2017 Season: AFC Wild Card Preview

#6 Buffalo Bills (10-5-1) vs #3 Cincinnati Bengals (9-6-1)
In Week 5 this season, these two Wild Card opponents played to a 31-31 tie in one of the year's most exciting games.
The Bills out-gained the Bengals 509 to 284, but spent a majority of the 4th quarter and all of overtime without Aaron Rodgers.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, in relief of Rodgers, tossed a pair of late INTs (one returned for six) to push the game to overtime and the eventual draw.
This time around, Buffalo will be with their leader back under center. But Rodgers and company will be without many key weapons on both sides of the ball.
WR Amari Cooper, CB Casey Hayward, WR Jeremy Maclin, WR Anquan Boldin, and rookie FS Budda Baker will all miss the rematch.The Bengals will also be without a few key contributors as TE Tyler Eifert, DE Carlos Dunlap, and HB Jeremy Hill are all listed as doubtful for the contest.
After firing their defensive coordinator mid-season and moving to a 3-4 scheme, the Bills have gone 6-1. That scheme will be put to the test against the Bengals and their 4th ranked NFL offense (6th ranked rushing offense). However, the Bengals also boast the 6th worst NFL defense (27th overall) while the Bills own the 5th ranked scoring offense.
Defensively, the Bills ended the season with the NFL's #3 ranked defense despite their slow start to the season and have racked up an astounding 75 sacks this season.
Cincinnati should get a small boost from their home crowd, but not enough to right the wrong of the early season tie. Buffalo should win the game by a final of 35-14.

#5 Miami Dolphins (12-4) vs #4 Denver Broncos (8-8)
The Denver Broncos limped into the playoffs at 8-8, but have been widely touted as the team 'no one' wanted to play due to the fact that they still line up arguably one of the best QBs in the league (Drew Brees) under center and have a premier pass rusher in Von Miller terrorizing opposing quarterbacks.
However, this Miami team seems focused having won eight out of their last nine games, including a come-from-behind 39-24 home victory over these same Broncos in Week 13.
Drew Brees, the AFC's Offensive Player of the Year, will lead the NFL's #3 ranked passing offense against the NFL's #1 ranked defense. The Dolphins gave up the fewest yards passing in the NFL this season and allowed the 3rd fewest rushing yards. Miami also led the NFL with 87 sacks while yielding the fewest points-per-game in the league (15.9).
Denver will also be without their starting Right Tackle (Garrett Bolles) and Right Guard Michael Schofield. The Broncos will be forced to start Menelik Watson at RT who will be tasked with keeping All Pro Khalil Mack out of the team's backfield.
Despite the close game in November, all signs are pointing to a resounding Miami victory. Dolphins win 30-10.

2017 Season: Week #17 Recap

Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

BUFFALO                   3         0        3          0          6

MIAMI                        0         7        7         5           19

MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins (12-4, 4-2 AFC East) finally exercised last year's Divisional Round loss demons with their emphatic 19-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills (10-5-1, 3-3) Sunday in South Beach.
Aaron Rodgers had a rough outing with three INT on a day that saw him sacked seven times.
"It was not our best day," Rodgers said. "We need to regroup for next week's playoff game."
The Dolphins will be the AFC's #5 seed and will most likely face the Denver Broncos in a Week #14 rematch.
The Bills will be the #6 seed and may face the Cincinnati Bengals in another early season rematch. The teams played in an epic tie that was easily one of the most entertaining games of the 2017 season.

New York Jets vs New England Patriots

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW YORK              14        7         7         15        43

NEW ENGLAND      3         7         6         10        26

FOXBORO – The New York Jets (13-3, 5-1 AFC East) finished their dominant regular season with a xx-xx victory over the New England Patriots (4-12, 0-6). 
Kevin Hogan played much better than he had in previous weeks with an efficient first half against a Patriots squad looking forward to 2018.
"We all want to see Derek (Carr) out there," Hogan said. "It's my job to keep us in games until he can get back."
The Jets will now wait to see whom they will play in the Divisional Round as the AFC's #1 seed.
New England, on the other hand, will look to continue to build off a strong 2017 draft as they head into 2018.

2017 Season: Week #16 Recap

Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

BUFFALO                   3        10       7         14         34

NEW ENGLAND      12        3        0         0           15

NEW ENGLAND – For most of the first half it looked as if the New England Patriots (4-11, 0-5 AFC East) were in line to keep the Buffalo Bills (10-4-1, 3-2) postseason dreams on hold. But, with a late 2nd quarter pick-six, Dak Prescott helped set in motion another late collapse for the Pats.
"I can't do that," Prescott said. "We were controlling the game in all three phases and I just gave them life."
Myles Garrett continued his stellar play, harassing Prescott all day before helping cause the 2nd year signal caller to leave the game in the 2nd half.
Fellow rookie Reuben Foster was equally as disruptive for the Patriots. Foster, the Alabama product, looks to have a bright NFL future ahead.
"He's amazing," Garrett said. "I remember him at the combine and in our SEC battles. I'm glad I'm not an offensive player going against him."
The Patriots will end their season next week against the AFC East Champion New York Jets while the Bills will look to jump up to the #5 seed as they take on their rivals from Miami.

