Jets vs. Bills preview: Glimpses at hope for the next decade?
The Jets square off against the Bills on Sunday, and fans of both teams hope it’s a sign of things to come in a battle for the AFC East.
There’s going to come a time when the AFC East supremacy of the Patriots ends, and fans of both the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets hope this Sunday’s matchup provides a window into the future for both teams. It will be the first time Josh Allen will start opposite of Sam Darnold.
Darnold is coming off an injury, and being a rookie, we should expect some rust. That being said, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the Bills come in with the 15th ranked coverage unit and 23rd ranked run defense in the NFL, and the Jets should find a way to exploit that. If the Jets can establish the run, it would give Darnold the help he needs.
Fans of the Bills are already gushing over Allen. When you read the comments on social media, it feels like the second-coming of Jim Kelly. He’s been playing well as a runner, but Allen (and Darnold quite frankly) needs to be a more accurate passer.
According to NFL.com’s Next Gen Stats, Allen’s expected completion percentage is 7.1 percent lower than it should be, and that’s the highest discrepancy in the NFL. The Jets may find it tough to stop him from running the football, though, and that makes him dangerous.
TV and Live Stream Info
Date: Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Buffalo, NY
Stadium: New Era Stadium
TV Info: CBS
Live Stream: FuboTV, NFL Sunday Ticket
Betting Odds (via Odds Shark)
Point Spread: Buffalo -3.5
Moneyline: Buffalo -190, New York +160
Over/Under: 38
Prediction
According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, this is a revenge game for New York. There’s one problem: Buffalo have more talent than the Jets on both sides of the football. So, it doesn’t matter how much revenge is on the Jets minds.
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Even though the game is in Buffalo, the last game was an aberration. The game won’t be a blow out this Sunday. The Jets will keep it close for the entirety of the game, and may even have a lead like they did in Tennessee, but the Bills will edge the Jets in the fourth quarter and sneak away with a victory.
Final Score: New York 17, Buffalo 20
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