the slot with Isaiah McKenzie, who has recorded 38 receptions for 380 yards and five total touchdowns this season.

For the first time since his disastrous Week 11 outing, Zach Wilson will be in uniform for the New York Jets.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced Wilson will be the backup quarterback to Mike White for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions.

Following a 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Nov. 20, Wilson was benched in favor of White. The second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft finished that game 9-of-22 for 77 yards.

Per ESPN's Rich Cimini, there were "raw feelings" among some Jets defensive players following the Patriots game because Wilson didn't seem to hold himself accountable for his role in the loss.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Wilson was asked if he felt like he let the defense down:

.@Connor_J_Hughes: "Do you feel like you let the defense down at all?"

Zach Wilson: "No." pic.twitter.com/tiJiTSrFPE

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) November 20, 2022

Wilson was having a bad season even before making the comment that may have ruffled some feathers in the locker room. He is completing 55.6 percent of his attempts for 1,279 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions in seven starts.

The Jets went 5-2 in those games because they were averaging 121.6 rushing yards per game, and the defense held opponents to 15.0 points per game during that stretch.

Wilson has been inactive for each of the past three games, with White taking over as the starter and Joe Flacco serving as the backup.

White suffered a rib injury after taking a hard hit from Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano in Sunday's 20-12 loss. He left the game briefly before returning and finished 27-of-44 for 268 yards.

The Jets had White get checked out at a Buffalo hospital after the game, but he was able to fly back to New York on the team plane. He told reporters on Monday his ribs feel fine.

White got off to a strong start with 315 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-22 win over the Chicago Bears in Week 12. He hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in the past two games, which were both losses.

New York enters Week 15 with a 7-6 record, tied with the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers for the final playoff spot in the AFC. The Patriots hold the tiebreaker over both teams for the No. 7 seed.

New England Patriots receiver DeVante Parker called out the NFL for its handling of the concussion protocol after he suffered a head injury in Monday's game against the Arizona Cardinals:

DeVante Parker speaks out on the NFL’s handling of his head injury (and thanks Nelson Agholor for his help). pic.twitter.com/6iKAK0pYYk

— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) December 13, 2022

Parker suffered a hard hit in the first quarter while making a catch and showed signs of a concussion, but he remained in the game and was set to take part in the following play, even though teammate Nelson Agholor was signaling officials to blow the whistle. The Cardinals challenged the catch, which stopped the game, and Parker was subbed out.

He was later ruled out with a head injury.

The NFL and the NFLPA are reviewing the incident, and Parker wants to hear the results:

Please tell me https://t.co/NyeXMMTtz6

— vante (@DeVanteParker11) December 13, 2022

The NFL has unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants at each game who are supposed to remove players from games when they show signs of a possible concussion.

The league also updated its protocols in October after a high-profile incident with Tua Tagovailoa. The Miami Dolphins quarterback remained in his team's Week 3 game despite showing balance issues after hitting his head. In Week 4, he took another big hit and was carted off the field and sent to the hospital.

The situation also took place on national television, and the announcers recognized issues with the receiver.

"They're going to be watching him—somebody upstairs should be," ESPN's Troy Aikman said of Parker (h/t Awful Announcing). "He looked a little wobbly coming up."

Parker is in his first season with the Patriots after spending seven years with the Dolphins. He has 460 yards on 25 catches this season, leading the NFL with 18.4 yards per reception.

New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker suffered a concussion during Monday's win over the Arizona Cardinals, and the league and the NFLPA are investigating how the injury was handled.

Parker appeared to come up wobbly following a hit, as ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman noticed.

The game only stopped because fellow Patriots wide receiver Nelson Agholor recognized something was wrong and waved his arms to catch the attention of others.

Parker does not seem pleased with the situation:

DeVante Parker speaks out on the NFL’s handling of his head injury (and thanks Nelson Agholor for his help). pic.twitter.com/6iKAK0pYYk

— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) December 13, 2022

Please tell me https://t.co/NyeXMMTtz6

— vante (@DeVanteParker11) December 13, 2022

The play happened during the first quarter when Parker took a hit from Cardinals defensive back Antonio Hamilton.

