Tag: Taron Johnson

Bills at Seahawks: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 8

Bills at Seahawks: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 8

The Buffalo Bills (5-2) will visit the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) in their upcoming Week 8 matchup.

In this cross-conference and cross-country matchup, the games within the game will make all the difference.

Here are three key matchups to watch during Sunday’s Bills-Seahawks contest:

Amari Cooper/Keon Coleman vs. Seattle corners

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Last week against the Tennessee Titans, Bills wide receivers Amari Cooper and second-round rookie Keon Coleman had their way against their matchups. This week, they face tougher cornerback matchups. On the outside for Seattle will be Riq Woolen, who ranks 18th-best among corners according to PFF.

They also have cornerback Devon Witherspoon who was the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Witherspoon is used both on the outside and in the slot. He may shadow Cooper, but either way, the Bills’ wide receivers need to be prepared to win some tougher matchups to help out Josh Allen and the offense. A couple of big plays from Coleman or Cooper could be the difference in the game.

Jaxon Smith Njigba vs. Taron Johnson

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With DK Metcalf ruled doubtful for Week 8, a lot more targets may fall on the shoulders of second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The bad news for Smith-Njigba is that All-Pro Taron Johnson will occupy the area of the field where he likes to work.

Smith-Njigba has had a hot and cold season, with games of 12 catches and games of two or three catches. His usage has been mainly matchup-dependent, but if Metcalf can’t play then his usage would have to go up. The Bills’ All-Pro nickel corner going against the first WR taken in the 2023 Draft is a great matchup in the slot.

Bills offensive line vs. Seahawks pass rush

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How the Bills offensive line holds up against a talented Seattle front will determine the level of success the team can have on the road. We know it can get loud at Lumen Field, and if Josh Allen is constantly under pressure then it will make things a lot more difficult.

The Seahawks rank eighth in the NFL in sack percentage and are tenth in sacks per game. They rank fourth in the league in pressure rate while not blitzing much. And, they just got Byron Murphy back from injury, who was their first round pick in April. It’s a tall task to keep them out of the backfield all game, but the Bills will need to limit how often they get back there. Running the ball will help keep the defense honest.

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Titans in Week 7

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Titans in Week 7

The Buffalo Bills will host the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium in Week 7.

The Bills (4-2) are coming off a crucial divisional win over the New York Jets in Week 6 and lead the AFC East. The Titans (1-4) stand toward the bottom of the AFC under first-year head coach Brian Callahan.

The Bills have an enticing new weapon on offense after trading for Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns. Even before Cooper’s arrival, the Bills rank third in the NFL in offensive DVOA through six weeks.

On the other hand, the Titans have been a disaster on offense. They are turning the ball over and they have struggled to pass consistently. The Titans do, however, boast the league’s top defense in yards allowed per game.

The Bills are favored by 9.5 points on Sunday but every week is a challenge in the NFL. They’ll need to execute the game plan to gain their fifth win of the year.

Here are three keys to a Bills win in Week 7:

Win the turnover battle

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When it comes to turning the ball over in 2024, the Bills and the Titans are at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Bills are ranked second in the NFL with a turnover differential of +8, while the Titans are ranked second-to-last with a turnover differential of -7. Will Levis leads the NFL in interceptions with seven. On the flip side, Buffalo’s Josh Allen has not thrown one.

The Bills need to do what they have been for much of the season, and that is win the turnover battle. The Bills are favored by nearly double digits in this one, but a couple of turnovers could shift the momentum quickly.

Get the receivers involved

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It’s not just newcomer Amari Cooper that has to get going in the Bills offense, it’s many of the other wide receivers who are still new to Allen. Among the WRs, only Khalil Shakir had played a game with Allen before the year. And it has shown through six weeks. Shakir has been the only consistent receiver (when healthy). He leads the Bills in receiving while ranking just 55th in the NFL in receiving yards.

