AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots, Mac Jones

Bills

The Bills made a significant investment in DE Von Miller this offseason, but it was with a vision of him being the closer in big games exactly like Week 6 against the Chiefs. Miller has six sacks this season, including two from this past Sunday’s win, but he’s only playing in 60 percent of the snaps. 

“They do a great job of keeping me fresh,” Miller said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “I didn’t get vet days until I went to L.A. last year, so to come here and get vet days and to barely practice during the week and just focus on rehab and recovery, getting ready for the game, they do a great job of taking care of me. And on game day, I’m fresh and ready to go. I don’t feel like they’re trying to use me up here. They want to get the best out of me. Even during the game, they limit my snaps. So whenever you’re out there, you got a lot of stamina. You’re not fatigued, because they do a great job of keeping you fresh during the week and in the game.”

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel won’t use the recent string of quarterback injuries as an excuse for the team’s losses.

“You can look at it as a reason for X, Y or Z — I challenge the guys not to,” McDaniel said, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “We have a lot of faith in all the players that we have on this team, and the quarterbacks that we’ve been working with since last April, any one of them we have high expectations to go execute and succeed. Now, of course, it’s not ideal. You want the guys that get all the reps during the week to play, but you always know that that’s a possibility.”I’m going to demand that the team does not point at that to be a reason for what’s happened or a reason for the loss. I think that’s the easy thing to do. I think that’s the path of least resistance, and generally, the path of least resistance doesn’t lend the results that an ambitious, convicted, all-in players’ team, the organization wants. Yeah, there are always difficulties and adversity within NFL football games. I thought we had the capability to overcome that, and we didn’t.”

Jets

Jets HC Robert Saleh and CB D.J. Reed believe that DL Quinnen Williams is playing at a Pro Bowl level, as he became the first player with two sacks and a blocked field goal since 2018 on Sunday.

“Quinnen is playing at a different level,” Saleh said, via Mark Cannizzaro of The New York Post. “If he keeps doing this there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be Pro Bowl, All-Pro, all the different accolades you can get. He’s playing at that type of level.” 

“Pro Bowl, All-Pro,” Reed said. “He’s so disruptive. I kind of feel bad for the offensive linemen, because he wrecks every game that we play. In the whole NFL, I think he’s the most dominant right now. He’s playing at the All-Pro level. “He’s making splash plays. He’s strong. He’s got all the moves. He’s explosive. He’s just out there having fun. He makes it look so easy.” 

  • Jets WR Elijah Moore took to Twitter over his lack of targets on Sunday, despite the team’s win: “If I say what I really wanna say . . . I’ll be the selfish guy . . . we winning. Grateful! Huge blessing! All I ever wanted. Bittersweet for me but I’ll be solid. So I’ll just stay quiet. Just know I don’t understand either.”

Patriots

  • Pro Football Talk writes there’s a lot of chatter in league circles about the situation with the Patriots and QB Mac Jones, which has been inflamed by HC Bill Belichick‘s refusal to outright declare Jones the starter when he’s healthy. 
  • Per PFT, there are rumors Jones isn’t thrilled with the setup on offense, with Matt Patricia calling plays and running the offense and Joe Judge working with the quarterbacks. Neither has a background in coaching offense. 
  • PFT adds there’s some talk that Judge has become an advocate for fourth-round QB Bailey Zappe, who has played the bulk of the past three games and made his second official start in Week 6. 
  • This was also before Zappe lit up the Browns in the Patriots’ Week 6 win. 
  • Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says signs are pointing toward Jones being cleared to play in Week 7 against the Bears. 
  • Patriots DE Deatrich Wise after their Week 6 win: “All week, our goal was to stop the run and get after the passer, and I believe we did that.” (Zack Cox)
  • Patriots LB Jamie Collins is working his way back into shape on the practice squad, per Belichick: “He’s a little ways off. It will take a little bit of time. We’ll see how quickly he progresses and when, or if, he’ll be able to be active for the roster.”

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