Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘With a season-high five touchdowns, the Bills nearly matched their season total of eight. They entered a game with an NFL-low 96 points. That Buffalo could explode against a Jets’ defense ranked No. 14 in yards and No. 16 in points lends credibility to their effort. What’s impressive too is how McDermott has kept the team from imploding and how some of GM Brandon Beane’s recent roster moves paid off. “You learn a lot about yourself and other people when you’re going through moments of adversity,’’ McDermott said. “These guys understand they are part of something bigger and you make adversity your ally. It is something we can build on when we take a look at the film. I’m anxious to watch all the team, and in particular, these young guys and how well they played down in and down out.’’’

‘Jets 21, Bills 10.’

‘This is the 115th time the teams have met, with Buffalo holding a 61-54 lead. Last season, Buffalo defeated New York, 21-12, at home on opening day in head coach Sean McDermott’s coaching debut, before losing to the Jets, 34-21, on the road in a Thursday night game. Buffalo has lost three of its last four games against New York.’

‘Coupled with an abundance of draft picks and most likely a Top 5 overall pick, Beane will have positioned himself to improve Buffalo’s roster with a vengeance. A significant turnaround in 2019 — Year 3 of the McBeane Era — is the expectation, providing, of course, Allen lives up to his potential as a No. 7 pick.’

‘On the year, he has 267 yards on 85 carries and no touchdowns. A 3.1-yards-per-carry average that lags so far behind his 4.6 career mark, we’re starting to think McCoy is playing wearing cement shoes.’

‘“Things were just starting to slow down for me, so I’m anxious to get back out there and see if that continues. With the help of (those around me), I think it will,” Allen said.’

‘There’s a chance Allen could play Sunday, depending how his week progresses. A matchup of the No. 3 and No. 7 picks in the draft would elevate the game’s appeal from nowhere near Broadway to just off Broadway, certainly better than Josh McCown vs. Derek Anderson.’

‘But maybe you don’t need to talk about the Bills when you talk about the Bills.’

‘How maddening is this, especially for the Buffalo defense, which continues to fight as hard as it can to keep the Bills in games? The Bills held Chicago to 11 first downs and 190 yards of total offense yet lost by 32 points. If that sounds historic, it is.’

‘But while it could happen as soon as this Sunday’s game at the New York Jets, the coaching staff could play it safe with their prized first-round pick and wait until the Nov. 25 home game against Jacksonville. That would give Allen three weeks more of rehabilitation and three more weeks for the Bills to maybe plug the holes in their leaky offensive line that has only gotten worse since Allen’s elbow injury on Oct. 14 against Houston.’

‘Manuel was Buffalo’s first-round draft pick in 2013, a decision that was clearly ill-fated because the Bills’ deep thinkers at that time – Buddy Nix and Doug Whaley – completely failed in their evaluation of the Florida State product. He was probably a fourth-round talent, similar to Peterman who was a fifth-round pick by the Bills in 2017.’

‘Meanwhile, a beer will cost you $10. And, based on the team’s trajectory, you might need it.’

‘There are so many words that can be used to describe the state of the 2018 Buffalo Bills, but they are the words that, if I had said them in my mother’s presence when I was a kid, she would have cleansed my mouth with a bar of soap.’

‘They barely have the personnel to stay in games let alone win, and all of that is sequestered on the defensive side of the ball. It’s a gross roster imbalance that has led to seven losses in nine games for the simple fact that in a league now dominated by offense and scoring, even the best defenses get scored on. Thus, if you can’t score even a little, which Buffalo can’t, you have no chance to win.’

‘The Buffalo Bills have assembled such a poor cast of characters 1 through 11, it would not have mattered had Josh Allen, Derek Anderson, Matt Barkley — hell, Jim Kelly for that matter — was under center.’