The Titans have a stingy defense, but they haven’t seen an offense like the Bills’ this year, especially on the road. If the Bills can get Cooper going, it should open up opportunities for others. Perhaps Cooper is the missing ingredient that will have everybody eating again.

Limit the run

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It’s no secret that the Titans’ passing game has struggled this year, but one constant for them has been the play of running back Tony Pollard. He’s coming off games of 88 and 93 rushing yards, respectively. He’s averaging over four yards per carry and is 18th in the NFL in rushing yards despite already having a bye week. The team will be without RB Tyjae Spears due to injury, so it should be the Pollard show.

If the Bills can limit the Titans’ ground game, it should force Levis into uncomfortable third-and-longs. The idea of playing against a young QB who is turnover prone should have Bobby Babich’s defense foaming at the mouth.

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WATCH: Bills’ Taron Johnson ices game with interception vs. the Jets

WATCH: Bills’ Taron Johnson has late interception vs. the Jets

Taron Johnson capped off the Buffalo Bills’ 23-20 win over the New York Jets on “Monday Night Football.”

After a big first half , the Bills (4-2) stayed on top of the AFC East after beating the Jets (2-4). The second portion of the game went different, but in the end, Johnson made the difference.

As New York was hoping for a comeback, Buffalo and Johnson slammed the door closed.

Johnson picked off Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers to end their last chance on offense. Johnson picked off Rodgers and the Bills offense went on to ice the game after that.

Johnson’s interception can be found below:

Bills’ Taron Johnson wearing brace on injured forearm

Bills’ Taron Johnson wearing brace on injured forearm:

It’s unclear if Taron Johnson will be able to suit up in the Buffalo Bills’ upcoming clash with the Houston Texans in Week 5… but he’s giving it a go in practice, at least, thanks to some help.

Johnson has worn a brace on his injured forearm during workouts in Orchard Park this week.

In addition, video shows he’s wearing a red non-contact jersey. That means Johnson is only getting limited workouts in practices in recent days. The team’s injury report reflects that.

Final injury reports will not be released until Friday. Bills Wire will provide those updates as information is made available.

Johnson’s brace that he is wearing during practice can be found in the clip below:

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What the Bills said about facing Texans WR Stefon Diggs

What the Bills said about facing Texans WR Stefon Diggs

The Buffalo Bills are preparing to face the Houston Texans in Week 5 on Sunday.

The Bills will have their hands full with a budding Texans team. They have a young up-and-coming quarterback in CJ Stroud, a rock-solid defense, and a plethora of weapons on offense to be wary of.

One of those weapons is Stefon Diggs, who is preparing to face the Bills for the first time since he was traded from Buffalo to Houston in April. He was traded along with a couple of late picks for a 2025 second-round draft pick.

Diggs spent four seasons in Buffalo from 2020-2023, and they were the best seasons of his career. In his first year with the Bills in 2020, he took the league by storm. That year, he led the league in both receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535). He was named First Team All-Pro that year, and he made the Pro Bowl each year he was in Buffalo.

Members of the Bills sounded appreciative of the time they spent with Diggs when asked about it this week. And, Diggs showed love for his former squad and his time in Buffalo as well:

“We had some good years and some real good runs,” Diggs said this week. “Played at a very high level and built a bond with a good group of guys. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Diggs butted heads at times over the last few years. McDermott was quoted as saying he was “very concerned” when Diggs didn’t show for minicamp during the 2023 offseason. But, this week, McDermott chose to remember the good times and praised Diggs for his level of play:

“We’ll have our work cut out for us,” McDermott said via press conference. “Stef is playing at a high level. He was a really good player here as you guys know and he’s competitive. We respect Stef. We love Stef.”

The love-fest continued when quarterback Josh Allen spoke to the media. The Buffalo signal caller says he appreciates what Diggs did for him early in his career.

“I got a lot of love for him and I still do,” Allen said. “The things he did for me and my career and the things he did in a Buffalo Bill uniform won’t be forgotten anytime soon, especially from me.”

