Both coaches who talked about the Jets' offense and defense on Thursday at One Jets Drive had only nice — as in Most Valuable Player-nice — things to say about Bills QB Josh Allen, whom the Jets will duel for their lucky 13th time Sunday at Buffalo.

"I don't know who the MVP race is between," said linebackers coach Mike Rutenberg for the defense, "but the way Josh is playing right now, he's playing at a level that is absolutely deserving of that."

"Obviously MVP-worthy," said passing game coordinator Todd Downing, who's seen Allen in action enough while watching the cutups of defenses trying to slow down him and his offense. "He's playing at a really high level and making plays left and right. It's not just his ability to extend plays and make the splash plays that show up on ESPN, but the accuracy he's throwing the ball with and the way he's distributing the football, the toughness he's showing finishing runs."

Allen's numbers this season say a lot about why people are saying a lot about him. He's thrown 26 touchdown passes to 6 interceptions, has been sacked just 14 times and is packing a 101.2 passer rating. And he's the Bills' second-leading rusher with 514 yards at 5.3 yards/carry and 11 rushing TDs.

He still leads the NFL in most individual giveaways from his rookie season of 2018 to present with 110, but he and the Bills have talked and worked a lot on limiting his turnovers and he's been successful. After averaging 17.0 TOs a season in his first 6 seasons, he's had just 8 this year.

Rutenberg noted the Bills' other weapons besides Allen and noted the obvious.

"It's going to be an unbelievable challenge for us and I know our guys are excited and definitely up for it for sure," he said. "Our guys are motivated to play for each other, to play for the staff, and to play for the Jets. And that's the coolest part right now."

The Takeaway Game
The Buffalo defense's No. 11 ranking in points allowed vs. its 23rd ranking in yards allowed is a sure sign of bend-but-don't-break football. So are the Bills' takeaway talents, which have helped the team chalk up a plus-20 in turnover margin, first in the NFL. That's built on being second in opponents' fumbles recovered (14) and tied for third in total takeaways (28).

And it seems as if everyone on the unit has had a hand in taking the ball away from foes. The 28 TAs are divided among 16 different players, with the leaders — MLB Terrel Bernard, S Damar Hamlin, nickel Taron Johnson and WLB Dorian Williams — having 3 turnovers apiece.

"If you're playing vision zones and a ball is completed in front of you, or it's a 2-shell and we run the ball and get to the second level, those are opps for forced fumbles and opps to tip balls and things like that," Downing said of one of the Jets' offensive challenges at Highmark Stadium. "They certainly make taking the ball away a priority in Buffalo. That's evident on the tape and that's something we have to be very aware of in this matchup."

Do It Again, Even More Consistently
The Jets' and Bills' first head-to-head at MetLife Stadium in Week 6 was one of the Jets' agonizing losses after they took a 20-20 tie deep into the fourth quarter only to lose, 23-20. It's cold comfort now but they outgained the Bills, 393-359, and assembled a season high of eight explosive plays, four of them going to RB Breece Hall alone (two rushes, two receptions).

"I think we had some opportunities situationally we got to capitalize on. I think we did a good job of generating some chunk plays," Downing said. "And we're going to have to look for ways to dress up what we do and try to do the same thing, just at a more consistent level."

Sherwood's 'Finding His Voice'
Mike Rutenberg had words of praise from the inside for the season that Jamien Sherwood is close to wrapping up. Playing virtually the entire season at MLB for injured leader C.J. Mosley and is fifth among the league's tackle leaders with 138 takedowns. A lot of it comes from listening to and working with veteran leaders Mosley, Quincy Williams, Sam Eguavoen and even Kwon Alexander, who was on hand for all 17 games and 12 starts in 2022, Sherwood's second NFL season.

But much comes from within No. 44 as well, said his position coach.

"It's a year that all his hard work has paid off and continued to pay off, and now he's really playing at a high level and finding his voice as a leader," Rutenberg said. "He's playing at a high level not only because he prepares so well and so confident in his preparation, but he's learning the intricacies of the position and he's learning how to slip blocks and when to take shots.

Corley's Rookie Campaign
Todd Downing on the rookie-season struggles of third-round pick Malachi Corley, who hasn't played the past three games and seven games in all and has five offensive touches (two rushes, three catches) this season: "Malachi's got a bright future in this league and he's got a skillset that will eventually help teams win games. Right now, though, he is fighting to get the scraps from Davante [Adams] and G [Garrett Wilson] and Allen [Lazard] and so on. So I think he is learning to be a pro."