Miami Dolphins vs Kansas City Chiefs

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

MIAMI                       14       3         16       10        43

KANSAS CITY         7         0         0         10        17

KANSAS CITY – Latavius Murray rushed for 156 yards and added three touchdowns to lead the Miami Dolphins (11-4) back into the playoffs for the third consecutive year with their emphatic 43-17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Alex Smith was harassed all day before leaving late in the 4th quarter with what looked to be a serious injury.
"Tough," Smith said. "I think I was sacked eight times - it was a struggle all day."
Khalil Mack and Bobby Wagner each notched 2.0 sacks as their team is back in the postseason.
"Last year was a tough ending for us," Wagner said. "It's tough in the NFL to get to the playoffs, we want to finish strong next week and see if we can start this five-game winning streak to get us a Lombardi in Minnesota."
With their battle with the Buffalo Bills looming which will determine the 5th and 6th seeds, look for the Dolphins regulars to go all in to lock up the #5 spot.

Los Angeles Chargers vs New York Jets

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

LOS ANGELES         7         0         0         0          7

NEW YORK               7         7        14        7          35

NEW YORK – The Derek Carr-less New York Jets (12-3) locked up their first AFC East Crown in the 3GML era with a runaway 35-7 victory over Philip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday morning.
Kevin Hogan struggled mightily early with a pair of turnovers before being pulled for Nathan Peterman early in the 2nd quarter.
Jamaal Charles opened up the scoring floodgates late in the 2nd with a 62-yard TD run.
"We are missing many players," Todd Bowles said. "But this makes the division crown all the more sweeter to win with our depth. It takes 53 guys to make this happen."
The Jets are now in new territory with what looks to be a meaningless Week #17 matchup against the New England Patriots looming.
However, with their wide array of current injuries, they may not have the ability to rest many players since they've been operating with 45 active players each week.

2017 Season: Week #15 Recap

New York Jets vs New Orleans Saints

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW YORK               0        13       15        0         28

NEW ORLEANS      10        7        14       10        41

NEW ORLEANS – A week after clinching their first playoff appearance during of the 3GML era, the New York Jets (11-3) fell back to earth with a disappointing 41-28 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Pundits will point to the 'would, coulda, shoulda' factor with the Jets essentially missing their entire roster of skill players on offense. The team also lost Aaron Donald for a majority of the game in the defeat.
"Obviously you want to win every game," Todd Bowles said. "But I'm proud of our guys. We kept it close until the end with a lot of second string guys out there contributing."
New York's defense kept them in it most of the way, but the team could not overcome six turnovers by their unrecognizable offense.
With one more win over the last two weeks, the Jets should be able to lock up the AFC East crown and potentially the AFC's #1 seed. 
The team next hosts the Los Angeles Chargers before finishing with the struggling New England Patriots.

Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

MIAMI                       0         7         3         7          17

BUFFALO                  21       0         0         3          24

BUFFALO – In last year's Divisional Round, the Miami Dolphins (10-4, 3-2 AFC East) saw their season come to an end in a blizzard on New Era Field. Before all the fans had taken their seats, Teddy Bridgewater had tossed a pair of pick sixes and Marquette King had a punt blocked for a TD to put the team down 21 points early in the first quarter - a deficit the Buffalo Bills (9-4-1, 2-2) never relinquished.
"Obviously that's a terrible start by me personally," Bridgewater said. "We wanted to be aggressive in the snow early before it picked up, and their great secondary took advantage."
James Bradberry took another interception to the house in that pivotal quarter (another was called back due to penalty in the 3rd).
"People keep trying me," Bradberry said. "At some point they'll learn."
The Bills are now a half a game back of the #5 seed in the AFC.
The AFC East is now very compelling as we enter the final three weeks of the season. The New York Jets looked to be a lock three weeks ago to run away with the division, but now, with Kevin Hogan under center, any of the top three teams could walk away with the crown.
Miami will try to right their ship against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week #16 while the Bills take on the hapless Patriots. Both teams will meet in what should be an important Week #17 tilt down in South Beach. 

New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW ENGLAND     10        7         0         0          17

PITTSBURGH           0        0         3          7          10

PITTSBURGH – After a strong start, the New England Patriots (4-9) were able to hold off the late-charging Pittsburgh Steelers who were operating without Ben Roethlisberger.
Rookie sensation Reuben Foster had another stellar outing for the Pats with seven tackles and another forced fumble.
"We are just rolling into next year," Foster said. "We want to be in that playoff hunt next year."
Dak Prescott was lost for most of the second half, but will most likely be available next week as the Pats aim to play spoiler versus the Bills. 

