AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills WR Isaiah McKenzie suffered a concussion in Week 4’s game against the Ravens when taking a shot to the head from S Chuck Clark. The receiver said it was “my hardest hit” he’s ever sustained. 

“I think that was my hardest hit I’ve ever gotten. That was the hardest one. Because I couldn’t move. So that has to be the hardest one,” McKenzie said, via the Go Long podcast. 

McKenzie said he doesn’t have any hard feelings from the hit given football is a hard-contact sport. 

“It comes with the territory,” McKenzie said. “We choose to play this sport and we know it’s a brutal sport. That’s what happens, and you’ve got to be fine with it. You’ve got to be fine with getting hurt, you’ve got to be fine with getting a concussion, you’ve got to be fine with everything that comes with it. That’s why you sign the contract. So I was fine with it.”

Dolphins

• Dolphins TE coach Jon Embree said that they want TE Mike Gesicki to be aggressive when blocking against defensive backs, similar to 49ers TE George Kittle: “I got a text from George Kittle Tuesday morning at 3 a.m. and it was video of him against the Rams knocking a DB on his behind. That’s what we want, that mentality here. It’s not how many passes you catch.” (Barry Jackson)

Jets

Down their top four offensive tackles, the Jets were in a bind in Week 4 against the Steelers. Fortunately, starting RG Alijah Vera-Tucker played left tackle in college and happens to be a pretty good player. He stepped in on the blindside and was instrumental in New York’s upset win. 

“I thought AVT was fantastic,” Jets HC Robert Saleh said via the Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. “It’s not easy to move positions along the offensive line but he did a great job showing his versatility and his mindset. He did a really good job in the run game, the pass game, didn’t give up much. I’m really pleased with the way he played.”

• Jets OC Mike LaFleur feels QB Zach Wilson was “able to do enough” in Week 4 and is confident about him going into Sunday’s game. (Rosenblatt)

Patriots

Patriots QB Bailey Zappe said during a recent media appearance that he isn’t treating this week any differently than normal despite the fact that he may be called upon to start for the team once again. 

“Really, I’m just treating it like every other week. I’m preparing every day like I have the last three or four weeks,” Zappe said, via Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. “I’m going to continue to work with my teammates, work with my coaches, and continue to watch the film, get into the game plan, and get ready for whatever role it is for me on Sunday.”

• The Patriots are projecting confidence in Zappe, per PFN’s Aaron Wilson citing a league source: “Bailey is definitely ready to go. He’s worked hard for everything he’s got and none of this is too big for him. He got thrown in there last week and he didn’t look out of place at all.”
• Wilson adds it’s not viewed as realistic or logical for Patriots QB Mac Jones to recover enough from his ankle injury in time to play this week. Same for QB Brian Hoyer to progress through the concussion protocol. 
• He adds there’s a chance Jones is available in Week 6.