It wasn't clear whether Parker completed the catch, so the Patriots hustled to the line of scrimmage in an effort to snap it before a challenge could occur. While that added to the confusion of the situation, Agholor lined up alongside Parker and attempted to call for a stoppage.

The stoppage came, but only because the Cardinals challenged whether it was a catch.

Parker left for the locker room during the unsuccessful challenge and never returned to the game.

The treatment and recognition of concussion symptoms has been a major storyline in the NFL this season because of a previous review of how Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's injury was handled.

As ESPN noted, Tagovailoa hit his head on the ground and then stumbled on his way back to the huddle during a Week 3 win over the Buffalo Bills. He told the team physician and an independent neurotrauma consultant that ankle and back injuries caused him to stumble.

However, he suffered a concussion during a scary scene just four days later against the Cincinnati Bengals and was hospitalized, and he missed nearly a month of play.

The independent neurotrauma consultant from the Week 3 game was fired, and the league and NFLPA changed the concussion protocol to include ataxia, which would have covered Tagovailoa's stumbling, to the list of symptoms that mean a player should not be on the field.

As for the Patriots, they improved to 7-6 with Monday's 27-13 win over the Cardinals even though they were without Parker, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris for most of the game.

Tyreek Hill has offered new insight into the discussions that led to his trade from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Miami Dolphins during the offseason.

Appearing on the Club Shay Shay YouTube show with Shannon Sharpe (starts at 3:40 mark), Hill said he approached the Chiefs about what the Dolphins were offering him for a contract extension and they decided to trade him rather than try to match the proposal.

Hill previously said on his own podcast he told Chiefs head coach Andy Reid they didn't need to give him the same deal as Miami was willing to in order to re-sign him.

"I'm like, 'Hey Coach, yo like, I ain't even gotta be the highest-paid, for real. I just want to be put in like a realistic position that's like realistic for me and my family,'" Hill said. "I don't gotta get $30 million. At least get me 25, 26. ... Numbers wasn't even close to that."

Despite expressing some desire to remain in Kansas City, Hill told Sharpe he started to realize around "mid-last season" he might not finish his career with the team and he felt like the Chiefs weren't getting him involved in the offense enough.

"I'm the type of guy, like, I love playing ball and I love being about the team, because football is a team sport, right? And it would be some games where, like, I'd get two targets; I'd get three targets," he explained. "And we'd go into meetings and my coach would be like, 'Hey, 'Reek. We've got to get you involved, we've got to get you involved.'"

Hill was traded to the Dolphins in March and signed a four-year, $120 million extension. The deal made him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL by average annual salary ($30 million) and total guaranteed money ($72.2 million).

The Chiefs already had several veteran players on expensive contracts that limited their cap flexibility. Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Orlando Brown Jr. and Frank Clark all have cap hits of more than $13 million, per Over the Cap.

Hill was still very productive in Kansas City last season. The six-time Pro Bowler led the team in targets (159), receptions (111), receiving yards (1,239) and tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions (nine).

Things have worked out well for both parties since the trade. The Chiefs offense remains one of the most dominant units in the NFL, ranking first in yards per game (423.8) and second in points per game (29.5).

Despite the Dolphins' dip in performance over the past two games, they are still on track to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Hill leads the league with 100 catches and ranks second with 1,460 receiving yards.

Veteran slot receiver Cole Beasley is coming out of retirement to return to the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo announced Tuesday that it has signed Beasley to its practice squad, a move NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported was expected.

The 33-year-old spent three seasons in Buffalo from 2019 to 2021 before going unsigned in free agency this past offseason. Beasley signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in September and appeared in two games, but he announced his retirement in October.