2017 Season: Week #14 Recap

New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW ENGLAND      0         0          3        0           3

MIAMI                       0        10         7        6          23

MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins (10-3, 3-2 AFC East) ran their winning streak to six games with a 23-3 victory over the New England Patriots (3-10, 0-3) on Monday Night Football.
Latavius Murray led the way with 142 rushing yards while All Pro Khalil Mack added a team-high 3.5 sacks.
"Just a good, solid team win," Adam Gase said. "We could have played better, but they are a talented group on the other side."
The Dolphins next face off agains the Buffalo Bills, who ended their season a year ago with a 13-9 Divisional Round victory in the snow.

Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

INDIANAPOLIS       7         0         0         0          7

BUFFALO                  0         10       24      24        58

BUFFALO – Ever since the Buffalo Bills (8-4-1) fired their defensive coordinator and moved to a 3-4 defensive scheme, the team has been unbeatable. That trend continued with their convincing win agains the Indianapolis Colts 58-7 Sunday.
The Bills added another four takeaways to their growing season tally while Aaron Rodgers earned AFC Player of the Week honors with his 17-29, 256 passing yards, and 5 TD day.
"I'd like to go re-read all those stories burying our postseason chances when we were sitting at .500 Week 9," Rodgers said. "The season is very long - we are peaking at the right time."
The Bills will stay home to take on the Miami Dolphins in a pivotal AFC East matchup next weekend. 

New York Jets vs Denver Broncos

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW YORK               3        10       10        6          29

DENVER                    7        0          0         17        24

DENVER – The NFL's #1 team was able to overcome a devastating loss of their QB with a 29-24 win over the Denver Broncos. The Jets (11-2) own the league's most complete and dominating roster, but will have to endure another huge loss as Derek Carr looks to be out at least until late January.
"It's brutal," Carr said. "First DJ (David Johnson), then we lost our two most explosive receivers in Tyreek (Hill) and Brandin (Cooks), and now I'm out."
A devastated Todd Bowles had no words at his postgame press conference and repeatedly gave one word answers.
The Jets defense again held the team up allowing only 19 yards rushing.
In back-up duty, quarterback Kevin Hogan rushed for 104 yards in what could be the new normal for the Jets.
Hogan and the Jets next head to New Orleans to take on the NFC's top-ranked team. 

2017 Season: Week #13 Recap

New England vs Buffalo Bills

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW ENGLAND      0         0          0        6           6

BUFFALO                  14      13        10      14         51

BUFFALO – Despite their overwhelming victory, the Buffalo Bills (7-4-1, 1-2 AFC East) paid a big price with the loss of MLB Dont'a Hightower during their 51-6 romp over the New England Patriots (3-9, 0-3) in a Buffalo Blizzard.
Myles Garrett and fellow rookie standout Zach Cunningham paved the way, pressuring Dak Prescott throughout.
"He (Cunningham) is coming into his own," Garrett said. "He looked like Barry Sanders out there today with all his TDs."
Cunningham, the rookie out of Vanderbilt, scored twice with a fumble recovery late in the 4th for a TD and a long pick-six early in the game.
"I wasn't here last year for the championship run," Cunningham said. "But this team is clicking. With 12 (Aaron Rodgers) behind center, we are always in it."
Rodgers had another typically strong game despite being down a few weapons in the win.
The Bills will next take on the reeling Indianapolis Colts.

Kansas City vs New York Jets

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

KANSAS CITY         0         0         3         0          3

NEW YORK               7         3         0         0          10

NEW YORK – What once was a smooth-running ship toward the AFC crown, the New York Jets (10-2, 3-1) are taking on water despite their 10-3 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday. 
All-Everything running back David Johnson was lost for the season early in the game along with Tyreek Hill who will miss time into the playoffs (to go along with the team's news that Brandin Cooks may not be available until the playoffs as well). 
"Devastating," Derek Carr said. "Just horrible for him and us as a team. But we will rally." 
Carr, without his top weapons, made no mistakes to help his team's defense bury the Chiefs who managed only a field goal attempt on the day.
The young signal-caller will certainly be leaned-upon moving forward to push his team deep into January.
The Jets will hope to find some new weapons before they take on the Denver Broncos next weekend. 

Denver Broncos vs Miami Dolphins

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

DENVER                    7        7        10        7           24

MIAMI                        7        7        8         17          39

MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins (9-3) survived a battle against the Denver Broncos with a 39-24 victory Sunday in South Beach.
Five Drew Brees interceptions doomed his team's chances to regain the AFC West lead.
"They were all over the place in the secondary," Brees said. "Not my best effort out there."
Miami's defense led the way despite giving up two 70+ yard touchdowns. Without those two scores, the game would have been much more lopsided.
"It was a punch in the mouth with CJ Anderson's long run to start the game," Bobby Wagner said. "But we stuck with it and our offense finally started to get some points up on the board."
Teddy Bridgewater had another solid game with 225 yards passing and four total TDs (one rushing). 
The Dolphins will next face the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. 

