Getty Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen chatting up New York Jets QB Zach Wilson ahead of an NFL game.
So that explains how that came to fruition.
This past offseason the Buffalo Bills successfully lured superstar Von Miller during free agency. It was a monster six-year deal for $120 million and gave the eight-time Pro Bowler a chance to win another ring.
However, part of the recruiting pitch to get Miller to New York included a brutal shot at their AFC East rivals the New York Jets.
Kalyn Kahler wrote an article for The Athletic this week revealing the behind-the-scenes of Josh Allen’s recruiting pitch to Miller. Matt Barkley, the Bills’ backup quarterback, told Kahler that Allen sent a “three-line-text” to Miller during the free agency pitch:
“You get to play these guys six times a year,” Barkley said via The Athletic. “Have at it. Why would you not want to come? I don’t know if that sold him or not, but it was a heavy pitch.”
Oh my QB1 #BillsMafia
Zach Wilson Provided a Double Dip of Bad News for Jets
So not only did Zach Wilson perform poorly for the Jets getting benched multiple times, but the Bills decided to use that as a reference point to recruit a superstar to their team?
Good grief!
In 11 games Miller looked like the missing piece to the championship puzzle for the Bills. He recorded eight sacks, 12 quarterback hits, and a forced fumble.
On December 1 he was placed on injured reserve with what ended up being a torn ACL and was ruled out for the rest of the season.
Despite Allen’s recruiting efforts, ultimately the Jets got the last laugh beating the Bills on Sunday, November 6, and nearly beating them a second time on Sunday, December 11.
However, Wilson’s struggles have led many to question his future with the organization.
Jets Have a Moral Cookie to Take With Them Into 2023
After the loss to the Bills on December 11 head coach Robert Saleh emphatically stated that they will “see these guys again.”
Since the Jets are in the AFC East and only play the Bills twice during the regular season, Saleh was intimating that a third matchup in the playoffs would be coming later this season.
#Jets HC Robert Saleh ‘I think I speak for everyone in that we missed an opp (paused for several seconds) we’re going to see these guys again’ 👀 + @Connor_J_Hughes said what makes you say that? ‘I just think we are’ 😳: 🎥 @nyjets #TakeFlight #Bills #BillsMafia
That thought is still alive with two games remaining in the regular season. With a little help and the Jets taking care of business, there is a legitimate path to the playoffs.
Perhaps a third matchup between these two teams is written in the stars, but even if it isn’t, there is a moral cookie to take into next season.
The Jets traded blows with the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC twice and went 1-1.
Gang Green proved they can compete with the best the NFL has to offer and with a little more roster adjusting this offseason can take the next step in their development into a potential contender.
No one likes moral cookies, especially in December football with playoff implications on the line, but this can be a rallying cry this offseason.
Heading into the season the Jets were projected to be one of the worst teams in football. As we get closer to the end of the 2022 campaign, the Jets have rewritten their own destiny for the present and the future.