Sunday, November 17, 2013

Week 11 picks: Jets at Bills

Publisher Nick St. Denis and senior contributor Sean Donovan pick the divisional bout between the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.

Nick's take:
The Jets sacked Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel eight times when the teams met earlier this year, and their defensive rush hasn't slowed down much since. To make matters worse, Manuel will be without his top two wideouts and will rely on his offensive backfield to get it done against the NFL's best run defense. The silver lining for Buffalo is that its defense is much healthier now compared to the last time it faced Gang Green, and the Jets have been dismal on the road.
Prediction: Jets 24, Bills 17

Sean's take:
A bright, hopeful Bills season has darkened considerably after a 1-5 stretch. In week 11 they'll meet a team trending the opposite direction, as the visiting Jets will look to solidify their standing in the AFC playoff picture. To do that, they'll need to put the pressure on E.J. Manuel to beat them through the air and contain the Buffalo rushing attack. A strong outing by Geno Smith complements a dominant defensive performance and New York emerges with a win.
Prediction: Jets 28, Bills 13