The New York Jets will host Buffalo Bills Monday night at MetLife Stadium to conclude the Week 6 slate in the NFL. To help preview the matchup, Vic Carucci of SiriusXM NFL Radio and WGRZ Buffalo, and John Pullano of NYJets.com chatted about the game.
The Bills offense ranks No. 1 in turnovers (just 2) and No. 4 in points (28.4) despite the departure of their two leading receivers (Gabriel Davis and Stefon Diggs) from last season. What adjustments have the Bills made on offense and how will the new scheme fare against All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner and the Jets' No. 5 defense in points (17 per game)?
VC: I wouldn't necessarily say there have been adjustments within the offense to create these positive stats. Frankly, the offense has struggled mightily the last two weeks, and I think, if anything, it has revealed the Bills miss having a game-breaking receiver. The new group of receivers, they have are struggling to get separation.
JP: I think the biggest difference between facing QB Josh Allen and this offense in 2024 versus 2023 is how well they are protecting the ball. Heading into Week 6 in '23', the Bills had turned the ball over 7 times, including 4 times against the Jets in Week 1. Buffalo may be lacking a pure No. 1 receiver with the loss of Diggs, but with the way they are protecting the and running the ball (118.2 YPG), they're still a dangerous offense, just with a new coat of paint. The Jets, however, I believe, match up well because of their elite linebacker trio – C.J. Mosley, Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood. There is normally no team that is a "good" matchup for the Allen, but Williams and Sherwood, who have started while Mosley has been out, have the versatility to make life difficult for Allen.
On the other hand, the Bills' defense has managed to rank No. 12 in points (21.2) and No. 5 in turnovers (9) despite playing without LBs Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard, and CB Taron Johnson for a majority of the season. Bernard returned last week against the Texans and Johnson is expected to be close to making his 2024 season debut. What do Johnson and Bernard add to this defense and how has the unit stayed afloat without them? And what kind of challenge will QB Aaron Rodgers pose?
VC: Taron Johnson and Terrel Bernard add plenty to a defense that has done a mostly impressive job of overcoming the turnover they've undergone on the back end and key injuries. Bernard brings strong leadership, intelligence and instincts to the defense. Johnson is an All-Pro nickel back, which speaks for itself. He's a force in pass coverage and run support. Having both back should create a significant challenge for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets' passing game to overcome.
JP: Nickel Taron Johnson, a second-team All-Pro in 2023, and LB Terrel Bernard are coming to rescue a Bills defense that has mightily struggled the past two weeks allowing 26.5 points per game and 400-plus total yards per game. Bernard registered an interception and a pick in his return from injury last week and Johnson was limited in practice Wednesday. The Jets' offense on the other hand, will try and re-establish itself after consecutive down weeks following a strong first three weeks. Monday night will mark Aaron Rodgers' first game against the Bills since he tore his Achilles tendon in Week 1 last season. Rodgers versus Bills HC and defensive play caller Sean McDermott has a 2-1 record with 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and 250.5 passing yards per game.
Despite the Jets and Bills coming off consecutive losses heading into Week 6, Monday night's winner will be leading the AFC East after 7 weeks (on a tiebreaker). Both teams fell behind by double-digits in their Week 5 losses, the Bills to the Texans and Jets to the Vikings, but came back to get the ball with a chance to win. What needs to happen for the Jets' and the Bills' offenses to start taking care of business late in games?
VC: I think both teams need to be sharper with their overall execution. The Bills' offense has been ragged the past two games, and legitimate questions were raised about their clock management at the end of the loss at Houston, allowing the Texans just enough time to kick the winning field goal.
JP: In the first three weeks of the season, the Jets' offense moved the ball effectively, scoring 3 touchdowns per game. In the past two weeks, it has scored just 2 TDs in total. To fix the issues on offense, according to QB Aaron Rodgers, the team needs to do a better job at limiting "negative plays" on first and second down and pick up first downs. The Jets have averaged 2.7 yards per carry the last two weeks after picking up 4.0 yards a rush the first three weeks. If the Jets can get back to establishing the run early in games, it should translate to a balanced attack late in games and ultimately lead back to the winning formula they had in Weeks 2 and 3.
