Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets: Full Week 8 Preview for New York
The New York Jets have lost six straight games, sit in last place in the AFC East and are coming off a heartbreaking loss to their biggest rival, but energy has been re-instilled in the team.
After months of inactivity, John Idzik made one of the biggest midseason trades in recent history late last week, acquiring Percy Harvin from the Seattle Seahawks.
Harvin comes with some question marks, but he will undoubtedly add a new dimension to the offense and keep hope in the locker room, at least for now.
In addition, the Jets have their most winnable game in weeks on Sunday. The Buffalo Bills enter the contest with a respectable 4-3 record, but they are far from a contender in the AFC East.
Click through to see a full analysis and preview, as well as a final score prediction, for the Week 8 game.
Jets' Week 7 Recap
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The Jets couldn't have come closer to a victory on Thursday night, but they ended up dropping their sixth straight game after a devastating blocked field goal in the final seconds.
Gang Green outplayed the New England Patriots for the majority of the contest, dominating the line of scrimmage through strong offensive line play and an unstoppable running game. The offense held the ball for over 40 minutes and seemed to put together a solid drive every time it had the ball.
However, the unit couldn't convert in the red zone, and that ended up being the deciding factor.
New England was held in check for most of the night, but it made the plays when it needed to, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
New York outplayed and outcoached Bill Belichick and Co., but it still ended up settling for a tight, hard-fought loss.
It was certainly a moral victory, but it's hard to take those in stride when you're looking down the barrel of a lost season.
News and Notes
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Welcome to the Big Apple, Percy!
After a year-and-a-half of futility (apart from a return touchdown in the Super Bowl), Harvin was shipped out of Seattle for just a late conditional pick.
Harvin has yet to produce a 1,000-yard season in his career, and his thuggish off-field behavior is well-documented, but he's undoubtedly one of the most explosive and dangerous players in the league with the ball in his hands.
The Jets didn't have to give up much to get the Florida product, and he adds another weapon for Geno Smith and a terrific returner on special teams.
The Harvin trade could end up being a terrific move or a waste of another draft pick, but the reward far outweighs the risk.
Rex Acknowledges Calvin Pryor's Struggles
Rex Ryan isn't usually one to call out his players publicly, but he did exactly that this week with Calvin Pryor.
Pryor, the team's first-round pick this offseason, has had a disappointing start to the season, as he's struggled in coverage and missed a boatload of open-field tackles.
Ryan told reporters that Pryor "hasn't had the impact" he and the front office had expected in the offseason, per Rich Cimini of ESPN New York.
Ryan did say that most of Pryor's struggles could be accredited to the defensive scheme, but there's no doubt the head coach wants more from the talented rookie.
New York drafted the Louisville product to be the team's enforcer in the back end, but he hasn't become that thus far.
Jeremy Kerley Gets Paid, but Where's the Production?
Just a few days after trading for Harvin, the Jets locked up another wideout in Jeremy Kerley.
New York signed Kerley to a four-year extension worth $16 million, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via NFL.com's Conor Orr).
The TCU product is a talented player who has the ability to be a consistent force on offense, but he's had perhaps his worst season to date this year.
The 25-year-old has just 22 catches for 201 yards through seven games, and he's been held below 30 yards in all but two contests.
Kerley needs to begin producing now that he's being paid like a legitimate receiving option.
Injury Report
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| Player | Injury | Status |
| Greg Salas | Wrist, Ankle | Doubtful |
| Willie Colon | Knee | Questionable |
| Chris Johnson | Ankle | Probable |
| Eric Decker | Hamstring | Questionable |
| David Harris | Shoulder | Questionable |
| Nick Mangold | Shoulder | Probable |
| Trevor Reilly | Knee | Doubtful |
| Darrin Walls | Knee | Probable |
| Antwan Barnes | Knee | Probable |
| Bilal Powell | Foot | Probable |
| Oday Aboushi | Shoulder | Questionable |
| Philip Adams | Groin | Questionable |
*Injury report courtesy of the official website of the New York Jets
The Jets won't be missing any key players for the second straight week, with the exception of the players already on injured reserve.
Injuries were a huge problem early in the season for New York, but the roster's gotten surprisingly healthier as the weeks have gone along.
However, wide receiver Greg Salas and linebacker Trevor Reilly are both unlikely to play on Sunday, per Rich Cimini of ESPN New York.
Reilly hasn't done much this season, but Salas is a speedster who's capable of making some big plays. However, the addition of Harvin should minimize his role.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Breno Giacomini vs. Mario Williams
Giacomini has had an up-and-down first seven games in Gang Green, but he'll have to bring his A-game on Sunday.
The Super Bowl champion tackle will be matched up with Mario Williams, one of the most dangerous pass-rushers in all of football.
Williams has 82 career sacks, including 29 in two-and-a-half seasons with the Bills. His combination of size, strength and pass-rushing moves is almost impossible for opposing offensive linemen to handle.
Giacomini has to at least contain the perennial Pro Bowler, or Geno Smith may spend the majority of Sunday's game running for his life.
Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson vs. Bills Front Seven
After a couple down weeks, the running game went wild against New England last Thursday, rushing for 218 yards.
However, the Jets backfield will face a much greater challenge this weekend against a Bills front seven that ranks fourth in the NFL in run defense.
Buffalo allows just over 80 yards a game on the ground, and it boasts some of the best run-stoppers in the game in Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus and Brandon Spikes.
Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson need to have another solid outing to keep the pressure off Geno Smith, but it could be an uphill battle, especially if the offensive line struggles.
Darrin Walls vs. Sammy Watkins
The Jets' cornerback situation is so dire that Darrin Walls is probably the team's most trusted cover man.
Walls has had his struggles, but he's probably been Gang Green's most consistent cornerback this season.
Walls will face one of his toughest matchups to date on Sunday in Sammy Watkins.
Watkins, the fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft, is the most prized rookie receiver since A.J. Green.
The Clemson product has the size, speed, elusiveness and hands to burn any defensive back, and he's already off to a tremendous start, catching 35 passes for 433 yards and four touchdowns in his first seven games.
Walls could be in for a long day if Kyle Orton and Watkins connect early.
Jets' X-Factor of the Week: Percy Harvin
Who else could be New York's X-factor?
Harvin's capable of turning a game on its head any time he touches the ball, even if his role in the offense is far from set.
Expect the Jets to get Harvin involved in a variety of ways, including screen passes, reverses and, of course, the jet sweep.
It's very possible that the explosive wide receiver does absolutely nothing on Sunday, but it's just as likely that he has one or two game-changing plays.
Prediction
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It's probably too little, too late, but the Jets will finally end their losing streak on Sunday.
The Bills may be 4-3, but they're far from being playoff contenders. Kyle Orton is mistake-prone, C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson are both sidelined, and the secondary has been inconsistent.
Gang Green, on the other hand, is fully healthy, and Geno Smith and the running game have improved drastically in recent weeks. The defensive front continues to be disruptive, and the secondary hasn't been awful in the last couple games.
Expect the Jets to control the trenches and the pace of the game, as Geno Smith avoids committing costly turnovers and the defensive front rattles Kyle Orton.
It will still be a close, hard-fought game, but Gang Green will emerge victorious for the first time since Week 1.
Jets 24, Bills 17
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