The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets are set for an AFC East duel in the Meadowlands on Sunday. Week 1 saw Justin Fields light up the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense, but New York's defense allowed four touchdowns to Aaron Rodgers. Later on, Josh Allen led a remarkable comeback to get Buffalo to 1-0 on the season. Before the Bills and Jets square off, we have the bold predictions ready for the matchup.
Last year, the Bills swept the Jets, winning 23-20 at MetLife Stadium and 40-14 at Highmark Stadium. But now, there is a new-look New York coaching staff and a different quarterback. Will Fields make the difference in this rivalry? Or will Allen keep dominating the AFC East like he has in recent years?
Before the Jets and Bills square off, we have the bold predictions ready to go.
Josh Allen dominates through the air
On Sunday, the Bills were down 40-25 before they were able to come back and steal the win from the Baltimore Ravens. Allen was able to sling the ball around, finding Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir for big completions down the stretch. Many of the big completions came against Jaire Alexander, who struggled in the cornerback 2 role. He will find Brandon Stephens and undress him for at least 350 passing yards.
The Jets have one of the top cornerbacks in the league in Sauce Gardner on their defense. They picked up Stephens on a three-year free-agency deal from the Baltimore Ravens, and his New York debut was dreadful. Stephens allowed five catches and two touchdowns on seven targets in Week 1.
While the Bills don't have the elite receivers they did in the past, Allen is an elite passer. Coleman broke out in Week 1, and Shakir has put up solid performances in the past. He will keep that up in Week 2.
The Jets run for 200 yards
For the first three quarters of Week 1, the Bills' run defense was disastrous. Derrick Henry ended the day with 169 yards, while Lamar Jackson scampered for 70. The Jets got 107 yards on the ground from Breece Hall and 47 from Fields, with Isaiah Davis and Braelon Allen bringing the team total to 182. They will improve on that in Week 2, racking up 200 yards.
The Jets are dead set on running the ball this season. So, if they are going to have any success this year, 200 yards will have to be the norm. Hall had his burst back from before the ACL injury that ended his 2023 campaign, Fields tucked it 12 times, and Allen should have an increased role in the offense.
Hall is not the runner Henry is, and the same goes for Fields and Jackson. But they can learn a lot from what the Ravens put on tape in Week 1 and run the ball effectively.
The Bills will win by at least seven points
The Jets will give the Bills a tough game, just like they did against the Steelers. But there is a significant talent gap between these two rosters, which will end in Buffalo winning by at least seven points. Starting the season 0-2 all but guarantees the Jets will continue their mind-boggling playoff drought. And a 2-0 start would put Buffalo in the driver's seat for another AFC East title.
The last time the Jets beat the Bills was in Week 1 of 2023, when Xavier Gipson returned a punt in overtime to win it. That game is most remembered for Aaron Rodgers suffering an Achilles injury on the fourth play of the game.
According to FanDuel, the Bills are seven-point favorites and are -320 on the moneyline. Allen's passing yards over/under is 231.5, while Hall's rushing yards total is 57.5. Will it be an offensive showcase in the Meadowlands?
