The Buffalo Bills won ugly on Sunday Night Football in Week 6. Defeating the New York Giants, 14-9, they stumbled across the finish line and won without their best effort.
Quarterback Josh Allen wasn’t his usual self, and to say most of the receiving corps disappointed, too, would be an understatement. The special teams struggled and, while only allowing nine points, the defense came awfully close to making Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor look viable.
Sunday was probably always going to be tougher than the talent discrepancies indicated. Former Bills coach and current Giants head coach Brian Daboll returned to Western New York with a Buffalo castaway at quarterback and possibly some beef to settle.
The Bills were (and still are) struggling with a string of injuries. Head coach Sean McDermott made a call for a “next man up” mentality and, despite how messy things got, Buffalo came away victorious.
Perhaps the biggest offensive play of the day came from tight end Quintin Morris, who caught Allen’s patented “no, no, no, no, yes” out-of-structure throw for the go-ahead touchdown.
It was Morris’ first target of the season, and it came on a bum ankle.
“He was hobbling on that ankle,” McDermott said. “He was pushing through.”
Morris was clearly ailing, but with tight end Dalton Kincaid out, it fell upon him to take those snaps—he did so, successfully.
He wasn’t alone in battling through injuries on Sunday. Offensive tackle Spencer Brown was taken out of the game with a leg injury but managed to return.
“There were a few other players that did as well,” McDermott continued. “Spencer Brown went out … came back in. That shows to me a lot of maturity and growth on Spencer’s part and behalf as well.”
Every team deals with adversity over the marathon of an NFL season. Timely performances from veteran depth and important steps forward from young talents can help mitigate Buffalo’s misfortunes and keep them afloat as Super Bowl contenders.
“There’s growth happening with some of our young players,” McDermott said. “And that’s good to see.”
They’ll have the chance to showcase that development against the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
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