Buffalo coach Rex Ryan takes his new club to New Jersey for his first game against the team he coached for the previous six seasons. Ryan guided the Jets to the AFC Championship Game in each of his first two seasons, but failed to have a winning year during the last four and was fired by the Jets in December.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
New York Jets -3.5
Buffalo Bills +3.5
Over/Under 44.5
ODDS ANALYSIS
New York took a beating last week and could be without several starters heading into a short week. The line already dropped a half-point giving the Jets a standard field goal advantage on their home field.
KEY INJURIES
LeSean McCoy – Will likely need an MRI to determine the severity of a shoulder injury sustained Sunday against the Dolphins. McCoy ran for 112 yards before leaving the game in the fourth quarter after a hit from Ndamukong Suh. McCoy said he would’ve re-entered the game had the score been closer and is confident he will play Thursday.
Nick Folk – Injured his right quad during pregame warm-ups and did not kick Sunday. Punter Ryan Quigley made all four extra-point attempts and did not attempt a field goal. Folk will have an MRI and the Jets will look at place kickers with a short week ahead.
Nick Mangold – Left Sunday’s game with a neck injury that was originally sustained in the New England game. The Jets starting center sat out last week’s game and the injury flared up on him Sunday, forcing him to take a seat. Wesley Johnson replaced him.
KEY MISMATCH
We got a glimpse of what the Bills’ offense can do when healthy. With Tyrod Taylor, LeSean McCoy, Karlos Williams and Sammy Watkins together again, the Bills moved the ball at will against Miami’s defense, amassing 420 yards of offense. The ground and pound attack promised by Ryan was finally on display. McCoy busted loose for 112 yards on 16 carries before leaving the game with an injury, and a fresh Williams looked like the 240-poind closer, going for 110 yards on nine carries. Buffalo amassed 266 yards on the ground with Taylor adding 45 yards rushing. He was also efficient when the Bills did pass, which wasn’t too often, completing all but one of his 12 attempts. New York’s defense was sliced up again in a lackluster performance, allowing 436 yards to the Jaguars, one week after surrendering 451 yards to the Raiders. Sunday was the Bill’s blueprint on offense. Run, run, run and run some more, and take the occasional deep shots. Buffalo had 36 runs and just 12 passes.
KEY STAT
+7 – New York’s turnover margin. The Jets forced four Jaguars turnovers last week after going two games without one. The Bills did not commit a turnover against Miami and have a plus-1 differential.
BETTING ANGLE
Ryan makes his return to MetLife Stadium for the first time since being let go by the Jets after leading them for six seasons and two trips to the AFC Championship Game. Ryan says he isn’t giving his first meeting with his old team any added importance. “I promise you, it’s just another opponent right now,” Ryan said after Buffalo’s 33-17 victory over Miami. But one has to think the game means much more to Ryan, who was fired in December despite his players expressing their desire for him to remain as coach. The Jets could be short handed in the secondary with cornerback Antonio Cromartie and safety Dion Bailey hurt Sunday and questionable to play with a short week to recover.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Ryan says it just another football game, but we all know it isn’t. He was fired as the Jets coach in December after six seasons despite the backing of the players. But management went a different direction and Ryan ended up in Buffalo. It wasn’t the start Buffalo was after but now the Bills are getting key players back in the lineup and they could be dangerous. Just ask the Miami Dolphins. Taylor threw just 12 passes last week completing 11 of them, but the Jets have a banged up secondary and Buffalo could try to exploit that. Watkins had a huge game accounting for 168 of Buffalo’s 181 yards through the air last week. New York is strong up front and will make getting yards on the ground tough for the Bills, so look for a few more shots in the passing game. No doubt Rex wants this one and his players respond against a Jets squad that has looked porous on defense the past few weeks.
Buffalo 22, New York 17
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