Tag: Buffalo Bills

Zach Wilson bounces back in Jets’ shocking upset win over Bills

Zach Wilson was an accomplished basketball player growing up. On Sunday, he showed he knows how to rebound.

Wilson led the Jets to a shocking 20-17 upset win over the Bills at MetLife Stadium a week after playing one of his worst games as a pro.

Wilson had no interceptions in the game, played efficiently and used his legs to pull off the biggest win the Jets have had in years. The Jets defense intercepted Josh Allen twice and came up with some huge stops in the win over the high-powered Bills.

Wilson completed 18 of 25 passing for 154 yards and one touchdown pass. He also ran the ball four times for 25 yards. His only negative was a fumble.

The Jets go into their bye week an improbable 6-3. The Bills are now 6-2.

The Jets rediscovered their running game down the stretch and leaned on it to go down the field on the game-winning drive. The Jets took over on their own 4 after stopping the Bills with 7:53 left to play. James Robinson and Michael Carter combined for eight rushes for 74 yards to move the ball down the field and then Wilson hit Denzel Mims on third-and-5 at the Bills 18-yard line for a 12-yard gain to the 6.

The Jets failed to punch it into the end zone and had to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein with 1:43 left in the game.

Jets quarterback Zach Wilson throws a pass against the Bills on Nov. 6, 2022.
AP

Buffalo got one more chance, taking over at their own 25. Allen hit Stefon Diggs for a 26-yard pass on the first play but the play was wiped out by a holding call on Bills tackle Dion Dawkins. Bryce Huff then sacked Allen on second down and Allen fumbled the ball, losing 19 yards. On third-and-21, Allen threw an incomplete pass. On fourth down, Allen threw it deep to Gabe Davis, but Sauce Gardner had the coverage and the ball fell incomplete, sending MetLife into a celebration

It looked like the Bills might blow the Jets out early. Punter Braden Mann slipped on the opening kickoff and the Bills got the ball at their own 45-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Allen hit Stefon Diggs for a 42-yard gain. Diggs beat Gardner on the play.

The Bills got down to the Jets’ 13 but Allen threw his first interception of the game to Jordan Whitehead, ending the scoring hope.

Buffalo got the ball back and this time they cashed in on Allen’s legs. He led them on a 14-play, 67 yard drive that finished with a 1-yard Allen touchdown run that followed a 12-yard run by Allen that was first called a touchdown and then overruled and spotted at the 1.

Jets running back Michael Carter breaks free during the first half against the Bills on Nov. 6, 2022.
Jets running back Michael Carter breaks free during the first half against the Bills on Nov. 6, 2022.
Robert Sabo

The Jets got on the board with 35 seconds left in the first guard when Zuerlein booted a 53-yard field goal to make it 7-3.

In the middle of the second quarter, Allen led the Jets down the field on a drive that featured three passes to Diggs. Allen then ran through the Jets defense on third-and-2 for a 36-yard touchdown. Allen was not touched on the designed run as he went right around the Jets defense and scored his second touchdown of the game to put the Bills up 14-3.

Wilson, who played efficiently all day, led a Jets scoring drive of his own at the end of the half. He connected with Carter for a 6-yard touchdown with 35 seconds left in the half to cut Buffalo’s lead to 14-10.

Bills kicker Tyler Bass missed a 55-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the half.

Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) is helped up by Duane Brown against the Bills on Nov. 6, 2022.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

The Jets went on a long drive to start the second half. The drive included a fake punt that was converted by Ashtyn Davis and a 12-minute delay due to a malfunction of the SkyCam in MetLife Stadium.

The drive ended when Von Miller sacked Wilson and the Jets quarterback fumbled at the Bills’ 28. A.J. Epenesa recovered and ended the Jets’ scoring hopes.

The Bills stumbled themselves, though. Quinnen Williams sacked Allen on the first play of the series and then Allen was intercepted by Gardner on the second play.

Four plays after Gardner’s second interception of the season, Wilson hit Robinson for a 7-yard touchdown that gave the Jets their first lead of the day at 17-14.

Bass tied the game up 17-17 with a 51-yard field goal with 13:38 to play in the game.