2017 Season: Week #12 Recap

Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

BUFFALO                  7        10        14       14         45

KANSAS CITY         0          3         0         3          6

KANSAS CITY – With another dominating defensive performance, the Buffalo Bills (6-4-1) dismantled the Kansas City Chiefs 45-6.
Aaron Rodgers shined with 317 yards passing and 4 TD, but the real star of the game was the outstanding play of cornerback James Bradberry.
Bradberry finished with 3 INT (one for a TD) while allowing zero catches on the game for a perfect 'PFF' rating.
"Just trying to get better each week," Bradberry said. "People (were) all but burying us after week 8. We are champions."
With their new found defensive swagger, the Bills will next take on the New England Patriots in a quest to keep their Wild Card dreams alive. 

Carolina Panthers vs New York Jets

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

CAROLINA                7         0         3         0          10

NEW YORK               7         7         14      10         38

NEW YORK – The steady New York Jets (9-2) easily took care of the Carolina Panthers 38-10 in upstate New York Sunday morning.
David Johnson continued his MVP pace with 117 yards rushing and another 2 TD to add to his league leading 20 rushing scores.
"Look at our line," Johnson said. "I appreciate the credit I get, but I'm nothing without them."
Tyreek Hill took another long score to the house with a 68-yard 'dueces' moment.
The Jets will look to keep their top spot in the AFC intact as they take on the reeling Kansas City Chiefs next week. 

Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

MIAMI                       7        14        10       7          38

NEW ENGLAND      0        13        0         6         19

NEW YORK – In a game that saw Dak Prescott sacked 12 times, the Miami Dolphins (8-3, 2-1 AFC East) outlasted the New England Patriots (3-8, 0-2) 38-19 in Foxboro. 
Prescott finished with a respectable 323 yards passing with a pair of TD passes, but was under constant duress throughout.
"I can't put that all on the o-line," Prescott said. "We had a chance in this game, we'll be ready in 2 weeks when we see them again."
All Pro Bobby Wagner finished with a team high 4.0 sacks and an INT for the game.
"They are tough, despite the record," Wagner said. "We never felt like we had that in the bag until late. This division is tough. Look out for them next year, I'm telling you."
The Dolphins next face the Denver Broncos while the Patriots take on the Buffalo Bills. 

2017 Season: Week #11 Recap

New England vs Oakland Raiders (Mexico City)

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW ENGLAND      0        10        6         9          25

OAKLAND                3          6         6         7          22

MEXICO CITY – With the score knotted at 22 apiece, Dan Bailey stood on foreign soil with time to think before deciding the outcome of the closely contested contest.
"I knew, with the altitude being something like 7,000 feet above sea level, that all I needed to do was kick it straight," Bailey said. "So I did."
Bailey's 47-yard field goal was true as time expired giving his New England Patriots (3-7) a second consecutive win in what had been a season to forget.
Oakland did all they could to keep their slim division lead intact, but the rough-and-tumble play of the hard-hitting duo of rookie Ruben Foster and Tre Boston dismantled any hopes the Raiders had of coming out on top.
"We were tone setters," Foster said. "We all (are) tired of this losing man. We came to play."
Late in the 4th, Foster delivered a crushing hit on the typically fumble proof Marshawn Lynch yielding to the game-winning drive to set up Bailey's clutch kick.
"He (Foster) has been amazing all year," Belichick said. "He's one of the most impressive rookie linebackers we've had in our building."
The 'road' crowd quickly turned in favor of the team from Boston with their style of play prompting Oakland's Jack Del Rio to fire a shot at the NFL.
"I think all this traveling road show stuff is a worthless gimmick," Del Rio said. "We needed our Oakland crowd today."
The Patriots will next look to make it 3-in-a-row as they take on their division rivals from Miami on Sunday. 

