AFC East Notes: Sean McDermott, Sauce Gardner, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

Bills

The Bills are set to play against the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. Buffalo HC Sean McDermott said they need to feel “urgency” to get the job done against Kansas City. 

“They’re extremely well coached, they adjust through the course of a game, they execute at a high level,” McDermott said, via Dorian Alerte of the team’s site. “You can only control so much. We can’t control what they do or don’t do, but we’ve got to focus on making sure that we’re ready to play and that starts with, if it didn’t already start by today, then it starts with today and the urgency we have to have today.”

Bills LB Terrel Bernard notably did not play in the team’s last meeting with the Chiefs in the AFC Division Round, which was a 27-24 Buffalo loss. McDermott is glad to have him available for Week 11. 

“Last year in the playoffs… he was close to playing,” McDermott said. “TB, he wears his heart on his sleeve, and he plays with his heart. He was pretty emotional about not being able to play, not being able to be out there with his teammates. It’s always good to have him out there… He’s a big-time leader for us on our team, on our defense for certain. And he’s just like a quarterback on the field for us.”

Bills QB Josh Allen isn’t putting any extra emphasis on this week’s game. 

“It’s a Week 11 game,” Allen said. “It’s no bigger and no less than the last 10 games that we’ve had. I know the media perception and the fan perception of what this game means. But for us, it’s just a Week 11 for us.”

Dolphins

• The Dolphins waived LB David Long Jr. this week. DC Anthony Weaver called it a “team decision” and they felt it was best to mutually part ways: “Team decision. starting caliber nfl backer. at this point, we chose to go with walk. Best move for all parties involved.”
• Weaver added LB Tyrel Dodson will fill Long’s position and called him a “playmaker, flies around,” per Barry Jackson. 
• Weaver said they are holding an open competition for the No. 3 cornerback role, but expects Cam Smith to be the favorite: “That competition will be up for grabs this week. I expect [Cam] to be near the top. That’s the type of guy he is, to give everything he can to earn the starting spot.” (Jackson)
• As for Tyreek Hill‘s wrist injury, he said surgery was discussed but is opting to play through the pain, via Jackson.
• Dodson said he still feels upset about being released by the Seahawks and is unsure what went wrong in Seattle: “I’m pissed off. I will probably stay very pissed off until my career ends… We’re still trying to figure that out… I think I played pretty well. I was a leader.” (Joe Schad)

Jets

Jets CB Sauce Gardner has taken a dip in production this season with missed tackles and committing penalties. New York Interim HC Jeff Ulbrich said Gardner understands he needs to play better. 

“Everybody in this building needs to play at a higher level, coach at a higher level, and be more accountable so we all need to improve in that way,” Ulbrich said, via SNY. “Sauce recognizes the fact that he has a very high standard for himself as we have a very high standard for him. He needs to and he wants to play better and he’s working his butt off to get that accomplished.”