After the dominant victory of the Buffalo Bills over the Lions, the team led by Josh Allen has definitely earned the title of contender. A great performance by Ty Johnson on offense caused a stir everywhere, including his head coach Sean McDermott, who even compared him to a former Super Bowl champion.
“Ty is showing up in some other areas, one of which has been the passing game. I love the fact that he’s embraced some of that and really working hard on being elite in that category,” said head coach Sean McDermott.
The running back’s great level stood out by catching all five of his targets, recording 114 receiving yards, and securing five first downs in a 48-42 road win. He also made receptions of 33 and 24 yards during Buffalo’s opening touchdown drive. His third catch resulted in a 31-yard gain on a 4th-and-2 play in the second quarter.
Johnson’s performance left many astonished, including his coach. After the game, McDermott compared the RB’s play to that of James White, a three-time Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII) with the New England Patriots.
Running back Ty Johnson (26) of the Buffalo Bills carries the ball during a game between the Detroit Lions and the Buffalo Bills in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Sunday, December 15, 2024
“Because when you have that type of trait, I mean, I met James White before the game out here [when we faced New England], and he was very tough to handle in the passing game. It can really help an offense when you have that type of player,” said McDermott, highlighting the similarities between Johnson and White.
Next Sunday, December 22, the Bills will host the New England Patriots, a team that, unlike the one that used to defend White, is currently going through a very different phase than back then.
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Two key injuries for the Bills
It wasn’t all sunshine for the Bills, as despite securing an important road victory against the Lions, injuries plagued the team, and they had to finish the game with two players sidelined.
Both rookie safety Cole Bishop and veteran linebacker Matt Milano suffered lower body injuries. While neither injury was considered serious, both players weren’t able to return to the game at Ford Field.
It is expected that during the week, the necessary tests will be conducted to determine the severity of their injuries and assess whether they will be available for McDermott in the upcoming game against the Patriots.
Is Allen’s presence against New England in doubt?
The alarm bells went off when, after the game in which the Bills finally defeated Detroit 48-42, talented QB Josh Allen immediately went for an X-ray due to a fall he suffered during the game.
Fortunately for all Bills fans, it was Allen himself who took charge of calming concerns about the situation: “Just took a bumpy fall,” Allen said after the game. “More peace of mind than anything. Just to get everything checked out.”
In this way, Allen’s issue was just a minor injury, and he is expected to be present in the upcoming game when his team hosts the New England Patriots, led by Drake Maye, in Buffalo.
