ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills face the New York Jets in week six for an AFC East showdown on Monday night football.
The Channel 2 sports team each gives a key to the game before things get underway inside MetLife Stadium.
Jon Scott – Jump Out Early
We’ve seen it before. Teams often rally around major coaching changes. The boost is there the following game after the move, especially early. The Bills did it last season following the firing of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. They were on the other end of it against the Chargers, needing to fend off an inspired undermanned group for a tough win.
The Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh this past week. They also took offensive play-calling duties from coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and passed them to Todd Downing (both former Bills coaches under Doug Marrone).
Expect the unexpected.
New York will be buzzing around the changes, also bringing about some unknown with new faces in new places.
This is why the Bills need to come out fast.
Punch the Jets in the mouth early to not only put the team on their heels, but take the air out of MetLife Stadium overall.
New York’s only scored 14 points in the 1st quarter this season. The Bills have scored 26.
Jumping out early also allows the Bills to dictate the terms of the game, potentially forcing an already poor Jets running attack to be pushed to the side in favor of passing.
I’d also say early success is critical for the Bills because frankly they could use a confidence boost offensively.
These last two losses have been headlined by falling into sizeable holes early, leading to playing catch-up out of halftime.
Show that adjustments have been made and production can be found again.
Winning early could be critical to ultimately winning in the end.
Jonathan Acosta – Win on 3rd down
Some of the Bills recent struggles have come down to an inability to extend drives on offense, and get off the field on defense.
3rd down has not been a good down for the Bills this season.
The Bills offense ranks 25th in the NFL on 3rd down at a 32% conversion rate. On 3rd down defense, the Bills rank 24th at 44%.
No game highlighted the Bills issues on 3rd down as much as their most recent outing, the 23-20 loss in Houston.
The Texans went 8-for-16 on 3rd downs, including conversions on 3rd and 8, 3rd and 11, 3rd and 9, and 3rd and 7. Sean McDermott spoke about the struggles the day after the game, touching on the need for the coverage and pass rush to work on a more consistent basis.
The Bills did not have as much success, going just 3 for 14, due in large part to lack of success on 1st down and facing numerous 3rd and long situations.
Buffalo can do itself a favor offensive in the Meadowlands on Monday night by being in more 3rd and manageable situations against a Jets defense that is the strength of that team, and has caused issues for Josh Allen in the past (three interceptions in last year’s season opener).
And on the other side of the ball, the Jets offense has struggled to produce yards and points, but has been above average at extending drives, ranking 10th in the NFL on third down. The Bills were able to force third and longs against the Texans, but against the Jets, the they’ll need to do a better job of finding a way to get off the field in those situations.
McDermott speaks often about the need to play complementary football. Along with winning the turnover battle, having success on 3rd down is pivotal to playing that brand of football, and in turn, possibly improving to 2-0 in the division on Monday night.
Lindsey Moppert: Return to the run
In the Bills first three games of the regular season, the team was finding early and consistent success through the ground game, specifically in the hands of running back James Cook.
Through five weeks of action, Cook currently leads the team with 432 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns.
The only problem heading into this week six matchup is that Cook has been listed on the Bills’ final injury report as “questionable.” The team's top running back has been dealing with a toe injury this week, causing him to miss the majority of practice.
However, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cook’s agency revealed that he plans to play on Monday when the Jets host the Bills in primetime.
If Cook is inactive for any reason, the team can also rely on the depth of that room, including both Ty Johnson and rookie Ray Davis. The pair has combined for an average of 3.5 yards on 36 carries for 117 yards.
Josh Allen can also play a key role in establishing the run if Cook is unable to suit up. After all, Allen is looking to bounce back after a rough performance against the Houston Texans last week.
Another reason why committing to the run could prove to be effective on Monday night is because although they have the second-overall ranked defense in the NFL, they have been allowing teams to find success on the ground.
The Jets are ranked ninth in the league in yards per attempt, allowing 4.2 yards per carry.
This is certainly an area that Cook, Johnson, Davis, and Allen could all exploit on Monday night at MetLife Stadium.
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