Bills are out to prove they belong in prime time
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Buffalo Bills have been one of the National Football League’s biggest surprises of the season’s first half, despite what looked like an all-out rebuild in another potentially dismal year.
Sean McDermott’s resilient squad has a chance to turn many more skeptics into believers — or at least, intrigued onlookers — on a prime-time stage against the slumping AFC East-rival New York Jets on Thursday night.
“When you know everyone’s watching you, you look forward to those moments,” quarterback Tyrod Taylor said.
The Bills (5-2) are a half-game behind New England for first place in the AFC East. With a victory over the Jets (3-5), Buffalo would clinch its best first half to a season since the 1993 squad with Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith opened 7-1 and made it to last of the franchise’s four straight Super Bowl appearances.
“It’s 5-2 and no one gives out awards for 5-2, so we have to keep that in mind,” said McDermott, in his first season as an National Football League head coach. “Having said that, I’m extremely proud of these guys. They’ve worked hard, they’ve earned everything that they’ve gotten so far, and for that, yeah, absolutely, I’m extremely proud of them and I’m happy for them.”
The Bills’ two losses this season have been by a combined 10 points: 9-3 at Carolina and 20-16 vs. Cincinnati. Buffalo also has yet to trail by more than seven points.
That’s despite a massive roster overhaul in the off-season; the churning continues. The Bills traded defensive tackle Marcell Dareus to Jacksonville last week, and then acquired wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin from Carolina for draft picks on Tuesday.
They remain a collection of patchwork, noname players — both young and journeymen — who are playing well above expectations.
Things don’t get any easier for Buffalo after this one, with a schedule that could define its season. The Bills host New Orleans on Nov. 12, then are at the Los Angeles Chargers, at Kansas City and then host New England before a home game against Indianapolis on Dec. 10. Buffalo will end the regular season in the division with a home game against Miami and then road matchups with New England and the Dolphins.