Robert Saleh and his team face a tough task as they try to bounce back against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. (John Minchillo, AP)
Days after the Jets let a game against the Patriots slip away, they will host another divisional rival at MetLife Stadium.
The Bills will come to town this weekend winners of four straight, including a 27-17 victory against the Packers Sunday night.
At 6-1, many consider the Bills the best team in the NFL and the Super Bowl favorites, according to many oddsmakers. The Jets are also 12.5-point underdogs.
“Probably the most complete football team we will see all season,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “Offense, defense, special teams, they’re deep.
“They’re littered with Pro Bowlers in all three phases. Very well coached, they play hard, the quarterback [Josh Allen] is outstanding. Their defensive front is very deep and disruptive.”
The success of the Bills starts with Allen, a serious contender to win the 2022 NFL MVP. In seven games, Allen has passed for 2,198 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also been a force with his legs as Allen has rushed for 306 yards and two touchdowns.
During his first two seasons in the league, Allen was inconsistent as he threw for 5,163 yards, 30 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. However, during the last three seasons, Allen has 11,149 yards, 92 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in 40 games.
The Jets currently have a quarterback in Zach Wilson, who like Allen, has struggled to adapt to the NFL in his first two years. Wilson is coming off a three-interception performance in the 22-17 loss to the Patriots, in which New England converted those turnovers into 10 points.
Wilson has taken a lot of criticism from local and national media this week, especially on social media, as he reverted back to his play as a rookie last Sunday.
“They grew up on social media, so it’s a fabric of their lives,” Saleh said. “As much as you try to ignore it, I think these kids are more equipped than me who didn’t grow up in social media and one person says something and it is like, ‘oh my God.’
“They’re able to compartmentalize it and which is pretty interesting. It’s the way that they grew up. We are not worried about Zach as these kids know the process, they understand what it takes. They know how to block out noise and stay focused.
“Is there a human element of it that he wants to prove he’s a good football player, absolutely, they all have that. But with a guy like Zach that comes in and works his tail off day-in and day-out and trying to figure things out, I think once he figures out his swing, he’s going to be really good.”
Sunday is a critical game for the Jets before their bye next week. The team currently sits fifth in the AFC, as Gang Green has the same record as the sixth-seeded Dolphins and is only up a half game over the seventh-seeded Chargers.
At the trading deadline, the Dolphins improved their team with a couple of moves. Miami acquired edge rusher Bradley Chubb from Denver. They also added running back Jeff Wilson from the 49ers. The Bills also made a splash when they traded for Colts running back Nyheim Hines.
As the first half of the season will end, a win will go a long way in keeping the Jets in playoff contention, especially with the off week and the team playing at the Patriots following the bye.
“Miami did a really nice job, I feel like they’ve done a really nice job with their draft capital,” Saleh said. “Buffalo is already fantastic and they added a little bit more speed.
“It’s a division, in my opinion, that’s got four really, really good football teams and four teams that are capable of making a run. Credit to Miami and Buffalo for adding a little bit more.”
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Originally published at Tribune News Service