Buffalo has been in the market for a veteran wideout, as it recently hosted free-agent Odell Beckham Jr. on a visit. OBJ visited with the Bills, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, and as noted by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, both the Bills and Cowboys have signed other receivers: The Bills inked Beasley, and the Cowboys brought in T.Y. Hilton.

It's uncertain whether Beckham, who suffered a torn ACL in the Super Bowl last season, will play this year. Beckham himself created some doubt, saying last week that he doesn't "see the point" of trying to play during the 2022 regular season.

Beasley is a much different player in that he operates almost exclusively out of the slot and isn't much of a downfield threat, but he could be a great fit in Buffalo.

The savvy veteran is familiar with the Bills and their offensive system, although they do have a different offensive coordinator this season in Ken Dorsey following Brian Daboll's departure to become head coach of the New York Giants.

Beasley spent the first seven years of his NFL career with the Cowboys before signing with Buffalo in 2019 and enjoying three of the most productive seasons of his career.

He finished with 67 receptions for 778 yards and a career-high six touchdowns in 2019 before reaching new heights in 2020 with a career-high 82 catches and 967 yards to go with four touchdowns en route to being named a second-team All-Pro.

Last season was more of a struggle for Beasley, as he was banged up throughout the year. Despite that, he missed only one game and matched his career high with 82 receptions, although those grabs went for just 693 yards and one touchdown.

Beasley's 8.5 yards per catch matched the career low he set as a rookie in 2012, but he continued to excel at moving the chains, as 37 of his receptions went for first downs, which tied for the fourth-best mark of his career.

The Bills are the top team in the AFC this season at 10-3, and quarterback Josh Allen has mostly played well, although his 11 interceptions are tied for third-most in the NFL.

One of the biggest issues for Allen and the Buffalo offense has been a lack of reliable options in the passing game outside of superstar wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

Tight end Dawson Knox has taken a step back compared to his career year in 2021, while No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis has not progressed as much as hoped after going off for four touchdown catches against the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs last season.

The Bills also hoped Jamison Crowder and Isaiah McKenzie would replace Beasley's production out of the slot, but injury has limited Crowder to four games, and McKenzie has not been sure-handed with five drops on the year, per Fox Sports.

Buffalo is tied for the NFL lead in dropped passes this season with 25, per NBC Sports, which is why it makes perfect sense to bring back one of the more reliable slot receivers in the game.

If the Bills elevate Beasley from the practice squad to the active roster, his first opportunity to play will come Saturday night when the Bills host the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins with a chance to clinch a playoff spot.

Heading into the 2022 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills were the clear AFC East favorite and the front-runner to win the Super Bowl. Nothing has changed three months later.

Heading into Week 15, the Bills have a two-game advantage in the division and are the top seed in the AFC thanks to a head-to-head victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6. They're still the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, too.

There are a ton of positives about this roster. They're the best of a reasonably flawed AFC, and only a nightmarish collapse would keep the Bills out of the playoffs.

They're only a Week 15 victory over the Miami Dolphins away from needing one more win to clinch a third straight division crown. Recent wins over the New England Patriots and New York Jets have proved critical in this midseason ascent, too.

However, the Bills haven't been overwhelming teams near the extent they are capable. They are judged not merely on making the postseason; rather, it's about how they look compared to other Super Bowl hopefuls like the Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles.

The intent here isn't to lambast a strong Buffalo team. The Bills' current position is enviable.

Although the Bills seemed destined for a positive year, they deserve a hat-tip for actually doing it. Fellow preseason front-runners such as the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all currently have losing records this season.

Statistically, the Bills are once again thriving on both sides of the ball. After ranking third and first, respectively, in scoring offense and defense last season, they're fourth and second in those categories this year.

The challenge is weighing Buffalo's overall success with an uninspiring month offensively. Want to make that balance tougher? The Bills are on a four-game winning streak anyway.

Exhausting concept, this nuance.

Most notably, star quarterback Josh Allen—the MVP front-runner in early November—has faded from a torrid start to the 2022 campaign.

