AFC Notes: Josh Allen, J.C. Jackson, Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills QB Josh Allen credited his teammates for the team’s win against the Cowboys.

“I felt like the kid that didn’t do anything in the class project and still got an A,” Allen said, via PFT.

• Bills HC Sean McDermott says LB Von Miller will be absent for a family funeral and added that it’s “not looking good” for LB Matt Milano‘s return. (Katherine Fitzgerald)
• Bills DT Jordan Phillips said he dislocated his right wrist and had surgery. The goal is to be available if the Bills make the playoffs. (Ryan O’Halloran)
• According to Aaron Wilson, the Bills hosted linebackers Austin Ajiake and Caleb Johnson for workouts. 

Jets

Very little has come easy for Jets WR Garrett Wilson in his first two seasons. The talent is obvious but Wilson has struggled to be consistently productive because of the awful circumstances around him on offense. The Jets just struggle to get him the ball, and he finished Week 16’s blowout loss to the Dolphins with only four targets. It was sharply contrasted by how Miami easily got WR Jaylen Waddle involved for a 100-yard day. 

“I think they have a lot of pieces in their favor that make it easier to scheme,” Wilson said via the Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. “Tyreek goes down, they put Waddle in there and he goes for 150 (yards). And that’s, that’s the ball I grew up loving. But that’s not how it’s going to be. I gotta figure out how to be better, run better routes, be better in the meeting rooms, figure out how I can be involved early and often. And how we can win games.”

Wilson deserves some credit for how he’s matured in handling these struggles as compared to his rookie year, and it’s clear he’s trying to be accountable and control what he can control. But his frustration is obvious. While Miami targeted Waddle on its first three plays to make a point of getting him involved, Wilson didn’t see his first target until the third quarter. 

“I mean, it seems like we’re being unintentional, to be honest,” Wilson said. “That’s my mindset. It’s simple. I feel like that doesn’t have to be the case. But it was. I guess I gotta fix it. I gotta figure out how I can get involved in the first quarter. Maybe it’s starting practice fast. I don’t know. I gotta show something, I gotta do something. They’ve got a good plan for us. They did a good job getting after us and stuff made it hard. That’s the way it was and I gotta be able to adjust. I don’t know. I gotta figure it out.”

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Jets worked out three players including DE Stephen Jones, RB Jacques Patrick, and DT Taylor Stallworth. 

Patriots

Neil Schwartz, the agent for Patriots CB J.C. Jackson, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday that his client is dealing with “mental health issues” that led to him sitting out Sunday’s game against the Chiefs.

After the game, Patriots HC Bill Belichick was asked why Jackson wasn’t available, but on their gameday roster.

“He wasn’t available. Just leave it at that,” Belichick said.

• Patriots OC Bill O’Brien was asked what QB Mac Jones can do to get another opportunity this season: “I think everybody’s gotta be ready to play. Especially in the situation that we’re in. I really do. I think that everybody has to be ready to go. Anybody that’s on the 53-man roster really has to go out on the practice field and practice well and earn a shot to play. … So, and I know that you’ve heard that from Bill — but that’s the truth. Like, you have to be ready to go. Because if you practice really well, you’re gonna have a real shot to play. So, I think that goes for every position.” (Dakota Randall)
• The Patriots worked out RB Hassan Hall, according to Aaron Wilson.