It may not the Super Bowl, but the New York Jets are going to play the Buffalo Bills at a neutral site this Monday night at 7pm ET. The game has been moved to Ford Field in Detroit after Buffalo got buried with snow all week forcing several travel restrictions in the metropolitan area. Orchard Park, where the Bills play, is under about 7 feet of snow due to the rare and early winter lake effect snow storm. The Bills have not been able to practice the last few days and due to public safety concerns the game will not be held in Buffalo.
The Jets were able to get their first win since Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers during Week 10 of the NFL season. The win came as a surprise to many, as Big Ben came into the game having tossed 12 touchdowns the previous two weeks. Green and White were able to pull off the upset beating the Steelers 20-13 behind two touchdown passes from Michael Vick, including a 67 yarder to T.J. Graham on the first play from scrimmage late in the first quarter. The “big play” has been something that has avoided the Jets all year and turned out to be the difference maker against Pittsburgh.
Another key in the Jets win was that they were able to force turnovers, something their defense has struggled with all season long. Safety Jaiquawn Jarrett picked Roethlisberger off twice and was able to recover a fumble to help the Jets win the turnover battle 4-0, and eventually win the game. Jarrett’s breakout performance also earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for Week 10 as he accounted for three of the Jets four forced turnovers that Sunday.
The Jets were on a bye Week 11 so the next task at hand is facing a playoff hungry Bills squad. The Bills were embarrassed on Thursday night in Miami as they struggled offensively, losing to the Dolphins 22-9 without scoring a single touchdown. The Bills sit at 5-5 after a pair of losses to the Chiefs and Phins since trouncing the Jets on the road at MetLife in late October 43-23. This matchup looks to be a bit more competitive with the Jet’s coming off a good win at home against a formidable opponent in the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets are playing with a bit more confidence than the last time they played the Bills, and after practice Wednesday Vick was quoted saying, “Everybody was enthused and feeling good about where we can go.” Vick has been a big part of the turnaround for the Jets this season. He has zero turnovers in his two starts this season. Turnovers were a huge reason why the Jets got run out of their own stadium by the Bills earlier this season and why Geno Smith is no longer the starting quarterback for Gang Green.
The Bills desperately need a win to stay relevant in the AFC wildcard race, as it is unlikely they win the AFC east due to the resurgence of Brady’s bunch in New England as the Patriots sit at 8-2. As for the Jets, they just want to string some wins together, which is something they haven’t done all season. A win this Sunday would also be the Jets first road win of the season and their first divisional win of the 2014 campaign.
With this week being the last time these division rivals meet this season, expect a defensive battle and a hard nose football game in the cold of Buffalo. The Jets and Bills continue to bolster a couple of the league’s best front sevens and pass rushers. The Jets’ Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson are tied for the league lead in tackles among defensive lineman at 48 total tackles. The Jets were able to sack Roethlisberger early and often a few Sundays ago and that pressure up front was ultimately what won them the game as it allowed the secondary to sit back in coverage. If the Jets can continue to bring pressure up front it gives the secondary a chance to focus on stopping Kyle Orton.
Last time Kyle Orton was in a big game, the pressure got to him and he cost the Cowboys a win in the playoffs last season. At home against the Chiefs he threw four poor balls in the fourth quarter when the Bills were in the red zone needing a touchdown. The Jets need to do a better job of exploiting Orton and make him beat them with his arm when the pressure’s on. If the Jets jump on the Bills early and keep the pressure on Orton and Marrone, you could see the Jets first win streak of the season. As Rex Ryan said earlier in the week, the Jets have “six one game seasons left” and every one of them still matters. Coach Ryan stressed something during his press conference on Monday that he’s made clear all season saying, “I think this is a prideful team. I know it is. We’re going to do our very best to go out and win every game we can.” After all, there’s no team more dangerous than a team with nothing to lose.
