AFC Notes: Dawson Knox, Bills, Jets

January 20, 2023

Dawson Knox

Bills QB Josh Allen had high praise of TE Dawson Knox and feels their offense is more productive when getting him involved.

“He’s been great for us,” Allen said, via Jake Skurski of the Buffalo News. “The more that we can get him the ball, it seems like the better that we do. He’s so athletic. He’s so big. He’s so fast. He’s tough for smaller guys and quicker than some of the big guys that guard him. So, just trying to get everybody involved in this offense. When we’re spreading it around and getting everybody involved, I think we become very balanced, and I think that’s a sign of a good team.”

Bills HC Sean McDermott said Knox is showing a lot of confidence and the tight end is “extremely comfortable” working with Allen.

“I think confidence,” McDermott said. “Josh and Dawson being on the same page with things and extremely comfortable with one another and where Dawson is going to be – I think just that rapport that those two have is very strong.”

Knox said it’s important for tight ends to contribute as blockers and is fine without getting any receptions if it results in victories.

“As a tight end, I think it’s important that you’re willing to do whatever it is you’re asked to do on the field, whether it’s blocking, pass protection … just doing whatever is called of you on that play,” Knox said. “We’ve got a lot of unselfish people on this team that do their 1/11th, that do their job without complaining, and I just want to be one of those guys, too. Obviously, it’s more fun to be directly involved catching touchdowns, but if you told me we’re going to win this game and I’ll have zero targets, zero catches, I’d take that 10 times out of 10.”

Bills

Bills DT DaQuan Jones (calf) and DT Jordan Phillips (shoulder) are questionable for Sunday’s Divisional Round and were limited in practice this week. (Alaina Getzenberg)

Bills HC Sean McDermott said WR Jamison Crowder (ankle) is trending “in the right direction” but isn’t expected to play in the Divisional Round. (Katherine Fitzgerald)

Jets

The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt looks into how things went wrong for the Jets after they entered this season with such high expectations for QB Zach Wilson and OC Mike LaFleur.
Rosenblatt writes LaFleur’s system had a reputation for being a little complicated, which gave some players more issues than others. One of those players was Wilson, which led to LaFleur having to grudgingly simplify things for him in OTAs.
Wilson’s preseason knee injury was another unfortunate setback. When he came back, LaFleur thought the best thing for him was to go first read, second read, then run, per Rosenblatt. That put the ball in play less and frustrated New York’s young receivers, including first-rounder Garrett Wilson and 2021 second-rounder Elijah Moore.
Those frustrations resulted in Moore’s midseason blowup, where according to Rosenblatt he cussed out LaFleur in practice, was sent home and then requested a trade. Rosenblatt says HC Robert Saleh was able to diffuse the situation.
As the Jets’ season deteriorated, Rosenblatt writes the relationship between Wilson and LaFleur began to do the same. Wilson called former 49ers QB and fellow BYU alum Steve Young for advice and Young shared that Wilson didn’t feel supported by LaFleur: “Zach doesn’t need tough love. He doesn’t need somebody to see how tough he is. He needs a big brother — a young, knowledgeable innovator, someone who he can trust and says to him, ‘You know what, despite everything that’s happened, Zach, I believe in you. You can get this done.’ Zach needs that. Mike kind of kept him at arm’s length and gave him the tough-love aspect, and I don’t think that’s really useful for Zach.”
Wilson was benched following a disastrous performance against the Patriots and a bad response appearing to shirk responsibility afterward. Rosenblatt notes several of Wilson’s teammates were excited about going with Mike White, as was LaFleur.
When White was injured and Wilson had to play again, he struggled in practice and drew the frustration of his receiving corps again, per Rosenblatt.
Multiple Jets sources pushed back on the idea that owner Woody Johnson mandated the firing of LaFleur but they did acknowledge Saleh might have felt pressure to fire his buddy, who spent weeks defending him publicly and privately: “I think it was hard on Robert. He protects everyone. It’s a little close to the chest for him.”