Through four games with the Texans, Diggs has amassed 25 catches for 233 yards and three total touchdowns. He’s shown he has more left in the tank and he fits in perfectly to form a dangerous attack in Houston’s offense.

So, the Bills aren’t very concerned with the idea of facing an old friend. What they are concerned with is preventing him and the Texans offense from getting rolling.

Bills nickel cornerback Taron Johnson is on pace to make his return from injury this week. According to PFF, Diggs has been in the slot for 126 snaps and out wide for 100 snaps. So, Johnson will see plenty of work on Diggs if he is active.

When asked what it is going to be like going against his former teammate, Johnson said, “I don’t think it’s gonna be too different. I used to go up against him every day in practice, and training camp. I treat training camp like it’s a game so it won’t be too different.”

Bills linebacker and team captain Terrel Bernard had good things to say when it was his turn to answer questions about Diggs.

“He was a really good vet,” Bernard said this week. “He never held back information of how he saw the game or how he approached the game. It was cool to be able to learn from him and be in the same locker room as him for a couple years. We’re excited to see him.”

The Bills are saying all the right things in the media this week ahead of their matchup with Diggs and the Texans. And it does seem genuine. But, when the ball is kicked off Sunday the Bills will only focus on one thing: getting back in the win column.

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Bills rule out two key starters for Sunday night matchup vs. Ravens

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott has officially ruled out CB Taron Johnson (forearm) and LB Terrel Bernard (pec) for Sunday night’s game in Baltimore.

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott has officially ruled out slot cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm) and linebacker Terrel Bernard (pec) for Sunday night’s game in Baltimore.

Bernard participated only in Thursday’s practice, during which he wore a red non-contact jersey in individual drills during the viewing session available to the media. McDermott said that Bernard is expected to continue participating in drills on Friday.

Cornerback Kaiir Elam (neck) was limited Thursday, but McDermott expects him to be ready for Week 4.

Additionally, rookie offensive lineman Tylan Grable was placed on injured reserve (groin) earlier this week, and the team signed offensive lineman Will Clapp on their 53-man roster.

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Ravens practicing without three starting linemen ahead of Bills matchup

Ravens practicing without three starting linemen ahead of Bills matchup

The Baltimore Ravens had three members of their starting offensive linemen not practicing due to injury to start this week’s practices in preparation for a Sunday night clash with the Buffalo Bills.

On top of three offensive linemen not participating in practice, there’s also a fourth on the injury report but was able to practice.

According to the Ravens’ injury report, center Tyler Linderbaum (knee), left guard Andrews Vorhees (ankle), and right tackle Patrick Mekari (neck) did not practice on Wednesday.

Right guard Daniel Faalele (hip) was on the injury report but practiced fully. He was still listed because NFL rules state any player getting extra treatment on a previous injury still has to be designated on the injury report.

Any amount of starting offensive linemen missing a contest could be a matchup that a defense tries to take advantage of… let alone three to four of them potentially being sidelined.

Also for the Ravens, cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) did not practice and linebacker Roquan Smith (ankle) logged a limited practice.

As for the Bills, Terrel Bernard (pectoral), Taron Johnson (forearm), and Tylan Grable (groin) did not practice, and Kaiir Elam (neck) was limited.

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Jaguars vs. Bills: Inactive lists

Jaguars vs. Bills: Inactive lists

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills have finalized their inactive lists ahead of Monday Night Football in Orchard Park, New York.

The Jaguars scratched seven players, including injured starters, tight end Evan Engram and safety Darnell Savage Jr., after elevating tight end Josiah Deguara and cornerback Christian Braswell from their practice squad on Monday.

The Bills made five players inactive, including, like the Jaguars, two injured starters: Linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Taron Johnson.

Find Jacksonville and Buffalo’s Week 3 inactive lists below.

