JAGS

There are as many literal and slang definitions, abbreviations, and acronyms for the word “JAG” as there were explanations and excuses for the Bills 28-21 win against the Jacksonville Jags last Sunday. 

JUST ANOTHER GAME

It was a must and expected win against a 2-8 team after an embarrassing loss last year across the pond in the EJ meltdown game. But when you have to run the table, as the Bills may have to to get into the 2016 playoffs, this just another game meant just about everything. 

And much to our dismay, it was just another Bills game, which confounded fans and players alike. The team is consistently erratic with flashes of brilliance sandwiched between huge stretches of Billcrap.

THE JACKSONVILLE JAGS

Jacksonville has a lot of good solid players but a poor team and lousy record. They don’t know how to win but they sure know how to lose, something Bills fans can easily identify with. The Bills were ripe for an upset in The Lid but the Jags looked like they were on a drinking jag, making sloppy mistakes and rumbling, bumbling, stumbling in a stupor like we are used to seeing our own jags do. 

JUST ANOTHER GAMER

The game featured the long awaited return of Sammy Watkins to the Bills offense, our high-priced luxury vehicle like the Jaguar. Swat caught three balls for 80 yards and drew a long interference penalty in limited looks. It’s mind-boggling that the coaches and QB refuse to take more chances and throws to Watkins when he is in the game. You think they would have learned from two years of this nonsense. 

They make try to look for that 14 guy. He’s a freak of nature and big cat Jaguar not just another guy like he is treated. 

JUST ANOTHER GOD (Okay, Jag-off)

The return of Saint Doug was uneventful. Ex-Bills head(case) coach Doug Marrone, who walked away from the team sure he would secure another head coaching gig only to be black balled for being just another dick, probably wanted to keep a low profile back in Buffalo, especially after getting leapfrogged for the Jag OC job by his lackey Nate Hackett. The Jag offensive line were a fine representation of their feckless leader and were walked all over by Marcel Dareus, Jerry Hughes and company. 

JUST ANOTHER GUY

The “just another guy” label was invented for Jag QB Brian Bortles who threw for only 126 yards against a suspect Bills secondary, although at times looked like Bronko Nagurski while scrambling or running against the Bills. 

Billdozer Chris Ivory seemed to run right through Buffalo’s porous run defense early on until he was hampered by a hammy. Ivory, however, was in the game long enough to knee Ronald Darby in the head and knock him into next week. 

As soon as Ivory left the game, so did the Jaguars run game, mostly because of Marcel Dareus, who was his big stuff self and pummeled the Jaguar offensive line into submission. The defense gave up a few too many big plays but held on late for the victory. 

JUST ANOTHER GAMEBREAKER

Shady McCoy was throttled 90% of the game by an impressive performance by Jacksonville’s defense. Unfortunately for the Jags, Shady was full throttle the first run of the second half when he jumpstarted the Bills, taking off on a spectacular 75 yard dash from scrimmage. His previous carry was also a score at the end of the first half and the team is undefeated when McCoy gets 100 yards. 

JUST ANOTHER GUY PART 2

Tyrod was Tyrod, both fortunately and unfortunately, and often seemed like just another jag QB. He missed open receivers and took off too early and got sacked when he should have thrown it away. He also threw a perfect bomb to Watkins, threw a nice TD (on an even nicer catch) to TD Hunter, and ran one in himself on his trademark niftiness.

NOT JUST ANOTHER GAME

The Bills will need more out of Tyrod if they are to beat the AFC leading 9-2 Raiders in Oakland in what has turned out to be the most important game of the season. If the Bills lose, the playoffs look almost out of reach. If they win, they will come back to Buffalo sky high, on a three game win streak, to face the high scoring Steelers. 

So come on down to the madhouse on Santa Monica this Sunday for cold Blues, hot Buffalo wings at halftime and hot takes on the game-breakers. 

It’s not just another game this week, it’s the season on the brink. 

By Pete Rosen
gobillsgo@hotmail.com