AFC East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills QB Josh Allen believes his Buffalo team is peaking at the right time. The offense has been inconsistent all year, but following a 37-point showing this past week, including four touchdowns from Allen, the second-year passer thinks they’ve found a rhythm.  

“We really found our identity as an offense. We’ve got a good sense of who we are as a team,” Allen said via Syracuse.com’s Matt Parrino. “We’re gonna continue to roll with what we’ve been doing.”

Dolphins

• Per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, Dolphins HC Brian Flores said the team decided to use its second designation to return from injured reserve on LB Andrew Van Ginkel because they felt he was the healthiest. 
• Jackson said the Dolphins found a new injury when they examined S Reshad Jones unrelated to his rib injury, which is why he was placed on injured reserve. 
• Dolphins S Bobby McCain re-aggravated his shoulder injury, landing him on IR.
• Dolphins UDFA rookie WR Preston Williams recently underwent surgery for his torn ACL and has begun rehab. 

Jets

Jets RB Le’Veon Bell had something to get off his chest on Wednesday, tweeting his frustration with the NFL’s random HGH testing policy that had pegged him for five blood tests in 10 weeks this season. Bell apparently hates needles, so much so that if asked to do a sixth blood test, he would refuse and open himself up to suspension for not complying with the NFL’s testing policy. 

“At the end of the day, if we have to cross that bridge when we get there, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Bell said via Brian Costello of the New York Post. “I’m saying right now, the way I feel today when that tweet went out, that’s how I feel. One, I don’t like needles. I understand I’ve got to do it for my job or whatever. The first time we do it, I’m like, ‘OK, the test is over. I’m done with the needles.’ They do it again and I’m like, ‘OK, I get it. They did it twice, I can do it twice.’ But now it’s three, four, five times. Now it’s getting weird. It’s getting weird now. Like, why do they need this much of my blood? What are they looking for?”

Patriots

• According to the Athletic’s Jeff Howe, the Patriots are optimistic WR Phillip Dorsett will be cleared from his concussion in time to play this week against the Cowboys. 
• Free-agent WR Antonio Brown‘s apology likely doesn’t change anything from the Patriots’ perspective. (Howe)
• WEEI’s Christian Fauria hears the Patriots have “kicked the tires” on Brown and have had discussions about him. 
• Two sources with knowledge of the Patriots thinking, who spoke to Tom Curran of NBC Boston, “scoffed” at the idea of Brown rejoining New England this season.
• One source, when asked if there was a chance Brown might have a chance at rejoining the team, responded: “What’s changed?”
• Mark Maske mentions that there’s no reason at this point to believe the Patriots would give serious consideration to re-signing Brown, as some teams around the league assume the NFL would place him on the exempt list if he’s signed this season by any team. 
• Howe would be stunned if Patriots QB Tom Brady retired or played elsewhere after this season.