Buffalo Bills vs Los Angeles Chargers

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

BUFFALO                  21       17       7         7          52

LAC                             0         0         7         0          7

LOS ANGELES – If a team ever needed a blowout win (and who doesn't), these Buffalo Bills (5-4-1) needed one.
In a season filled with close calls, ties, and mild disappointment, the Buffalo Bills took out their frustration on the hapless Los Angeles Chargers with a 52-7 demolition Sunday in LA.
The Bills out-gained the Chargers 406 to 211 while allowing only 20 rushing yards. 
Philip Rivers was forced to run for his life all game behind a relentless pass rush led by rookie-of-the-year candidate Myles Garrett leading to four Rivers INTs (one returned 97-yards for a TD by Casey Hayward).
In short: The game was over mid-way through quarter number one.
"We needed this," Aaron Rodgers said. "People have been taking their best shots at us all year and it's nice to get up in that playoff discussion now."
With the win, the Bills are now firmly entrenched as the AFC's #6 seed.
This is certainly a team no one wants to face as a Wild Card team in the playoffs.
"Last year we were fortunate enough to get the #1 seed based on a tiebreaker (with Miami)," Todd Gurley said. "But it's all about getting in. There is a lot of football left to play and we want to play as long as we can into January and February."
The Bills next play the playoff aspiring Kansas City Chiefs in a Sunday showdown.

2017 Season: Week #10 Recap

New York Jets vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW YORK               7         7        14       10         38

TAMPA BAY             7          0         7         8          22

TAMPA BAY – In a near perfect (passer rating) performance, Derek Carr led his Jets (8-2) to a 38-22 victory over a tough Tampa Bay squad Sunday morning.
Carr finished 18-23 with 285 yards and a TD.
Runningback David Johnson was a beast near the goalline tallying another trio of TD runs.
"We are just keeping the train moving," Carr said. "We've got a good thing going and we'll look to rest up during this bye and come out stronger after."
If the season finished today, the Jets would be the AFC's #1 seed.
The team heads into their bye flying high. 

Miami Dolphins vs Carolina Panthers

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

MIAMI                      14        27       7         7          55

CAROLINA                7         5         7         7          26

CAROLINA – After the team's loss to the hot New York Jets, the Miami Dolphins (7-3) have quietly racked up 3-wins in a row while sporting a much-improved passing game.
Teddy Bridgewater, who sat out the entire second half after his team exploded for 41 points in the first half, finished with a perfect 158.3 passer rating picking up four TD passes (three to Keenan Allen) to go along with 226 yards.
In a clock-killing second half, Jacoby Brissett led the team toward nine 3rd down conversions - an area the team has struggled with throughout the season. 
"We saw a lot of good things today," Adam Gase said." I give Jacoby (Brissett) credit for getting the job done in the second half after Teddy had himself a great half number one."
Miami heads into their bye at 7-3. The team looks to be in line for their 3rd consecutive playoff appearance if they can finish strong after the break. 

New Orleans Saints vs Buffalo Bills

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW ORLEANS       14       7         3        17          41

BUFFALO                   7       14        3         0           24

BUFFALO – A 4th quarter surge by the visiting New Orleans Saints doomed the reigning Super Bowl champs from Buffalo (4-4-1) as the team fell 24-41 Sunday in Ralph Wilson Stadium.
After battling back from an early 14-point hole, Aaron Rodgers and company ran out of gas late.
"Sure, it's disappointing losing," Rodgers said. "But it's that old adage that you have a target on your back as defending champions. We have seven games left to prove we are ready to defend that title."
The Bills next head cross country to take on Philip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers.  

New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW ENGLAND      0         9         17       13        39

DENVER                   7        10         7        10         34

DENVER – Bill Belichick told reporters all week that his team was not discouraged despite their 1-7 start to the season and that he believed this trip to Mile High Stadium would be the week they turned it around.
He was right.
New England (2-7) was finally able to finish a fourth quarter en route to a 39-34 victory over the AFC West leading Denver Broncos in front of a stunned home crowd. 
"This season obviously has been off based on our standards," Belichick offered. "But if you look at the AFC, we still can fight to have a chance to get in the playoffs in the end."
All week Dak Prescott preached about ball security and the second-year signal caller helped his team with an impressive stat line of 13-19, for 282 yards passing and two TDs. Most importantly: Zero turnovers.
"Our defense is really good," Prescott said. "We've been making it tough on them at the end of games. Today we put it all together."
Jonathan Stewart continued his impressive season with 16 carries for 125 yards and a pair of his own touchdowns.
Veteran Danny Trevathan helped seal the game with a late interception.
"It's time to go out and get a 2nd in a row down in Mexico City," Trevathan said. "Let's get these wins in bunches."
The Patriots will now travel south of the border for a unique road game in Mexico City against the playoff hopeful Oakland Raiders.