Through the Bills' opening seven games, Allen averaged 357.8 combined yards per outing with 21 total touchdowns, eight turnovers and 11 sacks. But in the last six contests, Allen's production has dipped to 279.5 yards with 11 scores, seven giveaways and 17 sacks.

The best version of this Buffalo offense, which we saw throughout September and October, is nearly unstoppable. The last month-plus has showed a concerning form.

Now, the reason those struggles haven't dragged down the Bills is that their defense has excelled lately.

Since a mediocre three-game stretch that ended Nov. 13, Buffalo has allowed only 6.4 yards per pass attempt and 3.5 yards per carry. The last four opponents have averaged a meager 17.5 points per game, and no less than 16 points can be classified as garbage-time scores.

Additionally, the unit surrendered only 21 and 20 points in two of the Bills' three losses earlier this season. This defense, in short, has given Buffalo a tremendous chance to win every single week in 2022.

But for the Bills to accomplish their ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl, the offense needs to rebound.

Allen did suffer an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament in November against the Jets, although he has yet to miss a game because of it. He said on the Pat McAfee Show that the injury is a factor in his preparation but doesn't bother him on game day.

"I'm gonna have to deal with the elbow for the foreseeable future but on game day it doesn't even bother me" ~@JoshAllenQB#PMSLive #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/C1DkEWTECR

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 8, 2022

It's thus simultaneously reasonable to both limit and not erase the criticism of his performance in the last month. Adverse weather hasn't helped in the last two games, but we've seen Allen's missile of a throwing arm cut through gusty wind plenty of times, too.

Beyond him, a major concern is the absence of a reliable pass-catcher beyond Stefon Diggs.

No. 2 wideout Gabe Davis has eclipsed 40 yards only twice since the Bills' Week 7 bye. He and tight end Dawson Knox are Buffalo's next-best options, but they've combined for just 15 catches in the last three games. Isaiah McKenzie has been inconsistent in his supporting role all year, and nobody else has claimed a regular, substantive snap share.

Sacks are not a perfect standalone measure by which to judge an offensive line. Still, this downward trend would be foolish to ignore. Buffalo allowed two-plus sacks in only two of its first six games, but opponents have notched at least two in seven straight outings since the October bye.

That can be—and is—something an elite defensive team may overcome. That doesn't sound like a convincing Super Bowl favorite, though Allen is entirely unbothered by that sentiment.

Asked about the #Bills offense struggling at times and “not looking like an offense that can win the Super Bowl,” Josh Allen had a simple response:

“Okay 😐.” pic.twitter.com/drsbMaxc3m

— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) December 11, 2022

Fortunately for the Bills, there's still a month left in the regular season. Alarm bells aren't blaring yet, though they're not terribly far from being tested just in case.

The season-ending stretch opposite the Dolphins, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals and Patriots is an ideal mix of good, bad, solid and decent competition with a few sturdy defenses. It's tough enough to experiment with possible solutions, yet not a gauntlet.

No single adjustment will shake the slump. But maybe Knox needs a more diverse route tree or the threat of McKenzie needs to create more pre-snap stress on defenses, even if he rarely touches the ball. Perhaps there's a larger pass-catching role for trade addition Nyheim Hines or rookie back James Cook to help atone for the offensive line.

Editor's note: Since publish, Buffalo has also signed Cole Beasley to the practice squad. Mike Garofolo of NFL Network noted the expectation is Beasley will be on the active roster soon.

Plus, if the Bills snag the AFC's first-round bye, an extra week of rest might aid Allen's recovery, too.

Either way, the defense—even without sack artist Von Miller—is built to carry the team into the playoffs thanks to edge-rushing depth led by Gregory Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa, who both have at least 5.5 sacks behind Miller's team-high eight.

Buffalo has both talent and a fair bit of time. But the latter will soon run in critically short supply for the Super Bowl hopefuls.

If the offense fails to snap its recent funk, the basic expectations met on the surface and positive details on paper will be overshadowed by another painful on-field loss in the postseason.

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