Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson (13) catches the ball during warm-ups prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
The Buffalo Bills were short-handed at the wide receiver position in Sunday’s rivalry game against the New York Jets, but the injuries to their top two wide receivers clearly didn’t matter. The Bills were still able to tear through the Jets defense without Stevie Johnson and Robert Woods out there, as both players were held out of the game. With the Bills on a bye week, we should fully expect to see both players out there against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13, and Stevie Johnson has already confirmed that he’ll be playing.
He said, via the Bills official site, “I’ll definitely be suited up. I think I’ll be much better than what I was this past week.I’m optimistic about it.”
The Bills decision to rest both Woods and Johnson against the Jets looks like genius in retrospect, and we know Johnson will be at full strength against a porous Falcons defense that was demolished by Vincent Jackson and rookie QB Mike Glennon this past week. I wouldn’t expect nothing less than a fine performance from Johnson, and the bye week is a nice oasis for Johnson, who has been dealing with nagging injuries all season long.
Woods’s status is a bit more difficult to project, but the bye week should enable him to play after missing the past two games. E.J. Manuel could have a huge game against the Falcons, and life is a lot easier when your two best receivers are healthy.