AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets

Bills

Bills WR Stefon Diggs said there is no additional meaning to their Week 5 game against the Kansas City Chiefs after losing to them in last year’s AFC Championship game. 

“Nothing,” Diggs said, via Katherine Fitzgerald of the Buffalo News. “I’ve played there before. I’ve lost there before. When I was in Minnesota, we lost to them, actually on the last drive of the game. So I’ve lost there before. I don’t look at it as going back to do X, Y, Z – I’m trying to get a win.”

Diggs acknowledges that he is eager to play in difficult environments like at Arrowhead Stadium and feels added focus when playing in big games. 

“I’m all about the hostile environments. I’m pretty chill right now, but when it’s time to go, I love everything about it. I love not being able to hear,” Diggs said. “ … It’s kind of weird to say, but it’s so loud that it’s quiet. You don’t got nothing but your thoughts and really just the man in front of you. It’s a good feeling though.”

Dolphins

• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes Dolphins CB Byron Jones is trending toward being out or limited this week with quad and Achilles issues. 
• That would leave Miami thin in the secondary and Jackson notes they could move S Jason McCourty back to cornerback to try and boost the depth there. McCourty practiced some at cornerback during camp but wouldn’t say if he’s worked there in practice this week. 
• Dolphins CB coach Charles Burks said either Nik Needham or Justin Coleman would move from the slot corner to the boundary to replace Jones. 
• Dolphins OT Austin Jackson couldn’t provide an answer when asked if the organization having four offensive line coaches over the last three years under HC Brian Flores has led to struggles: “I don’t think they pay me enough to answer that.” (Barry Jackson)

Jets

Jets HC Robert Saleh was ecstatic with how his defense, particularly his secondary, played against the Titans. 

“We’ve got a young secondary back there who is doing everything they can to buy the d-line a hitch on the quarterback and if that quarterback hitches, our d-line is taking a lot of pride in making sure that he gets hit,” Saleh said, via NY Daily News. “So, it’s really a team game and if our back end wasn’t covering the way they were — our d-line, doesn’t matter how good they are, they never get home. So, I think it’s a significant complement (to) rushing coverage.”

The Titans were down their top two receiving options in WR Julio Jones and WR A.J. Brown, however, the Jets did a good job not allowing the Titans’ receivers to create separation downfield.

“You saw Sunday a lot of one-on-one opportunities deep. And at the same time, it’s our job as coaches to make sure we kind of disguise that,” Saleh said. “This game of football is about winning one on ones on third down and two minutes, at all levels of football, whether you’re on offense or defense. And those guys are doing a really nice job in those situations.”

Saleh has quietly put together a solid secondary in his first year in New York, allowing the 12th fewest yards in the NFL. Rookie CB Javelin Guidry says the team is blocking out the noise and going out to play one day at a time.

“We wouldn’t listen to all the media stuff. We just put our heads down and work,” Guidry said. “We know we’re a young group, but we’re even more hungry as well. Just going out there each and every day practicing, just trying to get better each and every day and just make plays.”