The Bills secured the AFC's No. 2 seed with a decisive 40-14 victory over the undisciplined Jets.
- Derik
- Dec 31, 2024
- 4 min read

Josh Allen addressed the numerous offseason critics and skeptics when discussing the Bills' recent achievements, particularly securing the AFC's No. 2 seed following a decisive 40-14 victory over the disorganized New York Jets on Sunday. This moment served as a subtle affirmation for the Bills' quarterback, even though he refrained from explicitly stating it. "It reflects the quality of our staff, the camaraderie within this locker room, and the overall culture we have cultivated," Allen remarked. "While we chose not to focus on the preseason opinions, we were aware of them and understood the sentiments being expressed. However, they did not influence us significantly. Perhaps that is an exaggeration regarding our motivation." What remains indisputable is how Allen and the Bills (13-3) navigated the challenges posed by a youthful, makeshift roster after the offseason loss of six out of eight team captains, including the trade of Stefon Diggs to Houston. This resilience enabled them to clinch their fifth consecutive AFC East title and achieve a franchise-record 13 wins for the fifth time in their history, and the third time since 2020. Coach Sean McDermott made it clear who he believes deserves the most recognition for guiding the Bills to their sixth straight playoff appearance and for helping them establish single-season franchise records for points (509) and touchdowns (63).
“I think Josh Allen continues to show why he should be the MVP,” McDermott said. “I’ve been around this league long enough to know to see MVP every year for many years. And what he has done on this team and this organization in this community — and no offense to anybody else — but I’ve got a hard time believing that someone’s done more.”
In a remarkable performance, Allen achieved two touchdown passes and added another score on the ground, making him the first player in NFL history to record 40 touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. This milestone was reached during a game in which Buffalo capitalized on two turnovers by the Jets, scoring three touchdowns within a rapid 5:01 span late in the third quarter. Buffalo's defense was formidable, forcing three turnovers and sacking Aaron Rodgers four times, including a safety resulting from a 2-yard loss in the second quarter. The game devolved into a series of misfortunes for Rodgers and the Jets (4-12). New York is set to conclude the season with five or fewer wins for the seventh time during a 14-season playoff drought, the longest active streak in the NFL. "It’s kind of like the season, it just got away from us. Too many games got away from us," remarked Rodgers, who completed 12 of 18 passes for 112 yards and two interceptions before being replaced by Tyrod Taylor with Buffalo leading 40-0. "We were moving the ball well and then just hit a wall. And that’s kind of been the season." Entering the game with 499 career touchdown passes and aiming to become only the fifth player to reach 500, Rodgers instead faced a shutout and was named the NFL's most sacked quarterback. The 41-year-old has now been sacked 568 times, surpassing Tom Brady's total of 565 to take the top spot on the all-time list. Taylor was responsible for all of New York's scoring, throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson and a 20-yarder to Tyler Conklin. Discipline issues plagued a Jets team that has now fallen to 2-9 since Jeff Ulbrich assumed the role of interim coach, with New York accumulating 16 accepted penalties for 120 yards. "It’s frustrating, it’s embarrassing, it’s maddening. It’s all of that," Ulbrich expressed.
Allen had a brief yet effective performance, completing 16 of 27 passes for 182 yards, which included a 30-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper and a 14-yard touchdown to Keon Coleman. He was replaced by backup Mitchell Trubisky with the score at 33-0 in favor of Buffalo after three quarters. Trubisky further extended the lead by connecting on a 69-yard touchdown pass to Tyrell Shavers, who was called up from the practice squad, just 2:23 into the fourth quarter.
Shavers became the 13th player on the Bills roster to catch a touchdown pass this season, equaling the NFL single-season record and reinforcing the “everybody eats” philosophy that Allen and the offense adopted for this year. The Bills defense delivered a commanding performance, effectively ending a troubling three-game stretch during which they allowed a total of 1,357 yards, 86 first downs, and 107 points.
“I wouldn’t say need ... and I don’t want to say reassurance, either,” remarked A.J. Epenesa, who recorded a safety by sacking Rodgers. “But it just shows that this is what we can do and this is the standard that needs to be upheld.” In terms of milestones, Allen's 1-yard touchdown marked the 65th rushing touchdown of his career, tying the franchise record set by Thurman Thomas. Additionally, James Cook scored on a 4-yard run, bringing his total to 15 rushing touchdowns this season, just one shy of the Bills' single-season record established by O.J. Simpson in 1975 during a 14-game season. Cook's tally matches Allen's 15 rushing touchdowns from the previous year. Furthermore, Wilson surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the third consecutive year to begin his career, becoming the first player in Jets history and the tenth in NFL history to achieve this milestone.
Looking ahead, the Jets will conclude their season by hosting the Miami Dolphins next Sunday, while the Bills will face the New England Patriots in their regular-season finale on the same day.