The Jets defense did a great job all day against the high-powered Bills offense. D.J. Reed came up with a huge pass breakup with 8:05 left in the fourth quarter on a deep third-down pass from Allen intended for Diggs to set up the long, go-ahead drive for the Jets.

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Kathy Hochul slammed for $1B election-year ‘slush funds’

Gov. Kathy Hochul treated herself to nearly $1 billion worth of pork-barrel spending in this year’s state budget — allowing her to freely hand out cash as she runs for election against Republican challenger Lee Zeldin.

Hochul and her Democratic allies in the Legislature added the $920 million worth of outlays to the $220.5 billion fiscal plan in an 11th-hour move in April that government watchdogs warn is wide open to abuse.

“These slush funds are totally unaccountable. It’s not how public dollars should be doled out,” senior policy adviser Rachael Fauss of Reinvent Albany said Friday.

Another nonpartisan nonprofit, the Citizens Budget Commission, said the cash “will go to projects and purposes that primarily will be identified behind closed doors.”

“As such, they are ripe for political allocation rather than a distribution based on sound, holistic capital planning that addresses critical infrastructure needs,” the CBC wrote in a July analysis.

Kathy Hochul gave herself around $1 billion in a slush fund.

The group also noted that the $535 million poured into two of three “lump sum” spending programs — the Long Island Investment Fund and the Local Community Assistance Program — can be spent “for essentially any purpose” and “isn’t subject to any agreement with the Legislature.”

In recent weeks, Hochul announced two expenditures that squarely targeted the Long Island home base of Zeldin, an outgoing, four-term US representative.

One provided $50 million in funding for a competition to “attract and grow companies in the life sciences, health technology and medical device sectors” on Long Island.

The other awarded a $10 million grant to the Northwell Health network’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research for 26 new, state-of-the-art laboratories in Manhasset.

Hochul touted both initiatives on the state’s official website, which also says that “the Long Island Investment Fund will focus on large-scale projects that will support and grow the regional economy, enhance communities, and have lasting impacts across the Long Island region.”

And on Sept. 27, Hochul was joined at a news conference about the Feinstein Institutes funding by state Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-Carle Place), who faces Republican Jack Martins, a former state senator, in a race that’s expected to be close due to local outrage over New York’s controversial bail-reform law.

“Kathy Hochul hasn’t simply blurred the line between governing and campaigning — she’s completely erased it,” remarked state Senate Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Fulton).

“New York has the least transparent budget process imaginable and what we’re seeing now is a product of creating pools of money with no guidelines whatsoever.”

In addition to the “lump sum” funding, the CBC identified six “individual purpose” pork projects, including the controversial $600 million earmarked for a new stadium for Hochul’s hometown football team, the Buffalo Bills.

In Hochul’s budget, $350 million was added as a “Long Island fund.”

The governor’s husband, former Buffalo US Attorney Bill Hochul, is a top executive at the  Delaware North hospitality and food service company that manages the scores of concession and retail outlets at the Bills’ Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.

Another project with a direct tie to Hochul is the planned $20 million reconstruction of the Carrier Dome sports stadium at Syracuse University, her alma mater.

The planned Universal Hip-Hop Museum in the South Bronx and the planned Mohawk Harbor Events Center in Schenectady were awarded $11 million and $10 million in funding, respectively.

The New York Hall of Science in Corona, Queens, and Pace University’s Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts in Lower Manhattan will also get $10 million and $5 million, respectively, for upgrades.

In its analysis, the CBC said as much as $1.2 billion of the spending could be financed by bonds that would “consume” the state’s ability to issue debt and potentially prevent it from financing other, “critical” projects in the future.

Several critics compared Hochul’s budgetary maneuvers to those of her widely reviled predecessor, ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal last year.

“This is Cuomo crony capitalism 2.0,” said city Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island), spokesman for the pro-Zeldin Save Our State political action committee.

“It’s the same old from the same old Albany crowd. And there’s nothing to address the real issues New Yorkers are concerned about.”

Said GOP political consultant William O’Reilly: “This is a classic Andrew Cuomo tactic — a pre-election Santa Claus giveaway to key voting constituencies. It costs Gov. Hochul nothing, but it costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, all to benefit her reelection drive.”

