In the spirit of playoff baseball, Monday's Week 6 game between the Jets and the Bills, to take a line from Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra, is like "Déjà vu all over again."

Jets-Bills at MetLife Stadium under the Monday night lights last season was Aaron Rodgers' debut in green and white that ended four snaps into the game when Rodgers ruptured his left Achilles tendon.

This primetime contest will be the fourth meeting between Rodgers and Bills QB Josh Allen, who are each coming off their worst game this season. New York (2-3) and Buffalo (3-2) have each dropped two straight games. Rodgers, who has a career-low 74.9 career passer rating against the Bills, will line up against a Buffalo defense that will be without DT Ed Oliver and has given up 29 points per game over the last two weeks.

"We all know he is a Hall of Famer," Bills HC Sean McDermott said of Rodgers. "A really good player, incredibly smart and gifted. He does a great job running their offense. There is more than the challenge with him of him just being an elite thrower, it's the mobility, the mental part of the game and I just have so much respect for his game and the things he has been able to do over the years and how he has done. He is as good as there is."

Allen is the only starting QB in the league to not throw an interception but has thrown 6 picks in his last 4 games against the Jets. His 108.9 passer rating on Monday Night Football (min. 3 starts) is the fourth-highest mark in NFL history, but his 83.6 passer rating against the Green & White since 2021 is the lowest of any team Allen has faces at least three times.

"They play really hardnosed football," Allen said of the Jets' No. 2 ranked defense. "Their front is very talented and the have a lot of talent on the back end as well. They have a great linebacker duo. They are a tough defense to play against. Number one will be establishing the run and try and commit to that. Then being smart with where the football is going and how quickly we are getting it out of our hands."

Next Man Up at Nickel
The Jets will be without nickel CB Michael Carter II (back) Monday against the Bills. Carter II sustained the injury in London 15 minutes before kickoff, according to interim HC Jeff Ulbrich.

DB Isaiah Oliver, who signed with the Jets in the offseason and transitioned from cornerback to safety, took Carter's place in the lineup last week and is expected to continue to have an increased role.

"For me to go up to Isaiah in that circumstance and say can you play nickel – 'yes'," Ulbrich said of his pregame conversation with Oliver, who tallied 6 tackles and a sack vs. the Vikings. "What calls are your comfortable with – 'all of them'. And then we go in the locker room, and I hand him the call sheet and he looks at it front and back and he's like, 'call it all'. To have a player like that from a coaching perspective, it just brings you so much security and he's an invaluable piece to what we're trying to get accomplished here."

Elsewhere on defense, DT Leki Fotu (hamstring) is trending towards being activated off IR and Ulbrich is "hopeful" C.J. Mosley (toe), who has missed the last three games, can play.

New Look Buffalo Receiving Group
The Bills parted ways over the offseason with their top two yardage leaders from last year's team – Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. In their place, QB Josh Allen has turned to WRs Khalil Shakir and rookie second-round pick Keon Coleman.

Shakir leads the Bills in receptions (18), receiving yards (230) and is tied with Coleman for tops in touchdowns (2). Shakir, who was limited in Saturday's practice after missing Thursday's and Friday's sessions, is questionable for Monday. If he doesn't go, QB Josh Allen will could lean on the TE duo of Dalton Kincaid (15-166-1) and Dawson Knox (3-30-1) among others.

"They have been using Shakir like Diggs in terms of the gadget-type plays," CB Sauce Gardner said. "Diggs could run routes like a true X receiver and he would play out of the slot. Shakir has been doing a little bit of that, but he is mainly a gadget guy that is playing out of the slot. Coleman, Josh likes leaning on him as well. They have got a lot of good guys."

Will the Thrill
In 15 games his rookie season, edge Will McDonald IV registered 3 sacks and 5 QB hits. Through five games his sophomore campaign, McDonald's 6 sacks are T2 in the NFL and his 10 QB hits are T3.

"When you play against Josh Allen, you need speed on the defensive line to chase this guy down," said interim HC Jeff Ulbrich of McDonald. "As we all know, he's a problem with his arm, but he's just as much a problem with his legs. So, you have to have guys who can (hunt) him down. Will is one of those human beings. His progress as a player, you guys have all seen that, the pass rush and how he's affected games in that way is taken to another place especially this year. But what you guys don't see is the approach. He has become a pro in front of our eyes, the way he practices, the way he meets, the way he takes notes. Here's a guy who struggled to keep (his weight in the) high 220s, high 230s and he's in the high 240s now."