2017 Season: Week #9 Recap

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

BUFFALO                   0         9         6         7          22

NEW YORK              14       21      14         0          49

NEW YORK – If not for a muffed punt by Tyreek Hill versus Jacksonville and a pair of Nick Folk misses (before he was traded), the New York Jets (7-2, 4-1 AFC East) could be staring an undefeated season in the face with no signs of slowing down after their convincing 49-22 victory over the Buffalo Bills (4-3-1, 0-2) on Thursday night.
A dominant defensive effort by Brandon Marshall and company yielded only eight yards rushing and, despite a 400 yard passing game by Aaron Rodgers, the Jets were in control from the start. 
Wide receiver Brandin Cooks was unguardable with 207 yards receiving and three TDs.
"It's someone new each week with us," Cooks said. "Our GM came in and preached this 3-year plan to everyone in 2015. I wasn't here then, but we trust in this process and we just need to keep it rolling each week."
The Jets now fully control their own destiny in an effort to take home the AFC East crown. The last two Super Bowl winners have also been AFC East champs.
The Bills will hope to regroup next week against the New Orleans Saints while the Jets will take on Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Oakland Raiders vs Miami Dolphins

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

OAKLAND                 0       13        0         0          13

MIAMI                       3         7        14       17         41

MIAMI – Trailing 3-13 early in the 2nd quarter, Miami's (6-3) Adam Gase called one of his patented 'basketball timeouts' to unload on his special teams unit after Oakland's scoop-and-score following a Raiders field goal. 
From that point on, Gase's squad got the message. The Raiders never again crossed midfield as the team had to settle for a 167 yard day on offense while the Dolphins exploded for 38 unanswered points in the route.
"I was pissed," Gase said. "I firmly believe, if we play our game, we should be in every game with a chance to win at the end. Giving away points like that is an insult to our defenders who work their tails off to keep our opponents out of the end zone."
Byron Jones, who has played all over the field for Miami this season, finished with five tackles and an early INT in the win.
Miami next heads to North Carolina to take on the Panthers. 

2017 Season: Week #8 Recap

Oakland Raiders vs Buffalo Bills

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

OAKLAND                 3         3         0         0          6

BUFFALO                   7        20        7         3          37

BUFFALO – The Buffalo Bills (4-2-1) ran away from the Oakland Raiders 37-6 Sunday morning. 
In a dominant defensive performance, the Bills yielded only 218 offensive yards to the EJ Manuel led Oakland squad. 
Ryan Matthews filled in admirably for the injured Todd Gurley with 151 yards rushing and a pair of TDs.
"This was a strong team effort from us," coach Sean McDermott said. "We've been battling some injuries all year and I'm proud of our 'next man up' attitude."
The Bills next face their rivals from New York as they travel to Jets country. 

Miami Dolphins vs Baltimore Ravens

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

MIAMI                       17       10       7         3          34

BALTIMORE             7         3         3         0          13

BALTIMORE – The Miami Dolphins (5-3) ran away from the Baltimore Ravens 34-13 on Thursday night. 
With a rushing attacking racking up 245 yards, Teddy Bridgewater also took flight with his most impressive performance of the season with a 13-19 passing night for 293 yards and a TD.
"I know the passing game has been behind," Bridgewater said. "But tonight we turned a corner."
Miami lost another key player as rookie Jamal Adams was lost for the season with a muscle injury.
The Dolphins next face the Oakland Raiders in an important playoff seeding matchup.

Atlanta Falcons vs New York Jets

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

ATLANTA                 0         0         0         7           7

NY JETS                   21      28        7        10          66

NEW YORK – The New York Jets (6-2) defeated the Atlanta Falcons (0-8) 66-7 Sunday in MetLife Stadium. 
In yet another puzzling performance, the Falcons again plummeted to new lows tossing five picks while managing 144 yards of offense. 
Despite their continued stink bombs following last year's strong season, this latest blow out could more be credited to the defensive pressure being applied to the league's Super Bowl favorites from New York.
Todd Bowles has had to start resting starters in many second halves of games due to his team's convincing victories.
"It's certainly a nice problem to have," Bowles said. "But this is the NFL. We are honestly one week at a time."
David Johnson continued his MVP pace with 155 yards rushing and 3 TD. 
The Jets will stay home for an AFC East showdown with the Buffalo Bills. 

Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

LA CHARGERS        0        17        0        10         27

NEW ENGLAND      3        13         0         0          16

FOXBORO – In yet another late disappointment, the New England Patriots (1-7) dropped a home game to the Los Angeles Chargers 27-16.
Dak Prescott continued his abysmal start to the season with only 48 yards passing.
The lone bright spot offensively for the Patriots was veteran Jonathan Stewart's 162 yards rushing to go along with his TD.
"It's not been our year," Stewart said. "But we are not quitters. We'll keep grinding.
The Patriots limp into their bye week at 1-7.

3GML AFC East Trades That Need to Happen by Deadline

As the AFC East squads near the mid-way point of the 2017 season, the trade deadline is fast approaching. Although NFL teams typically avoid the major wheeling-and-dealing, here are four deadline deals our staff believes need to happen prior to the conclusion of Week #8.