“You can’t get much swampier than this,” O’reilly emphasized.

In an emailed response, Hochul spokesperson Avi Small said, “Gov. Hochul worked with the legislature to craft a fiscally responsible budget, using an influx of federal pandemic relief to make strategic investments in public safety, infrastructure, and tax relief while also making unprecedented deposits in rainy day reserves to protect against future uncertainty – even leading to Moody’s upgrading the state’s credit rating after the budget was passed.”

A spokesman for the Budget Division said the state had $6 billion in cash available to pay for capital projects, but didn’t immediately respond when asked whether that would cover all of the $1.6 billion in spending cited by the CBC.

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NFL Power Rankings for Week 3: Logjam emerges behind elite

Maybe the legacy-minded members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins will be able to celebrate a little earlier this season. 

The alums from the NFL’s only perfect team always breathe a little easier after the last undefeated team loses each year. It took eight weeks last season. 

Well, after just two weeks of the 2022 season, the group of unbeatens is down to six. In fact, there are more winless teams (seven) remaining. For the non-math wizards, that means 19 of 32 teams have split their first two games. 

Here are The Post’s power rankings for Week 3, sorting through the logjam in the middle: 

1. Buffalo Bills 2-0 (Last week: 1) 

What was more impressive? An offense that scored 41 points and threw for 313 yards, with Stefon Diggs catching three touchdown passes? Or a defense that held two-time NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry to 25 yards and limited the Titans to seven points? Hard to believe the Bills lost to the Titans each of the last two years. 

Josh Allen and the Bills improved to 2-0.
USA TODAY Sports

2. Kansas City Chiefs 2-0 (2) 

There has been a lot of talk about an improved defense to go with the explosive offense. Not a lot of it focused on rookie seventh-round draft pick Jaylen Watson, whose 99-yard interception return for a touchdown broke a fourth-quarter tie and sparked a win against the Chargers. Justin Watson (no relation) caught a touchdown pass. 

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-0 (4) 

Tom Brady threw a tablet to the ground in the bench area when it looked like the Buccaneers were headed to a fifth straight regular-season loss against the Saints. But then he threw a touchdown to Breshad Perriman during a decisive 17-point fourth-quarter outburst after his favorite receiver, Mike Evans, was ejected during a brawl. 

4. Los Angeles Chargers 1-1 (3) 

Two concerns moving forward: First, Justin Herbert suffered a fracture to his rib cartilage that severely limited his mobility — but not his ability to throw darts — late in the loss to the Chiefs. Second, head coach Brandon Staley punted twice on fourth-and-2 near midfield. The NFL’s biggest fourth-down gambler looked conservative in a 27-24 loss. 

5. Philadelphia Eagles 2-0 (7) 

If Jalen Hurts plays as well as he did in a 24-7 win against the Vikings, the Eagles are the NFC’s best team. Hurts completed 26 of 31 passes for 333 yards, ran for 57 yards and combined for three touchdowns. After years of cycling through cornerbacks, Darius Slay and James Bradberry make a formidable pair. 

Jaylen Watson runs a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Jon Robichaud/Cal Sport Media/Si

6. Los Angeles Rams 1-1 (6) 

After a poor performance in the Super Bowl and a worse season-opener going against Ja’Marr Chase and Diggs, respectively, Jalen Ramsey redeemed himself with an end-zone interception to preserve a 31-27 win over the Falcons. The Rams nearly blew a 28-3 lead built on Cooper Kupp’s 11 catches and two touchdowns. 

7. Miami Dolphins 2-0 (13) 

Three years after a humiliating 59-10 season-opening loss to the Ravens, the Dolphins exacted revenge in equally stunning fashion. Tua Tagovailoa threw six touchdown passes, including four in the fourth quarter to erase a 21-point deficit and win, 42-38. The fastest duo in the NFL — Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle — combined for 22 catches for 361 yards and four touchdowns. 

8. Minnesota Vikings 1-1 (8) 

The stinker laid Monday in Philadelphia might have been worse than the one there in the NFC Championship game in January 2018. Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook combined for 84 yards from scrimmage, and Kirk Cousins threw three interceptions. That Week 1 rout of the Packers feels like a long time ago. 

