Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets What To Watch For

There hasn’t been this much excitement for a Buffalo Bills home game in some time (perhaps the Monday Night game vs the Dallas Cowboys) as the 5-2 Bills will host the 4-3 Jets in a game that could really be for the playoffs. If the Bills win they will be 6-2 with very winnable games left vs the Dolphins (two of them), Denver, and the Titans. They also play the Patriots, Cowboys, Jets again, and Chargers.

If the Jets lose this game they will be 4-4 with games still left vs the Patriots, Buffalo Again, the suddenly good Kansas City Chiefs, the Eagles, the Giants. And very winnable games vs the Dolphins (1), Denver and the Redskins.

The Jets are 3-1 under Rex Ryan.

Here are somethings to watch for, with a slight focus on the rookies and young guys. The Bills have two big losses for this game NT Kyle Williams, their best defensive player and Demetrius Bell their starting LT.

Aaron Maybin/Calvin Pace vs Chris Hairston

One of the big losses for the Bills on Sunday is Starting LT Demetrius Bell. He will be replaced by rookie Chris Hairston who did a solid job vs Jason Pierre Paul and Osi Umeinyora before he was hurt in the Bills lost to the Giants. Aaron Maybin has been rejuvenated playing for the New York Jets with three sacks on the season (three more than he had the entire time he was with the Buffalo Bills). The Jets have figured out how to use Maybin in space and just let him use his speed to chase the quarterback. The Jets don’t really have a pass rush outside of Maybin and Pace, who both lead the team with 3 sacks. It doesn’t help that the Jets use a lot of different blitzes.

Marcell Dareus vs Nick Mangold

Marcell Dareus will replace NT Kyle Williams in the middle for this game and he has quite the task going up against All-pro center Nick Mangold. the Jets offensive line has looked much better with Mangold the last couple of games. Dareus has played well, but the Jets want to run the ball and get back “ground and pound”, it’s up to Dareus and the front three to makes sure they can’t-something they’ve struggled with the past few years.

Leodis McKelvin vs Santonio Holmes

Second round pick Aaron Williams is out for this game, and Terrence McGee has been hurt most of the year (he might play). Enter Leodis McKelvin who is finally starting to put a quality consistent season together since he was drafted 11th overall (?) by the Buffalo Bills. McKelvin has excellent speed and fluid hips so Holmes shouldn’t have an advantage with his speed, but McKelvin has had a difficult time adjusting to the talent of the N.F.L. perhaps he’s figured it out. Holmes isn’t the best receiver McKelvin has faced this year, but containing Holmes is probably the most important for the Bills. The Jets don’t have a ton of weapons on offense, and the Bills can’t afford to let Holmes make big plays.

David Nelson and the young wide receivers vs the non-Revis Jets cornerbacks

Steve Johnson has the unenviable task of going up against Darrell Revis this week which means the other young Bills wide receivers like David Nelson, Donald Jones, Naaman Roosevelt have to pick up the slack. Last year’s first round pick for the Jets Kyle Wilson has played so much better this year than last year it’s like he is a different player.

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