Who knows what version of this season’s Buffalo Bills will show up this Sunday against the rival New York Jets.
It’s been a tough century for the Buffalo Bills.
A total of 16 seasons since 2000 and the only NFL franchise to make four consecutive Super Bowl appearances has yet to make a postseason appearance over that span. The Hall of Fame days of Bruce Smith, Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed and head coach Marv Levy are obviously well in the distant pass and while there has been the occasional winning season, there’s been no playoffs since 1999 and no division title since ‘95.
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With a 7-8 record this season, the first installment of the Rex Ryan Era in Orchard Park ranks as a major disappointment. This was a club that finished 9-7 a year ago – the club’s first winning season since 2004 – and much more was expected.
Meanwhile, Ryan’s former team in the form of the New York Jets has been one of the most improved squads in the league. One season after finishing 4-12, the Green and White own a 10-5 mark and are riding a five-game winning streak. All Todd Bowles’ club has to do on Sunday is beat the Bills in Buffalo and the Jets are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2010 (New York can also grab a wild-card berth if the Pittsburgh Steelers lose at Cleveland.
Obviously, Bowles and company would like to take care of business of their own and given the way the team has played as of late many expect them to get the job done this weekend.
Of course, it doesn’t expect to be easy for the Jets, who seven weeks ago faced this team and fell, 22-17, on a Thursday night at MetLife Stadium. It was New York’s fourth consecutive loss in the series and those losses have been by a combined 140-57 score. Obviously, Ryan himself was on the losing end of those first three contests while coaching the Jets.
This week, it’s a clash between the top-ranked ground game in the NFL (Bills) and the number-one run defense in the league. In the clubs’ first encounter this year, Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy ran for 112 of the team’s 148 yards on the ground that night. It was the most rushing yards allowed by the Jets’ defense in a game this season.
There will be no McCoy in this rematch but that doesn’t mean Ryan’s cupboard is bare. In last week’s 16-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, running backs Mike Gillislee and Karlos Williams as well as quarterback Tyrod Taylor combined for 40 carries, 236 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns.
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Of course, this is also a different Jets’ team on offense these days, one that committed four turnovers in the team’s first meeting this season. During the team’s current five-game winning streak, Bowles’ squad has coughed up the ball a combined three times.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, running back Chris Ivory and the wide receiver combination Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker have combined to make this one of the more balanced and improved offenses in the league. And considering Buffalo’s disappointing pass rush this season (20 sacks in 15 games), the Jets figure to attack and have success.
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But does Ryan and his staff still have something up their sleeves? Is Buffalo’s ground attack tailor-made to handle New York’s defense? Even though it’s been a down year for Jerry Hughes, Mario Williams and the Buffalo front-seven, do they simply match up perfectly with these Jets.
We won’t have to wait long for find out. And if Ryan can indeed prevent his former club from getting to the playoffs, you can wager he will be a happy camper for months to come.