Jaguars inactive list

  • TE Evan Engram
  • OL Javon Foster
  • OL Cole Van Lanen
  • DE Myles Cole
  • DT Esezi Otomewo
  • DT Jordan Jefferson
  • S Darnell Savage Jr.

Analysis: As expected, Engram (hamstring) and Savage (quadriceps) will each miss their second consecutive game.

Notably, rookie defensive lineman and Jacksonville’s second-round pick in the NFL draft, Maason Smith, is active after being a healthy scratch in Week 2.

Seventh-round rookie defensive end Myles Cole is inactive after appearing in Weeks 1-2 and logging 25 total snaps. Fourth-round rookies, offensive tackle Javon Foster and defensive lineman Jordan Jefferson, are healthy scratches for the third game in a row.

Backup offensive tackle Cole Van Lanen and reserve defensive tackle Esezi Otomewo will not dress. Otomewo was active in Week 2 and recorded two assisted tackles.

Bills inactive list

  • OT Ryan Van Demark
  • LB Terrel Bernard
  • LB Edefuan Ulofoshio
  • CB Taron Johnson
  • S Mike Edwards

Analysis: Bernard (pectoral) and Johnson (forearm) were both ruled out by Bills head coach Sean McDermott on Wednesday.

Expected to start in place of Bernard and Johnson are Baylon Spector at linebacker and Cam Lewis at nickel corner.

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills

After starting the regular season 0-2, the Jacksonville Jaguars look to get in the win column for the first time this year as they travel to Buffalo for Monday Night Football in Week 3. 

This week the Jaguars are still searching for their identity on offense and are currently facing scrutiny for their inconsistent offensive execution and play-calling. This could prove detrimental in trying to keep up with the Bills, which feature one of the powerhouse offenses in the AFC, led by quarterback Josh Allen.

Week 3 of the regular season is now a must-win for the Jaguars and they must prove they can contend with top teams in the conference like the Bills. Finding their offensive identity and consistency will be key, and if they fail to do so at this crucial point of the season on the national stage, it will become fair to wonder if their issues can be fixed this year.

With that in mind, Jaguars Wire is here to identify three key matchups for Jacksonville’s Week 3 road matchup against Buffalo, which the Jaguars must win to avoid digging themselves into a deeper hole. 

Jaguars WR Christian Kirk vs. Bills’ linebackers and slot cornerback

Through two games, the Jaguars starting slot receiver has just two catches on seven targets for 29 yards. While it is early in the season, Kirk’s lack of significant targets has been concerning, especially amid Jacksonville’s offensive struggles. 

Yet, Monday night presents an opportunity for Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor and head coach Doug Pederson to get Kirk heavily involved in the offensive game plan.

The Bills’ man coverage rate this season is just 20 percent as they remain a zone-heavy, two-high safety team that will leave plenty of green grass. That creates an advantage for Kirk, who has a knack for identifying the soft spots in zone coverage. 

A top target in the middle of the field for quarterback Trevor Lawrence over the last two seasons, Kirk led the Jaguars with 1,108 receiving yards in 2022 and was on track for over 1,000 in 2023 before a Week 13, year-ending injury. He has proven productive and effective with an average target separation of over three yards in the last two seasons.

With linebacker Terrel Bernard and nickel corner Taron Johnson out for Monday night’s bout, Buffalo could be thin at both spots, meaning Jacksonville could open up its passing game with Kirk as the focal point.

Baylon Spector and Cam Lewis are expected to start in place of Bernard and Johnson, respectively.

Jacksonville’s defense vs. Buffalo’s offense

While the Jaguars’ offense has sputtered to this point, Jacksonville’s defense is respectable, and daring in coverage.

According to Next Gen Stats, Jacksonville aligned its outside corners in press coverage on 36 percent of snaps. That is the fourth-highest mark in the league, showing that defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen trusts his corners on an island.

The unit deploys Cover 1 coverage 53% of the time, per Hayden Winks, despite the absence of cornerback Tyson Campbell. Nielsen utilizes broad man coverage on 52.6 percent of opposing dropbacks, the highest rate in the NFL.

