Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive
THE GAME
The Jets (3-9) at the Buffalo Bills (4-8) at New Era Field in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. ET.
THE WEATHER
Well, it's Buffalo in December, so anything short of a blizzard is a bonus. And good news: There's no snow in the forecast. Just mostly sunny skies and a temperature topping out around 31 degrees.
WHAT IT MEANS
Revenge! OK, that's not a lot to get excited about, but it's got the Jets fired up. They were absolutely humiliated a month ago when the Bills, led by QB Matt Barkley, embarrassed them at the Meadowlands, 41-10. It surely was the final nail in Todd Bowles' tenure as Jets coach. The Jets are out to prove they're not as bad as they showed in that game. Other than that, there's not much meaning here, except that a loss pushes the Jets closer to getting the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Elijah McGuire
Isaiah Crowell has a toe injury, so it could be time for McGuire, the Jets' sixth-round pick in last year's draft, to show what he can do. He is averaging 3.9 yards per carry since he returned from injured reserve, but he hasn't carried more than seven times in any game and he hasn't been much of a factor as a receiver out of the backfield. The Jets do seem to think he has promise as a change-of-pace back, though, and he could have a place on the roster next season - perhaps behind Le'Veon Bell. Crowell is still under contract too, and the Jets have also seen flashes out of rookie Trent Cannon, so if McGuire does get his big chance on Sunday, he better do something with it.
THE PICK
The matchup of rookie QBs (Sam Darnold vs. Josh Allen … and yes, whether Todd Bowles says it or not, Darnold is expected to start) would sure be a lot more exciting if either of them were playing well. But they're really not. Allen at least has been making things happen with his legs, rushing for 234 yards on 22 carries in the last two games. Since he hasn't proven to be much of a passer yet, that definitely adds an interesting element to the Bills' offense. Darnold, meanwhile, has missed the last three games and was dreadful the three games before that, and he still doesn't really have any weapons to work with on offense. None of that bodes well for a Jets team coming off a terrible loss in Tennessee and that looks like the players have just about quit on the season. The Bills are at least still playing hard. After hammering the Jets, they lost by three to Jacksonville and four in Miami. There's still some fight left in Buffalo. It's not clear the Jets can say the same about themselves. … Bills 24, Jets 16.
MY RECORD: 6-6
MY RECORD WHEN PICKING JETS TO WIN: 1-4
MY RECORD WHEN PICKING JETS TO LOSE: 5-2