PERSONNEL NEWS

Strategy And Personnel

The Sports Xchange

December 07, 2018 at 6:34 pm.

FRIDAY INJURY REPORT
NEW YORK JETS

–QUESTIONABLE: RB Isaiah Crowell (toe), TE Jordan Leggett (knee), WR Robby Anderson (ankle), CB Buster Skrine (shoulder, hip)
BUFFALO BILLS

–OUT: QB Derek Anderson (concussion), CB Taron Johnson (shoulder)

–DOUBTFUL: TE Jason Croom (groin)

–QUESTIONABLE: WR Isaiah McKenzie (toe)

PLAYER NOTES

–C Russell Bodine suffered a broken fibula in Miami, underwent surgery Monday, and is out for the year. Ryan Groy will likely fill his spot.

–CB Taron Johnson underwent shoulder surgery Wednesday and he is out for the rest of the season. CB Denzel Rice was called up from the practice squad to take his roster spot.

–WR Kelvin Benjamin had seen a decrease in his playing time to 40 percent of the snaps against Jacksonville, a season low, but after going back up to 60 percent against the Dolphins, he had only two catches for 20 yards. That was enough for the front office, so Benjamin was released on Tuesday, ending a disappointing 18-game tenure in Buffalo.

–WR Andre Holmes was cut on Tuesday. He made 12 catches playing infrequently on offense, but he was one of the team’s core special teams players. He’s a free agent at the end of the season and did not factor into the future.

–FB Patrick DiMarco is rarely on the field when the Bills are on offense, but he made a big play against Miami, flaring out to the right where he was wide open for a career-long 38-yard catch and run which helped set up a field goal.

–WR Deonte Thompson rejoined the Bills two weeks ago and did not catch a pass against the Jaguars, but he got on the board with one catch for 12 yards against the Dolphins.

–P Matt Darr made a solid debut after being signed before the Miami game. He averaged 44.3 net yards on four punts with a long of 53 and two downed inside the 20.

–SS Micah Hyde was in on four tackles at Miami and also made his second interception of the season.

–CB Levi Wallace seems to have locked down a starting job. In his third consecutive start in Miami, he was in on four tackles and the Dolphins passed for only 137 yards against the Buffalo secondary.

–DE Mike Love was promoted from the practice squad.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: CB Levi Wallace. Wallace walked on at Alabama and became a starter as a senior in 2017 and helped lead the Crimson Tide to a national championship. He then went undrafted in 2018, but the Bills signed him and he was with them throughout the offseason and training camp. Though he didn’t make the final roster, the Bills brought him back onto the practice squad, and there he stayed until the Nov. 11 game against the Jets. Buffalo cut veteran Phillip Gaines and named Wallace the starter, and in three games he has held his own on the NFL’s No. 1-ranked pass defense. He has 10 tackles and one pass breakup.

GAME PLAN: Josh Allen produced 85 percent of the Bills’ offense last week in the loss to Miami, and that doesn’t figure to change much against the Jets. It’s clear that Allen has taken ownership of the offense both as a passer and runner, and he now represents Buffalo’s biggest threat in both areas. He has only 91 fewer yards rushing than LeSean McCoy in two fewer games played. What the Bills have to be wary of is opposing teams catching on to his scrambling and perhaps putting a spy on him. If the Jets do this, Allen will have to show more patience in the pocket and go through his reads a touch longer before deciding to take off.

Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold has struggled with interceptions, having thrown 11 in the nine games he has played for a percentage rate of 4.8. Now he will be confronted with a Buffalo defense that leads the NFL against the pass, allowing just 187.2 yards per game. New York’s offensive line has not been strong, and the Bills will look to pressure Darnold with their front four and play coverage behind, creating smaller windows for Darnold to throw into. In the first meeting, the Bills sacked aging Josh McCown three times and held him to a passer rating of 35.8.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH

–Bills QB Josh Allen vs. Jets LB Darron Lee. Allen has been a terror the last two weeks with 234 rushing yards, most of that coming on scrambles. And while he is showing signs of improvement as a passer, most of the chunk yardage plays have come with his legs. In a terribly disappointing season for the Jets, Lee has been one of New York’s best players and his athleticism should play a key role in limiting Allen’s running. Lee may even specifically spy Allen on certain plays, so it will be a test for Allen to see how he reacts.

–Bills CBs vs. Jets WRs. Darnold will be itching to throw the ball after sitting out a month, but he will be challenged by the NFL’s top-ranked pass defense. Tre’Davious White has become one of the best cornerbacks in the league, while rookie CB Levi Wallace has solidified the other side in the three games he has played. Losing rookie nickel CB Taron Johnson to shoulder surgery will hurt the Bills, though, so if White travels with Jets WR Robby Anderson, the Jets may be able to attack the other spots with Jermaine Kearse and Quincy Enunwa.