2018 Season: Week #11

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 6 @ BUFFALO BILLS 50

ORCHARD PARK (NY) -- Aaron Rodgers returned with a bang as he led his Buffalo Bills (9-2) to a resounding 50-6 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday morning.

For the game, Rodgers finished a cool 12-19 for 355 yards and 4TD. With a strong running game, led by Todd Gurley's 139 yards on the ground, Rodgers found big plays via play action.

"It's a weird stat line to only complete 12 passes for that many yards," Rodgers said. "But our O-line let us pound the ground attack and hit them over the top."

Brandin Cooks, surely in line for an AFC Player of the Week honor, finished with 268 yards receiving and four TDs.

"Crazy day," Cooks said. "It was just there for me today."

Safety Jamal Adams again shined with nine tackles and a sack. The 2nd year man out of LSU has quickly turned into the face of the Bills defense next to Myles Garrett.

"We just need to keep representing the Blue and Red and good things will happen," Adams said. "We are starting to peak at the right time."

The Bills will next head to Miami to take on the Dolphins.

MIAMI DOLPHINS 30 @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 13

INDIANAPOLIS (IN) -- The surprising Miami Dolphins (8-3) rode a physical ground attack and another strong defensive effort past the Indianapolis Colts 30-13 Sunday afternoon in Indy.

D'Onta Foreman averaged 6.3 yards per carry to finish with 158 rushing yards on a day that saw his Dolphins defensive teammates again win the turnover battle 3-0.

Rookie Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick ended two Colts drives deep in Miami territory with interceptions while OLB Shaq Thompson sacked Andrew Luck four times.

"It's a true team out here," Thompson said. "That #29 kid is going to be special. I just want him to see the some postseason action too."

Miami has feasted on lesser opponents this season while falling flat against their AFC East foes with an 0-3 record in their division.

The team will hope to upend the surging Buffalo Bills next weekend at home. 

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 19 @ NEW YORK JETS 42

MEADOWLANDS (NY) -- The much anticipated first place matchup between the New York Jets (10-1, 4-0 AFC East) and the New England Patriots (8-3, 1-2) ended up as a blowout with the Jets winning 42-19.

Newly acquired QB Ryan Tannehill was electric with 348 yards passing and four TD passes.

"It's great to help this team," Tannehill said. "I was on the wrong side for most of my career; It's just nice to help out our guys."

Head Coach Todd Bowles called an aggressive gameplay that frustrated Dad Prescott throughout. Bowles also continued to throw late in the game in, what looked like an effort to run up the score. 

"It's a division game," Bowles said. "We want to leave no doubt."

The Jets will now have a short turnaround and will take on the Tennessee Titans.

The Pats will try to right their ship with a game against the Minnesota Vikings.

2018 Season: Week #10

BUFFALO BILLS 14 @ NEW YORK JETS 19

MEADOWLANDS (NY) -- With time running out late in the 4th, the Buffalo Bills (8-2, 1-1 AFC East) looked poised to close out the first place New York Jets (9-1, 2-0) to take over the division's top spot.

But a blocked punt off of the foot of Marquette King deep in Buffalo territory led to two late Jets scores and the eventual home team's 19-14 victory.

The main reason the Jets struggled was the tough loss of their MVP candidate signal caller as Lamar Jackson was forced to exit with a fairly significant injury in the 3rd quarter. Jackson is rumored to be out until Week #17 at the earliest.

"It hurts man," Jackson said. "We were clicking and I want to be out there with my guys."

Backup Ryan Tannehill did just enough to push his team over the finish line in this game with a pair of TD passes and an INT in the 4th quarter, but will he be enough to help the team earn their second consecutive AFC East crown.

For the Bills: They are expected to get their field general, Aaron Rodgers, back after the team's bye week.

Safety Jamal Adams, who has been outspoken through the season, was seen shouting and hyping teammates up in the locker room following the game referencing the team's upcoming Week #14 rematch as a chance to get back into the AFC East lead.

The Jets will also head into their bye week along with the rest of the division. 

MIAMI DOLPHINS 29 @ GREEN BAY PACKERS 26

GREEN BAY (WI) -- With overtime looming and following an embarrassing opening game with his new team, Derek Carr rallied his troops with a game-winning drive to lead his team past the Green Bay Packers 29-26 at Lambeau Field.

The Dolphins (7-3) battled back several times throughout behind the strong play of Carr who picked up 388 passing yards and a pair of TD strikes for the game.

"After last week, I wanted to show the guys I was here for them," Carr said. "Kenny (Stills) got open and I was fortunate enough to hit him in stride to put us in place at the end."

