Lead writer Nick St. Denis and AFC East Daily contributors Dan Begnoche, Sean Donovan and Sam Hollingsworth pick the first AFC East bout of the season -- the Buffalo Bills at the New York Jets.
The Jets have won their last five meetings with the Bills. They keep that streak alive. The Jets' defense will be as good or better than it's been the last couple years, and I think their multiple front and top-notch secondary gets the best of Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Gang Green's offense obviously has its issues, but so does the Bills'. Buffalo's bolstered defense will be good, but it's not at New York's level, yet.
Nick's take:
The Jets have won their last five meetings with the Bills. They keep that streak alive. The Jets' defense will be as good or better than it's been the last couple years, and I think their multiple front and top-notch secondary gets the best of Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Gang Green's offense obviously has its issues, but so does the Bills'. Buffalo's bolstered defense will be good, but it's not at New York's level, yet.
Prediction: Jets 20, Bills 10.
Dan's take:
Both teams come in with a lot to prove after this offseason, but the Bills seem to be closer to midseason form than the Jets at this point. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez's consistency seems to still be in question, now compounded with protection issues on the offensive line. Buffalo's line will need to show it can last a full hour as well, as this game may turn into who can break the other's defense first.
Sean's take:
After an offseason rife with media-manufactured intrigue, the reimagined Jets offense finally steps on the field for plays that actually count. They go up against a Bills defense that also went through an offseason makeover, and has its own small share of preseason hype. This matchup will come down to which quarterback, Sanchez or Fitzpatrick, makes the best decisions and limits turnovers. Fitzpatrick gets a slight edge.
After an offseason rife with media-manufactured intrigue, the reimagined Jets offense finally steps on the field for plays that actually count. They go up against a Bills defense that also went through an offseason makeover, and has its own small share of preseason hype. This matchup will come down to which quarterback, Sanchez or Fitzpatrick, makes the best decisions and limits turnovers. Fitzpatrick gets a slight edge.
Prediction: Bills 21, Jets 20
Sam's take:
The Jets were more or less the laughingstock of the league this offseason, and the only way to stop the abundance of scrutiny from spilling into the regular season is to win ball games. They’ll start with division-rival Buffalo in a hard-fought game that will come down to the wire. Here’s to hoping the replacement refs have little to do with the actual outcome of the game.
The Jets were more or less the laughingstock of the league this offseason, and the only way to stop the abundance of scrutiny from spilling into the regular season is to win ball games. They’ll start with division-rival Buffalo in a hard-fought game that will come down to the wire. Here’s to hoping the replacement refs have little to do with the actual outcome of the game.
Prediction: Jets 20, Bills 14
