Last week, I did feel some measure of redemption for my latest Vontae Davis Halftime Retirement Award winner. After last week's game in Miami, I gave the award to Kelvin Benjamin, who had been posing in a Bills uniform as an NFL No. 1 wide receiver for over a year. Last Tuesday, the Bills released him, along with another receiver, Andre Holmes. In a puzzling move, the Chiefs then proceeded to sign Benjamin to a one-year deal. As injury back-up I presume. Benjamin was not active in yesterday's Chiefs overtime win over Baltimore.
As for this week's winner, I'm afraid that it's going to be LeSean McCoy who injured a hamstring in the first half yesterday and did not return. The sand has run out of the hour-glass for McCoy this season - his 10th in the league and his fourth with the Bills. Until this year, McCoy has been excellent for the most part with an instinct for finding seams when none appear to be open and a unique ability to evade tacklers in space. As with many backs who turn 30 (like he did this year), the half step of speed he has lost seems to have made the difference between success and being ready to retire. He is averaging 3.3 yards per carry this season - not good enough for a featured running back. I expect that McCoy will not be on the Bills roster next season but he may be a useful third down back for a contending team in the future. His days of getting 25 touches per game are probably over.
Yesterday's game in Orchard Park was billed as the battle of the two first-round quarterbacks in the AFC East. With the Bills coming into the game at 4-8 and the Jets stuck at 3-9, the game was really part two of the AFC East Consolation Bowl. The Bills easily won the first round of it four weeks ago in the Meadowlands and yesterday was the Jets chance to end a six game losing streak and even the season series with their division rivals. More than 59,000 fans turned out on a sunny but cool day to see which of the two rookie quarterbacks would step up.
The answer is that it was Sam Darnold who came through for his team when it counted, leading his team for the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. As for Josh Allen, he showed a few more signs of developing into the franchise quarterback that Bills fans hope he will be but, in the end, he did not throw the ball well enough to win the game or as well as Darnold did. Yes, he ran the ball very well again yesterday and did hit some passes but his issues with inaccuracy cost him two interceptions, including on the potential game-winning drive in the final minute. In fairness to Allen, despite his risking injury with continued scrambling, I am starting to feel ever-so-slightly more confident with him under centre. Could just be familiarity.
The geniuses who create the NFL schedule gave the Bills three December home games this season - all, as it turns out, against losing teams. Two of those remain, including next week's tilt against the Detroit Lions. The Lions won in Arizona yesterday to improve to 5-8 on the season but the game offers virtually no compelling reason to attend, other than to see Josh Allen continue his evolution.
As I pointed out after their week one loss at Baltimore, the Bills have plenty of cap space going into next year. I think that the 2019 roster will look quite different from the current one, particularly in the offensive skilled positions. As nice a job as former practice squad players Robert Foster and Isaiah McKenzie have done late this season, the Bills need more play-makers to help Josh Allen along.
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