BUFFALO BILLS (3-2-1, 3rd AFC East)
This team still has a legitimate shot at a deep playoff run to defend their Super Bowl title. However, the team needs a better compliment to Myles Garrett on the edge.
TRADE TARGET: DE Ezekiel Ansah (Detroit Lions)
"Ziggy" is on his 5th year option with a steep $12.7 million dollar price tag for this current season before testing the 2018 free agent market. Ansah's production has been down for the Lions, despite their strong start to the season. A fresh start for the second half of this season could do wonders for the former #5 overall pick.
COMPENSATION: DE Kony Ealy and a mid/late round pick could pry the pass rusher from Detroit.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-3, 2nd AFC East)
The rumor mill has been in full swing with the Dolphins trying to acquire another receiving threat.
TRADE TARGET: WR Kelvin Benjamin (Carolina Panthers)
With Cam Newton continuing his up-and-down play and the strong starts by New Orleans and Tampa Bay in the NFC South, the Panthers could be in the market to reload as we head into a strong 2018 draft class. Benjamin, with his receiving and blocking prowess, could be a huge asset for Miami moving forward. Carolina would only need to eat a little over $1 million in '17 dead cap money to get the deal done.
COMPENSATION: Miami could package speedy, but underperforming Breshad Perriman and their valuable 2018 2nd rounder (from San Francisco) to Carolina for Benjamin and a later round pick.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-6, 4th AFC East)
Call this author crazy, but we would love to see the Patriots aggressively shop their best player at the deadline.
TRADE TARGET: Dealing WR Julio Jones
Although the team would take on a hefty (but not deal-breaking) dead cap penalty for this season, the team has not utilized Julio Jones to his full potential (he may feel like he's back on campus at Alabama but without the winning).
COMPENSATION: Picks, picks, and picks. Two seasons ago Amari Cooper fetched consecutive first rounders from the Bills to the Oakland Raiders. What would Julio be worth to a contender?

NEW YORK JETS (5-2, 1st AFC East)
It is rare that a team firmly in the Lombardi hunt to be sellers at the trade deadline, but the loaded New York Jets are a team needing very little.
TRADE TARGET: Dealing FS Earl Thomas
Thomas is the premier safety in the game and arguably an all-time great. However, the team could flip the veteran for some high draft picks with Malik Hooker needing playing time. The team needs draft picks in the years to come as their veteran All Pros will need to leave for bigger contracts.
COMPENSATION: The team should aim to pry a 1st round from a contending team with again QBs (small championship windows) like the Dallas Cowboys with Tom Brady or the Denver Broncos with Drew Brees.

2017 Season: Week #7 Recap

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Buffalo Bills

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

TAMPA BAY             7         7         0         0          14

BUFFALO                  0         10        7        6          23

BUFFALO – The Buffalo Bills (3-2-1, 0-1 AFC East) took care of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-14 following their bye week to edge closer in the AFC East race. 
Aaron Rodgers followed through on his promise to come out aggressive and get his team back over .500.
"That's a good team (Tampa Bay) over there," Rodgers said. "We are in such a tough division that this was a must win for us. I'm proud of our guys."
For the game, Rodgers finished 22-26 for 250 yards and 2 TD.
Rookie Myles Garrett continued his torrid start to the season with a pair of sacks, bringing him within 1.0 sack of the league lead.
"It's all about aggression man," Garrett said. "I didn't get a chance to hoist that trophy last year. I need one."
Buffalo next hosts the Oakland Raiders.

New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW YORK JETS    3         7        10        6          26

MIAMI                       0          0         7        14         21

MIAMI – The New York Jets (5-2, 2-1) had their revenge over the Miami Dolphins (4-3, 1-1) 26-21 in a down-to-the-wire contest Sunday morning.
With a dominant first half, the Jets held only a 10-0 lead at intermission despite out-gaining the Dolphins 220-51.
One play into the second half, the route seemed to be on as David Johnson took the handoff, on the first play of scrimmage, 70-yards to give the team a 17-0 lead.
"We felt good up 17-0, but we knew it wasn't over," Johnson said. "It was a good team win to hang on."
From that point on, the Miami offense woke up via their typically benign passing game to cut the score to 26-21.
With the ball and 2:04 left, Teddy Bridgewater and company had the opportunity to complete their comeback, but Defensive Player of the Year candidate Brandon Marshall stepped in front of a Bridgewater pass at his team's own 37-yard line to end the game.
"Respect to those guys over there," Marshall said. "I'm confident both of these teams will see the postseason. We may have a chance to meet again."
On a short week, the Dolphins head to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. The Jets will face the winless Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta vs New England

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

ATLANTA                 7         3          7        0          17

NEW ENGLAND      3         3          7       17         30

NEW ENGLAND – In a battle of winless squads, the Atlanta Falcons (0-6) gave away a chance to pick up their first win of 2017, falling 30-17 to the New England Patriots (1-6).
Leading 17-13 early in the 4th quarter, Russell Wilson threw one of his patented 'pick sixes' to give away the lead for good. From there, the once prolific signal-caller, repeatedly made poor decisions finishing with six interceptions for the game.
"I got rattled," Wilson said. "I really wanted that win for our guys in the locker room."
New England's Logan Ryan, who picked up a pair of Wilson INTs to lead his team, was visibly emotional after the team's victory.
"It's crazy to be crying after your first win of the season," Ryan said. "But we've worked so hard...it's just. I love this team."
The Patriots next play the Los Angeles Chargers. Atlanta will take on the hot New York Jets. 

