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When you think of fierce rivalries around the NFL, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets don’t come to mind. Sure, they’re AFC East foes, but the last time they both finished with a winning record was 2004. That’s on track to change this year, and with the infusion of some bulletin board material, the rivalry may be heating up.
After the Jets dealt the Bills a surprising 20-17 defeat as 11-point underdogs in Week 9, according to Fox Sports, they put themselves into position to battle for the division title. Then a front office executive gave a surprising quote.
“If we had Breece Hall [healthy], we beat them by 10. I’m not joking,” a Jets front office executive texted Heavy NFL insider Matt Lombardo, who called the game the upset of the year.
Hall tore his ACL in Week 7 and is out for the season. The rookie running back had been a key component of the Jets offense, with 463 yards and 4 touchdowns on 80 carries.
Jets Could Become AFC East Favorites in Future
If the Bills are looking for bulletin board material, they might find some in Lombardo’s take on the division as well. The insider called the talent in New York “a sight to behold,” and said it’s not hard to envision the Jets being the heavily favored contender in a future matchup between the two AFC East foes.
That said, the loss of Hall may make it difficult to carry their momentum into the second half of the season. The Jets rank in the bottom half of the league in almost every important offensive statistical category. The exceptions are rushing yards per play (15th), sacks allowed per pass attempt (13th), and red zone efficiency (14th), according to the NFL’s Game Statistics and Information System. Two of those three figure to take a big hit as the season grinds on without Hall.
Meanwhile, the Jets defense is fierce. It ranks seventh in yards allowed, eighth in points allowed, fourth in rushing yards per play, fifth in passing yards per play, and fifth in interception rate.
But when the Bills seek revenge on December 11th, they’ll have home field advantage. More than revenge, they’ll likely be looking to stake a claim to the driver’s seat for the division crown.
Sean McDermott Believes Bills’ Loss Was Self-Inflicted
Reading into Sean McDermott’s November 6 press conference, it sure sounds like the Bills believe the game was theirs to win if they didn’t make as many mistakes.
“I have ultimate trust in Josh [Allen],” McDermott said. “He’s a heck of a football player, it’s important to him, so he knows that those are non-negotiables, those plays right there. It’s gonna happen from time to time just by percentages and times you throw, (but) overall it’s got to improve.”