Buffalo Rumblings
The New York Jets are at the end of yet another lost season, as their NFL-leading streak of seasons without a playoff berth hits 15 seasons this year. They still have a little time to catch the drought-era Buffalo Bills, who missed the playoffs for 17 straight seasons, but their streak is impressive nonetheless.
How do you watch for opposing players on a club that has been watching the sands fall through the hourglass on the regular season for months? The Jets are a completely different club than they were when they met the Bills in September.
Quarterback Justin Fields is out, as is wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Cornerback Sauce Gardner is gone, as is defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. The Jets traded name players for draft capital, and they’ve benched higher-salaried veterans while they evaluate some young players as the season comes to an end close.
Can this rag-tag Jets group beat a Bills team that doesn’t need a win before the playoffs begin next week? Sure, they could — even if it’s something I don’t anticipate happening. If they’re going to do so, they’ll need some big performances from some young players in larger roles this week.
Here are our five Jets to watch on Sunday.
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QB Brady Cook
What’s this kid all about? Cook will be making his fourth NFL start on Sunday, and he’s hoping that it goes better than the previous three. Cook has completed just 58.8% of his passes this season, throwing one touchdown against seven interceptions. Buffalo’s defense has forced multiple turnovers in six of its 10 games since the bye week, and the Jets have committed multiple turnovers in five of their last 10 games.
I think it’s a safe bet to guess that Cook will throw at least one interception, especially if the Bills jump out to a lead and the Jets are forced to throw a bunch to come back in the game. Head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich have a way with confusing young quarterbacks, and while the Bills won’t want to put too much on tape for their playoff opponents, they aren’t going to play this one like a preseason game, either. Expect some weird coverage looks that cause Cook some confusion, leading to a turnover or two on Sunday.
RB Breece Hall
Is he going to play? If he does, how much will he play? Hall missed Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury before logging limited sessions on Thursday and Friday, so he’s trending in the right direction. I’m sure there’s some incentive for him to play against a Buffalo defense that has allowed over five yards per carry this season, but he carries a questionable designation into Sunday’s action, and the Jets already have declared six players out for the game.
The Bills, for their part, have been much better against the run over the second half of the season. Last week, they stymied the Philadelphia Eagles’ rushing attack, allowing just 3.2 yards...
