The most stunning upset in a Sunday full of surprises came in Jacksonville, where the Jaguars knocked off the high-powered Buffalo Bills, 9-6.
Quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills offense opened the game with two field goals. Then they couldn't move the ball. On their final seven drives, Buffalo generated no more than two first downs per possession, and Allen turned it over three times.
"Credit to them. They came out, they wanted it more," Allen said, . "We had a lot of little things add up to big things. I put the ball in danger too often. Hit us in the butt. Played like s---, excuse my language, but that starts with me."
Allen couldn't find traction against a Jaguars defense that had been shredded this season, allowing an average of 29 points in seven games. An MVP candidate, Allen generated 264 yards on 31-of-47 passing with zero touchdowns and two interceptions for a 62.7 passer rating, and took two sacks. It marked the first game of the season in which Allen didn't have a TD (either pass or rush) since Week 7, 2020 at the New York Jets. It was Allen's lowest passer rating since Week 14, 2019 (vs. Baltimore, 62.6).
Allen entered Sunday with five straight games of a 100-plus passer rating. Behind an O-line missing two starters, the QB had his worst day of the season.
"Got to be smart with the football and end every drive in a kick," Allen said. "Understanding how our defense was playing, not giving them short field. Again, I got to be better. I played like s--- today."
The Bills came in averaging 32.7 points per game but laid an egg against a Jags defense that had given up 29.0 points per game from Weeks 1-8 and hadn't allowed fewer than 20 points in any contest this season.
The Jaguars' Josh Allen got the better of the battle of the Allens, sacking the QB, snagging an interception that led to the game-deciding field goal and helping ice the game with a fumble recovery deep in the fourth quarter. The Jags pass rusher generated eight tackles (two for loss), spearheading a defense that flew to the football, smothering a potent offense.
"I was just looking on their sideline, and one thing I know was like, they don't have the same energy as us," Jags cornerback Shaquill Griffin said. "I feel like if you feel like one team deserved this win, it's us, but you've got to believe that. That's one thing I kept preaching at everybody else. Look on the sidelines, watching them walking around, it's like they don't care. They don't deserve this. Let's show them why."
The loss dropped the Bills' lead in the AFC East to just half a game over the New England Patriots.
Sunday's surprising score in Jacksonville was a reminder that, on any given Sunday, any team can get beat if it's not ready to battle.