Stills finished the game with 174 yards receiving with six receptions and a TD.

Defensively, Rookie of the Year candidate Minkah Fitzpatrick was stellar with six tackles and two interceptions.

"We just want to get in the playoffs," Fitzpatrick said. "It's winning time now."

The Dolphins head to their bye week a game out of a playoff spot.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 30 @ TENNESSEE TITANS 38

NASHVILLE (TN) -- In a slight shocker, the Tennessee Titans upended the New England Patriots (8-2) 38-30.

Wesley Woodyard and company harassed the New England offense all night while Marcus Mariota led his troops over, around, and through what had been one of the NFL's best defenses through nine weeks of the regular season.

"It's a tough one to swallow," Dak Prescott said. "But we've got some resilient guys out here; We'll be OK."

To his credit, Prescott, a strong MVP candidate, kept his team alive throughout until his ill-fated INT on the final drive. For the game, Dak finished with 404 yards passing with 4TD.

The Patriots will now head into their bye week to prepare for a first place showdown with the New York Jets.

2018 Season: Week #9

NEW YORK JETS 34 @ MIAMI DOLPHINS 6

MIAMI (FL) -- We've grown accustomed to some great matchups over the years between the New York Jets (8-1, 2-0 AFC East) and the Miami Dolphins (6-3, 0-3). Sunday's game was not one of them as the Jets dismantled the Dolphins 34-6 in front of a silent Hard Rock Stadium crowd.

Derek Carr, rushed onto the field after an in-season trade from these same Jets, looked lost and confused against the Aaron Donald led pass rush. 

The Fresno State product finished with only 89 passing yards and was sacked twice by the afore-mentioned Donald.

"It was a statement game for us," Donald said. "This division is ours and we need to start putting these other teams away."

Without much need to get aggressive, rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson continued his MVP caliber season with 289 yards passing and 3 TDs to go along with his 131.4 passer rating.

For his efforts, Jackson earned yet another AFC Player of the Week award.

"It's go time," Jackson said. "The team made it loud and clear that it's my team moving forward by moving Derek (Carr). It's my job to show them they were right."

With Tyreek Hill facing double teams throughout, WR Jamison Crowder had his best game as Jet with 12 catches for 140 yards and a TD.

The Jets will now head home to take on the Buffalo Bills, who are still without Aaron Rodgers.

Miami will travel to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to take on the 1-7 Green Bay Packers. 

CHICAGO BEARS 10 @ BUFFALO BILLS 17

ORCHARD PARK (NY) -- When the 70,000 plus fans piled into New Era Field Sunday morning to watch their Buffalo Bills (8-1, 1-0) take on the Chicago Bears, they were not expecting to watch a rock fight, but that is what they got as the Bills squeaked out a 17-10 win over the visiting side.

Josh McCown improved upon his 4-pick night from last week with a turnover free game. 

Buffalo's defense led the way, stifling the Chicago attack throughout.

Sophomore Jamal Adams picked up a pair of INTs, including the game-clincher, to earn the AFC's Defensive Player of the Week honors.

"We just needed to get through today to get to the Jets next week," Adams said. "They have no idea who's coming for them. Be ready. You know what, I'm feeling like Broadway Jamal right now. We will win that game. I guarantee it."

Late in the third, with his team controlling the game, despite the score differential, head coach Sean McDermott inexplicably called for a fake field goal at mid-field with the Bears playing a base defense. It did not work.

"We tried to get too cute there," McDermott said. "It ended up not being cute at all."

The Bills will now take their winning streak on the road to battle the New York Jets. It's too early to tell if Adams' proclamation will help his team or provide extra motivation for the defending champs. 

GREEN BAY PACKERS 10 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 24 (SNF)

BOSTON (MA) -- Dak Prescott and his squad did just enough to get past the reeling Green Bay Packers 24-10 on Sunday Night Football. The Patriots (8-1, 1-1) needed this win to get past last week's demoralizing first loss of the season. 

"We want to win every game," Prescott said. "Last week didn't work out, but we got one tonight and we hope to keep it moving next week."

Prescott finished with 234 passing yards and a pair of TDs on the night.

Defensively, the Patriots mixed up their coverages and confused rookie Josh Allen all night.

"Our coaches always put us in the right places," Morgan Burnett said. "Tonight it worked real well."

Burnett notched a clutch 2nd half INT to end a promising GB drive.

New England will now eagerly watch the Buffalo/New York game next week with an eye on regaining the top spot in the division down the line. The Pats will also head to Tennessee to take on the Titans.