9. Green Bay Packers 1-1 (10) 

Some things never change. Aaron Rodgers improved to 24-5 all time against the Bears, though he had plenty of rushing and defensive help in a 27-10 whooping. Some things change: The Packers are one win away from tying the Bears for most wins in NFL history (784) — a record held by Chicago since 1921, according to Elias Sports Bureau. 

Tom Brady
Getty Images

10. Baltimore Ravens 1-1 (5) 

Maybe the Ravens should’ve thought twice before letting go of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale after last season. Passes were flying over the head of defensive backs as the Dolphins piled up 233 yards in the fourth quarter alone. It negated Lamar Jackson’s remarkable performance (318 passing yards, 119 rushing yards, four total touchdowns). 

11. San Francisco 49ers 1-1 (17) 

12. Dallas Cowboys 1-1 (20) 

13. Arizona Cardinals 1-1 (22) 

14. New York Giants 2-0 (23) 

The Giants are 2-0 for the first time since 2016 because kickers matter. They celebrated when the Titans missed a last-second 47-yard field goal in Week 1. They beat the Panthers in Week 2 because Graham Gano went 4-for-4 on field goals, including two from 50-plus yards. A defense mostly made up of rookies and journeymen is creating havoc. 

15. New England Patriots 1-1 (26) 

16. Pittsburgh Steelers 1-1 (9) 

17. New Orleans Saints 1-1 (14) 

18. Seattle Seahawks 1-1 (18) 

19. Denver Broncos 1-1 (19) 

29. Cincinnati Bengals 0-2 (11) 

21. Las Vegas Raiders 0-2 (16) 

22. New York Jets 1-1 (30) 

With 2:09 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Browns had a 99.8 percent win probability. Final score in regulation: Jets 31, Browns 30. After head coach Robert Saleh went out on a limb with his “taking receipts” rant, the Jets played hard for 60 minutes and needed every second for a miracle 13-point rally helped by an onside kick. 

23. Cleveland Browns 1-1 (15) 

24. Detroit Lions 1-1 (31) 

25. Washington Commanders 1-1 (21) 

26. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-1 (29) 

27. Chicago Bears 1-1 (25) 

28. Tennessee Titans 0-2 (22) 

29. Indianapolis Colts 0-1-1 (12) 

30. Houston Texans 0-1-1 (28) 

31. Carolina Panthers 0-2 (27) 

32. Atlanta Falcons 0-2 (32)

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Bills’ Matt Araiza rockets 82-yard punt in preseason game

The Punt God is among us.

Bills rookie punter Matt Araiza lived up to his nickname by unleashing an 82-yard kick Saturday against the Colts during Buffalo’s first preseason game. 

The kick, which occurred in the waning seconds of the second quarter, went from near Buffalo’s 10-yard line to bouncing into Indianapolis’ end zone.

Bills rookie Matt Araiza booted a massive 82-yard punt that went into the Colts’ end zone.
FOX

The 2022 sixth-round pick gained his godly punting reputation while playing at San Diego State by producing massive punts which could stretch entire football fields – sort of like Saturday’s kick.

For his punting prowess, Araiza won the 2021 Ray Guy Award for averaging a historical 51.2 yards a punt.



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Tom Brady and Josh Allen trade online smack talk ahead of The Match golf event

3:09 PM ET

  • Jeremy WillisESPN.com

Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers won’t face Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes in this year’s version of Capital One’s The Match until June 1. However, the smack talk has already begun.

The 12-hole exhibition will take place (6:30 p.m. ET on TNT) at Wynn Las Vegas. Brady and Rodgers are veterans of the event, having played in it last year, although not as teammates.

Allen, 25, the Buffalo Bills quarterback, is looking to get his first win of any kind against Brady. Allen came into the league in 2018 but never defeated Brady when the latter was with the New England Patriots. Last December, Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated Allen and the Bills.

For now, Brady might also be the better golfer. He registered as an 8.1 handicap ahead of last year’s event. Allen played in the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am in February as a 9.0 handicap.

The two got their jabs in Monday after the pairings were announced, with Allen taking a shot at Brady Brand’s new line of golf gear, which was announced last week.



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