Matt Milano committed a costly penalty in the Buffalo Bills’ season-opening loss to the New York Jets, and the Pro Bowl linebacker will now face more penalties.
The NFL released a list of all Week 1 fines on September 16, including a $10,927 charge for Milano for taunting after his second-quarter interception. The penalty might have cost the Bills points on the drive, which proved crucial in the Bills’ 22-16 overtime loss to the Jets.
Following the game, Bills head coach Sean McDermott criticized the team’s blunders, notably four turnovers by quarterback Josh Allen.
After intercepting Jets quarterback Zach Wilson in the second quarter with the Bills leading 10-3, Milano was called for taunting.
The turnover might have given the Bills a two-touchdown lead against the Jets early on, but Milano’s penalty moved the team back 15 yards, forcing the Bills to settle for a field goal.
McDermott stated after the game that the Bills were unable to win because of their faults.
“We made it pretty hard on ourselves,” McDermott said following the game, according to The Associated Press. “It’s difficult to win in this league when you turn the ball over four times.” You have two opponents: the one on the opposite sideline and yourself. That’s what we did tonight, and it’s not the way to win games.”
Though the Bills led by ten points at halftime, the Jets rallied to tie the game and win late in the fourth quarter thanks to a turnover by Allen. The Bills tied the game late with a field goal, but the Jets won in overtime on an undrafted rookie punt return by Xavier Gipson.
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Allen blamed himself, telling reporters after the game that his turnovers were the game’s determining factor.Though the Bills led by ten points at halftime, the Jets rallied to tie the game and win late in the fourth quarter thanks to a turnover by Allen. The Bills tied the game late with a field goal, but the Jets won in overtime on an undrafted rookie punt return by Xavier Gipson.
Allen blamed himself, telling reporters after the game that his turnovers were the game’s determining factor.”I cost our team tonight,” Allen admitted, according to The Associated Press. “It sucks when you feel like the reason, and I am the reason we lost.”
The penalty was an unexpected mistake for Milano, who has built a reputation in Buffalo as a quiet and reliable leader. McDermott praised the Pro Bowl linebacker this week, saying Milano has been instrumental in developing teammate Terrel Bernard into a starting linebacker.
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“Matt’s seen a lot of football snaps in the Bills uniform and, as a result, in the NFL,” McDermott told SI.com. “And so the experiences, there’s no substitute for experience.”
While Milano’s influence against the Jets was more evident, McDermott claimed second-year Bernard made a lot of critical plays as well.”Terrel did some good things in the game last week, and then there’s some things collectively that he and we need to get better at,” McDermott said. “And that just comes from being young and making those mistakes.”
After a summer of open competition, Bernard was named the starting middle linebacker. He takes over for Tremaine Edmunds, the Pro Bowler who signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency.
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