Russell Wilson: 19-35, 261 yards, TD 6 INT, 6 sacks
Logan Ryan: 2 INT
ATL: 250 NE: 179

2017 Season: Week #6 Recap

New England Patriots vs New York Jets (3GML Game of the Week)

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW ENGLAND       7         0         3         0         10

NEW YORK JETS    6         25       7         0         38

NEW YORK – A balanced Jets (4-2, 2-1 AFC East) squad utilized a blistering 2nd quarter surge to coast past the New England Patriots (0-6, 0-1) 38-10 Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
David Johnson again starred for an improving New York squad with 182 yards and 3 TDs for the game.
"We wanted momentum going into next week against Miami," Johnson said. "We are both 4-2 now, ready to get back to the top of the (AFC) East."
The Todd Bowles led defense again dominated, picking up nine sacks for the game.
Vic Beasley notched 3.0 sacks with Aaron Donald adding another 2.0.
"Coach told us it's time to take the training wheels off," Beasley said. "We aren't here to play anymore."
Despite the loss, Dak Prescott played well with a 19-26, 204 yard passing day.
"It's rough, losing," Prescott said. "But we are a tough-minded team. We aren't closing the book on our playoff hopes yet."
In a battle of winless teams, the Patriots will head home to take on the 0-6 Atlanta Falcons.
The Jets travel south to take on their rivals from Miami in an AFC East showdown for first place. 

Miami 49 @ Atlanta 17
Teddy Bridgewater tossed three touchdown passes and Dalvin Cook added a pair on the ground to lead the Miami Dolphins (4-2) past the hapless Atlanta Falcons (0-6) 49-17 Sunday in Georgia. With eight sacks, four interceptions, and an 82-yard pick-six by Khalil Mack, the Dolphins were clicking on all cylinders. For Atlanta: The team is still looking for their first win as they head to Foxboro to take on the 0-6 Patriots. 

2017 Season: Week #5 Recap

New England Patriots vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3GML Game of the Week)

                                     1         2         3         4          FINAL

NEW ENGLAND       0         3         3         3         9

TAMPA BAY              0         7         0         6        13

TAMPA BAY – Dak Prescott led his team into the Tampa Bay red zone with time ticking away with a chance for his New England Patriots (0-5) to pick up their first win of the 2017 season. Prescott and his teammates failed to score as the team dropped another heartbreaker 13-9.
"We are right there," Prescott said. "We just have to finish the deal."
The Buccaneers have now defeated a pair of AFC East squads and will be a force in the NFC playoff hunt.
"They (New England) are a good team over there," Jameis Winston said. "Even at 0-5, I think that's a team that can turn it around quickly."
Despite all their close calls, the Patriots will still be a formidable foe as we head into mid-October. 
The team will next face the New York Jets in a game that could quickly start the turnaround for the Pats. 

New York Jets 27 @ Cleveland 10
The New York Jets (3-2) shook off last week's heartbreaking loss with a workman-like effort to put away the Cleveland Browns 27-10 in front of the Dawg Pound. With only a 7-point lead to start the 2nd half, Derek Carr found a streaking Tyreek Hill for an 88-yard TD to take the air out of the stadium. Hill's 'deuces' made amends for last week's gaffe when he booted a late punt giving the Jacksonville Jaguars the ball late. The Jets next face the New England Patriots in an AFC East showdown. 

Buffalo 31 @ Cincinnati 31 (OT)
In arguably the NFL's most entertaining game of the young 2017 season, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills (2-2-1) ended in a 31-31 tie. Down seven points and with QB Aaron Rodgers out for the rest of the game, journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick gift-wrapped a pick-six late in the 4th which seemingly ended the contest. But 'Fitzmagic' showed up and willed the game to OT where both teams ran out of steam leading to the draw. The Bills head into their bye as the 3rd place team in the AFC East. 

Tennessee 0 @ Miami 62
The Miami Dolphins (3-2) took out their London frustrations on the 0-5 Tennessee Titans with a college football score of 62-0 Sunday morning. With a pair of pick-sixes, one a 99-yard score by CB Kevin Johnson, and a pair of blocked FGs by Jason Verrett which were both picked up and taken to the house by rookie Rasul Douglas, the Dolphins showed no mercy for the Titans. The only negative: Four missed PATs by K Justin Tucker in the relentless rain. The Dolphins next head to Atlanta to take on the Falcons.