Thus far, passers are averaging 6.5 passing yards per play against the Jaguars, ranking No. 21 in the league. Quarterbacks are struggling to score through the air against Jacksonville, though, as Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa and Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson combined to throw for one touchdown in Weeks 1-2.

Jacksonville’s man coverage will be tested against arguably the best NFL signal-caller not named Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and his offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Monday night.

Next Gen Stats show Allen producing the lowest air yards per attempt of his career at 7.4 this season, despite his career-high 73.8% completion percentage through the first two games. This shows that Brady is allowing Allen to distribute the ball around the offense and trusting receivers to compete after the catch.

Considering how difficult Allen is to defend as both a passer and runner, there’s a possibility Nielsen could veer off his man coverage path and play more zone this week. Perhaps it is unlikely given his tendencies as a play-caller, but this is something to keep in mind ahead of Monday night.

Not only will Allen present a tough task, but so will tight end Dalton Kincaid, running back James Cook and receiver Khalil Shakir. The latter owns the highest catch rate of all wide receivers in the league at 88.7 percent.

If Jacksonville can force Allen into bad decisions against its man-heavy defense and limit his rushing opportunities, the Jaguars’ struggling offense should obtain more opportunities to find a rhythm compared to previous games.

Jacksonville’s offense vs. Buffalo’s defense 

While Kirk could be the focus of the Jaguars’ passing offense against the Bills, the unit must perform better situationally across the board in its attempt to establish an identity of any sort.

It starts up front. Lawrence’s protection must improve Monday night against a strong Bills pass rush featuring Von Miller and Gregory Rousseau.

Lawrence has been sacked on a league-high 11.5 percent of dropbacks this season, according to Next Gen Stats. Perhaps Lawrence is responsible for some of the pressure he has faced, but Pro Football Focus dings Jacksonville’s offensive line for allowing six of the seven sacks he has taken.

Next Gen Stats also notes the Jaguars own the third-worst time to pressure in the NFL in 2024, 2.57 seconds.

While explosive plays have occasionally popped up from the likes of running back Travis Etienne Jr. and rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr, the Jaguars must do a better job of winning on early downs to make third downs more manageable and become less reliant on chunk gains.

Jacksonville has converted just over 26% of its third-down attempts, the fifth-worst mark in the league ahead of Denver, Atlanta, Cleveland and Carolina. The offense will sail much smoother if it can improve drastically in this area.

The Jaguars will be without versatile tight end Evan Engram again this week after suffering a hamstring injury during pregame warmups last Sunday. His absence is why Kirk will be the X-factor for the Jaguars’ passing offense, paired with the Bills’ top linebacker and nickel cornerback out. 

Pederson cannot afford his team to fall to a 0-3 record. His defense is capable of helping win games, but it is Jacksonville’s offense, Pederson’s bread and butter, costing the Jaguars the most.

That has to change on Monday night.

Bills not ruling out injured reserve for Taron Johnson

#Bills not ruling on injured reserve for Taron Johnson:

Taron Johnson is a name to watch throughout the coming days leading up to kickoff against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday.

Prior to the contest, there is a chance that Johnson ends up on injured reserve. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott did not rule that possibility out, but Johnson is not playing in Miami, that is already confirmed.

“We’re kind of seeing what the options are at this point and just trying to make the right decision,” he told reporters.

Johnson was injured on the first drive for the Bills defense against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1, a game Buffalo won 34-28. Cam Lewis stepped in and played well in relief and will likely start again in Miami.

With Johnson out, Lewis will be a huge matchup the Dolphins will want to exploit.

Led by Tyreek Hill, Miami has one of the best wide receiver rooms in the NFL.

If Johnson does end up on  IR, he must sit out for at least four games. That’s why Buffalo might do so before their Week 2 game, so the game counts as one of those weeks he is required to miss.

Bills Wire will provide updates as information is made available.

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