Bills vs. Jets: What Are Experts Saying About Buffalo?

The Buffalo Bills are looking to string together back-to-back wins after stealing one from the Minnesota Vikings (seriously, 4th-and-20?!) in Week 7.

Now, the Bills head to MetLife Stadium to take on the New York (New Jersey) Jets. The Jets are 1-6, but their defense has kept them in most of their games, and it is good enough to beat the Bills this Sunday.

This will by no means be an easy game for the Bills, and if they play like they have the past two weeks, the Jets will snap their six-game losing streak. If the Bills want to stay competitive in the division and the playoff race, this is a game they need to win.

So what do those who eat, sleep and breathe football expect from this game? Let's take a look at what some of the national experts think will happen when the Bills and Jets face off for the first of two times this season.

Odds Shark Favors Jets at Home

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

That's right: The 1-6 Jets are laying 2.5 points at home to the 4-3 Bills, according to Odds Shark. The site is also saying 56 percent of the bets received are on the home team.

At first glance, this line seems ludicrous. The Jets are 1-6. Their only win was a five-point home victory against the hapless Raiders. 

But the Bills have lost four straight on the road against the Jets. And against Buffalo's struggling offensive line, the talented Jets defensive front can make life very difficult for Kyle Orton. And without Fred Jackson or C.J. Spiller, more of the offensive load is going to fall on Orton's shoulders and right arm.

Another factor that favors the Jets is the fact they are rested. They haven't played since last Thursday, so they have had plenty of time to prepare for Buffalo. In addition, the Jets were a blocked field goal away from beating New England, whereas the Bills needed a miracle 4th-and-20 conversion and a touchdown from Sammy Watkins at the last second to beat the Vikings.

On paper, this is a game the Bills should win. But they don't play the games on paper. For the Bills to win, they need to protect Orton and the football. If the Jets defense is constantly in Orton's face or the Bills keep committing bad penalties, they will head to the bye at .500.

Jay Skurski: Bills Can "Get Enough" from Dixon and Brown

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Sunday will be the Bills' first game without Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, so what the running game will look like is a major question mark.

It's a tough spot for Boobie Dixon and Bryce Brown to become the featured backs, as the Jets have one of the best run defenses in the NFL. In fact, they rank in the top 10 in most rushing defense categories. So with the offensive line struggling for the Bills, it will be difficult to get the ground game going.

Jay Skurski, Vic Carucci and Jerry Sullivan previewed this game for The Buffalo News. Skurski said Dixon and Brown will provide enough to keep the Jets, and subsequent opponents, honest enough to not just load up against the pass.

Skurski (who looks like he needs a coat) said Brown is a talented player and can do some of the same things Spiller can do. Spiller had been struggling, but that had at least a little to do with the Bills offensive line.

But the Bills appear to be making a change up front, as Skurski expects them to go back to Kraig Urbik at left guard. He added Urbik probably won't be much of an upgrade since there was a reason he wasn't the starter to begin with, but Urbik can't be much worse.

The Bills have to get at least some semblance of a run game to move the ball effectively. Of course, they should look to throw more against the depleted Jets secondary, but they can't abandon the run altogether. 

NFL Live Likes the Jets

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In their predictions for ESPN's NFL Live, both Mark Schlereth and Brian Dawkins went with the Jets.

Schlereth started off by saying he expects the Jets to go with the "ground-and-pound" game and control the line of scrimmage. But perhaps he hasn't noticed that the Bills are third in yards per rush allowed and fourth in yards per game.

If the Jets run all over the Bills, it will be an aberration. The Jets' best bet is to attack the Bills through the air and try to get Percy Harvin the ball in space. He is the X-factor in the game because we don't know how the Jets will use him and he is capable of shredding a defense on any given play.

Then Dawkins gave his opinion and said there is going to be too much pressure on Kyle Orton without C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. He went on to say the Jets pressure will likely create an interception or two. That's not totally unreasonable, as Orton has thrown a pick in each of his three starts. 

Schlereth and Dawkins aren't totally out of bounds with their predictions, but they aren't giving the Bills defense enough credit. And if you want to talk interceptions, only two players have more than Geno Smith's seven.

The Jets defense can certainly win this game, but the Bills defense can easily do the same. It would be a surprise if the winning team eclipses 20 points in this one.

Jay Skurski Emphasizes Protecting Orton

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Besides his video preview, Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News also provided a scouting report for this Week 8 contest.

His top priority? Protect Kyle Orton. And he is right on point. Skurski said it was understood that the Bills would lose mobility at quarterback after the switch from EJ Manuel to Orton. It has shown so far.

Per Skurski, Orton has been sacked 13 times in three games, compared to six sacks on Manuel in four games. They were behind the same offensive line, but Manuel has the athleticism to escape the pocket.

Orton has no such athleticism. He's essentially a statue in the pocket, and Rex Ryan knows how to bring pressure from countless areas. The Bills offensive line has had trouble with stunting defensive linemen, so expect Ryan to come up with some exotic ways to get his defenders in Orton's face.

If teammates are constantly picking Orton up off the turf, the Bills will have little chance to win. What's the best way to keep Orton upright? Throw quicker passes. Grantland scribe Robert Mays called Sammy Watkins "cornerback-destroying," and Watkins should be able to have his way with the Jets corners.

If the Bills call slants, crosses and screens for Watkins, Robert Woods and Scott Chandler (maybe don't throw him a screen), it will help Orton get the ball out quicker and neutralize the Jets pass rush. But as Skurski warned, the Bills can't get one-dimensional. They still need to have some balance on offense.

Pat Kirwan: "Get Another 200 Yards Rushing"

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

It's no wonder over half the bets at Odds Shark have been on the Jets. Everyone in the national media seems to be picking them.

Pete Prisco and Pat Kirwan both picked New York for CBS Sports. When Kirwan was outlining how the Jets can get it done, he said they need to "get another 200 yards rushing" like they did against the Patriots. That will be a tall order since the Bills have only allowed 100 rushing yards once this season, and that was last week because of a surprising number of missed tackles.

Kirwan also mentioned that turnovers will be a factor, and that could be what ultimately decides the game. He said the Jets have a minus-nine turnover differential. But the Bills have seven turnovers over their last two games, and if they have trouble protecting the ball again, the Jets will win.

If the Bills want to make a playoff push, this is a game they need to win. There is a big difference between 5-3 and 4-4, especially when it comes to the team's mindset heading into the bye. With games against the Chiefs, Broncos, Packers and Patriots still looming, the Bills need all the wins they can get before the schedule gets tougher.

Considering the way the Bills have played lately, it's unreasonable to expect them to sashay out of MetLife Stadium with an easy win. But if they can limit their turnovers and continue to play good defense, they should grind out another close one and head into their week off on a high note.