Will A-Rod’s target of choice play this week?
The New York Jets have been eliminated from the playoffs for the fourteenth consecutive season. The Buffalo Bills have clinched the AFC East Division for the fifth consecutive season. The longtime divisional rivals are set to meet on Sunday for the final time this season in a game that means much more to the Bills than it does to the Jets.
A Buffalo victory ensures that the No. 2 seed is Buffalo’s, meaning that they can rest some players in the regular season finale against the New England Patriots next week if they so choose. While a loss doesn’t knock the Bills down to the third seed—only consecutive losses coupled with a Baltimore Ravens win next week would do that—it does change the calculus as it relates to the end of the season.
Buffalo barely beat the Jets in their first meeting, winning 23-20 just a few days after head coach Robert Saleh was fired. It’s hard to believe that the winner of that game was for first place in the division.
Even with nothing but pride on the line, the Jets can’t be taken for granted. Here are the five Jets players we’re watching this week.
QB Aaron Rodgers
Could this be the last time we see Rodgers in a Jets uniform? Could this be the last time we watch Rodgers play against the Bills at all? The 41-year-old quarterback has had a fine season statistically (62.8% completion rate, 3,511 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 90.8 passer rating), but there have been stretches of inconsistency that are uncharacteristic for the future Hall of Fame passer. He currently has 499 career passing touchdowns, so he’s going to be extra motivated to move into the 500 club sooner rather than later. Rodgers had one of his best games of the season against Buffalo earlier in the year, completing 65.7% of his passes for 294 yards, two scores, and one interception. If the Bills can intercept him twice this week, they’ll guarantee Rodgers just the fourth double-digit INT season of his career.
RB Breece Hall
I hate to write about the same people I did in October, but I would be lying if I didn’t say that Hall should be a major factor in the game. His best output of the entire season came against the Bills in October, as his 113-yard performance stands as the only time he rushed for 100 or more yards all year. It’s also the game where he carried the ball the most, as he rushed a season-high 18 times in the game. Hall seems to save his best for his games against Buffalo, as he’s rushed for a ridiculous 6.92 yards per carry in his three games against the Bills. He has 263 rushing yards, 11 receptions, 126 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown in those three games. Buffalo needs to have a better plan this week to contain him.
WR Davante Adams
After a modest start to his Jets career, which saw Adams catch just 7 passes for 84 yards on 15 targets through his first two games, the favorite target of Aaron Rodgers has proven to be a fantastic weapon. In the Jets’ last seven games, he’s averaged 11 targets, 7 receptions, and 90 yards per contest. He has a total of six touchdowns over that span, as well. Adams did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday thanks to a hip injury, so his status is worth monitoring this week. If he can go, it will put extra stress on a banged-up Buffalo secondary. If he can’t, the Bills will catch a huge break. Adams’ effectiveness in spite of the injury will be worth monitoring, as well.
[The Offensive Tackles]
Starting left tackle Olu Fashanu is on injured reserve thanks to a foot injury. Starting right tackle Morgan Moses has yet to practice this week thanks to a knee injury. So, it’s possible that the Jets will be running out a backup at both tackle spots against a Buffalo front four that’s in desperate need of a win. Buffalo is tied for 21st in sacks this season with just 34. Sure, the Bills don’t blitz very much (although they’ve had to over the last few weeks due to the injuries in the secondary), but their defensive linemen need to be better at finishing their pass-rush wins by downing the quarterback. Against what could be a M.A.S.H. unit on the offensive line, this week needs to be one where the Buffalo defensive line dominates.
CB Michael Carter II
The Jets’ top slot corner is also touch-and-go this week, as he missed practice on Wednesday with a back injury, but was limited on Thursday. He’ll likely find himself matched up with Buffalo’s best wideout, Khalil Shakir, more often than not, and while it’s D.J. Reed and Sauce Gardner on the outsides who garner much of the attention, it will likely be Carter II in the slot who dictates just how effective the Buffalo passing game can be this week. Isaiah Oliver has played plenty of snaps in the slot, as well, though he hasn’t been as effective in coverage as Carter has been. Whereas Carter has allowed just 17-of-27 passes thrown his way to be completed for 137 yards without a score, Oliver has allowed 24-of-33 passes thrown his way to be completed for 230 yards and a touchdown. Truthfully, it seems that Oliver has usurped Carter’s role in the second half of the season, but either way, it will be one of the two “inside corners” who end up Josh Allen’s main target this week.