4 bold predictions for Buffalo Bills heading into MNF showdown vs. NY Jets.
It’s the 3-2 Buffalo Bills taking on the 2-3 New York Jets on Monday Night Football. Both teams are in bad spirits for different reasons, so one of them will start next week on a high note. They both have lost their last two consecutive games so we will finally see one of them win a game in what feels like a long time for both fanbases.
The Bills look more disorganized based on what happened against them last week against the Texans, but it’s the Jets who have more questions. They fired head coach Robert Saleh this past week and took away play calling duties from Nathaniel Hackett and gave it to Todd Downing. New interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich keeps the defensive head coach continuity but the offense has been the problem.
Both teams have a lot on the line this Monday night and it should be a come-down-to-the-wire type of game. With that, we take a look at four bold predictions for the Bills heading into this showdown.
Josh Allen throws 2+ interceptions
We can’t talk about Josh Allen and the Jets and not mention turnovers. The Jets’ defense has always found a way to rattle Allen and cause him to turn the ball over. In 11 games played against the Jets, Allen has turned the ball over (both interceptions and fumbles) 18 times. Last year’s season opener against the Jets was one of the worst performances in Allen’s career.
He threw three interceptions and fumbled twice (losing one). Overall, Allen has three games of throwing 2+ interceptions against the Jets and it’s super hard to say that he won’t do it again this week.
Greg Rousseau breaks out, gets 3+ sacks
After a phenomenal start to the season in Week 1 with 3 sacks, Greg Rousseau has disappeared from the defense. He has been quiet and not been able to make an impact for the defense. For a guy that is looking for a massive contract extension in the next year or two, he has not been living up to those expectations in the first month of the season.
The good news for Rousseau this week is that the Jets’ offensive line has not done a great job protecting Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers has been sacked 13 times in five games, which includes being sacked 8 times the last two weeks. The offense for the Jets has been a mess and part of the reason why is because of the lack of protection upfront. Rousseau will have a golden opportunity to make a big impact and pressure Rodgers all game long.
Dalton Kincaid leads Bills in receptions
Remember when the Dalton Kincaid hype was at an all-time high this past offseason? Once Stefon Diggs was traded out of Buffalo, Kincaid was looked at as the number one receiving option for the Bills. That couldn’t be further from the truth through the first month of the season.
While his targets have gone up the last two weeks, his contribution has been nothing more than below average. He has one touchdown on the year and is averaging 33 yards a game. Say what you want, the Bills need to find a way to get their young, bright tight end more involved in the game.
The game plan we saw from the Bills last week clearly didn’t work with the receivers. Even if Khalil Shakir does return to the lineup this week, the Bills need to utilize the short passing field with Kincaid. The Bills traded up for Kincaid last year despite paying Dawson Knox. The investment has not been a great one this season and under the lights in a must-win game, this is the perfect chance to get Kincaid his breakout game.
Bills’ offense has no more than 10 rushing attempts
With James Cook dealing with a toe injury, the Bills’ offense may want to focus on quick passes to move the chains. Even though establishing the run is crucial for an offense to be successful, it is hard to think that the Bills are going to effectively run the ball if Cook is either not playing, or is not 100% healthy. Not to mention, the Jets have a ferocious defensive line that can stuff the run.
