What a difference a week can make.
The Bills went from flying high at 4-0 to losing two games in six days.
The offense has throttled down as the defense continues to be a shell of what expectations were.
However, there is no panic coming from One Bills Drive.
On the contrary, confidence remains high.
And there may be no better remedy for an ailing team in the NFL this season than facing the Jets... just don't say that to Sean McDermott.
Let's take a look at what's on tap Sunday in the Meadowlands.
Walking in Wounded
The Bills were incredibly fortunate when it came to injuries in 2019.
That's not been the case early here in 2020.
John Brown (knee), Josh Norman (hamstring), Cody Ford (knee), Dawson Knox (calf), and Tyrel Dodson (hamstring) have all already been ruled out against the Jets.
Tre'Davious White (back), Matt Milano (pec), and Cam Lewis (wrist) are listed as questionable.
It was clear Monday night against the Chiefs that Brown was still hampered by the knee injury. He did not practice at all this week. We've seen and heard the impact Brown's absence has on the Bills offense, taking away their top deep target. This will press more on the plate of rookie Gabriel Davis. Also, Duke Williams gets his first call-up from the practice squad this season.
Of course the Williams call-up also could have to do with the tight end group depleted because of Knox testing positive for COVID-19 on Saturday morning and Lee Smith and practice squad TE Nate Becker also placed on the Reserve/COVID list due to contract tracing. Bills will roll with just Tyler Kroft and Reggie Gilliam while likely continuing to go more 3 and 4 WR sets.
Norman tweaked his hamstring in practice on Thursday. McDermott said Friday morning that it is the same hamstring that forced Norman to start the season in IR. With him out and Cam Lewis questionable, 7th round pick Dane Jackson gets the call-up once again from the practice squad. His role will be determined upon whether or not White and Lewis play. Worst case, the Bills likely have to roll out Jackson and Siran Neal on the outside with Taron Johnson at nickel, with Dean Marlowe next in line. Should be noted that wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie did see time at corner in last season's finale against the Jets as the Bills found themselves short mid-game.
With the Bills passing on activating Jon Feliciano Saturday, expect Ike Boettger to get the start at left guard in place of Ford.
Milano has looked the same at practice this week as I have seen the past few when he was ultimately inactive. It is truly a wait and see with him.
Offensive Rebound
You don't need the stats to tell you the Bills offense has not been the same in these last two defeats.
The eye test shows Josh Allen missing more throws, the running game continuing to be a non-factor, and the big play has vanished.
A big reason has been a shift in what they've seen from defense, with the Titans and Chiefs shifting to far more zone.
Josh Allen among the many who explained how that changes things, with Allen admitting he needs to be more patient and take what the defense gives underneath.
As for the running woes, blame has been evenly distributed this week, with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll saying he needs to call better plays and offensive linemen and Devin Singletary accepting that they need to execute better.
Here's a wider look at what the offense had to say this week about their struggles.
D-D-D-DEFENSE!
The Bills defense is coming off a performance where they allowed 245 yards rushing to the Chiefs. While McDermott and others have said it was part of the game plan to concede against the run in order to not allow Patrick Mahomes and the KC passing game to beat them deep.
Be that as it may, that is still getting gauged up front, which has been an issue all season. Whether it was stopping the run Monday night or failing to get pressure, the defensive line has not been great.
Overall, the Bills defense ranks 21st in the NFL in points per game by allowing 28. They sit 23rd in yards allowed per game with 387.5.
White said this week that he feels the Bills are still searching for their defensive identity. Micah Hyde agreed, saying that identity can be found at any point in each season, but feels this group is on the verge of righting the ship.
They'll try to do so against a Jets team that they had their best performance of the season against back in weke 1. New York gained 254 total yards of offense and scored 17 points. Sam Darnold returns after missing the past few weeks with a shoulder injury. He was 21/35 for 215 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Bills sacked him three times.
It will be Frank Gore leading the running game with Le'Veon Bell no longer with the team. Gore ran 6 times for 24 yards in the opener. The Bills held the Jets to 52 total yards rushing.
With the Bills defense undermanned, things may not be as easy this time around. As the linebacker and cornerback depth is being extremely challenged, the defensive line really needs to pick things up to take the pressure off the next two layers of the D.
Check out my story from Friday for a deeper dive into the defensive issues.
Injury Report
BILLS
OUT: WR John Brown (knee), G Cody Ford (knee), CB Josh Norman (hamstring), LB Tyrel Dodson (hamstring), TE Dawson Knox (calf/COVID)
QUESTIONABLE: CB Tre'Davious White (back), LB Matt Milano (pec), CB Cam Lewis (wrist)
JETS
DOUBTFUL: WR Jamison Crowder (groin), K Sam Ficken (groin), OL Alex Lewis (shoulder)
QUESTIONABLE: T Mekhi Becton (shoulder), QB Sam Darnold (shoulder), OL Chuma Edoga (calf), OL George Fant (knee)
Bills and Jets set to kick things off from MetLife Stadium Sunday at 1pm.