5 Bold Predictions for the New York Jets' Week 12 Matchup

The New York Jets are coming off of one of their best weeks of the season, and it was their bye. 

That's how bad things have gone for Rex Ryan and Co. in 2014. 

The team currently sits at 2-8 and six games behind the Patriots in the AFC East. Its playoff aspirations are all but dead, and an offseason fire sale may be in the works. 

However, coming off of its finest performance of the season, the Jets have a chance to move up the standings in the final stretch of the season, as they face a string of beatable opponents. 

First up is the Buffalo Bills, who handed New York its most embarrassing loss of the season, a 43-23 blowout in which Geno Smith and Michael Vick combined for a half-dozen turnovers. 

Click through for five bold predictions for Sunday's divisional affair in Buffalo.

The Snow Plays a Major Factor

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If you didn't hear by now, Buffalo is covered in snow. 

Literally. 

Buffalo is currently covered in five feet of snow, and more is expected later in the week, per ABC News. 

No one can move about the city. All public transportation has been shut down, and people are all but confined to their homes. 

The Bills couldn't even practice on Wednesday because of the conditions, per Brian Costello of the New York Post.

The weather conditions are so extreme that there are talks of moving the game to a later date in order to clean up the snow in and around Ralph Wilson Stadium, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. 

Either way, expect the snow to play a major role in this weekend's game, and right now, it's giving the away team the major advantage.

Fred Jackson Emerges as a Major Thorn in New York's Side

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Fred Jackson has played just one game in the past month because of a groin injury, but he's expected to be at full health against Gang Green, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.

Jackson even missed the Bills' rout of the Jets back in October. 

However, the 33-year-old was one of the most productive running backs in the league prior to getting hurt, and he provides a serious challenge to New York's defensive front. 

Jackson runs hard and possesses terrific vision, but his biggest strength is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. 

The Coe College product has 37 catches and 300 receiving yards in eight games, and he has had multiple receptions in every game he's played this season. 

New York has struggled with pass-catching backs in recent seasons, and with the weather conditions expected to be a major factor, Kyle Orton may look to Jackson even more than usual. 

Expect the veteran running back to be the key part of Buffalo's offense on Sunday.

Michael Vick Runs Wild

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Michael Vick doesn't possess the speed or elusiveness of his younger self, but he can still burn defenses with his legs on any given Sunday. 

The 34-year-old signal-caller tallied 126 rushing yards in the past three games, and he's averaged a superb 6.2 yards per carry this season. 

All signs point to Vick having his biggest rushing game of the season this weekend. 

The conditions almost guarantee a run-heavy offense from the Jets as they look to avoid turnovers and killer mistakes.

Against a strong Bills front, however, inside rushes may prove to be ineffective. That means Vick could have his share of scrambles and even designed runs. 

Buffalo has also been vulnerable to mobile quarterbacks in recent weeks. Alex Smith and Ryan Tannehill combined for 41 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries, and Vick himself ran for 69 yards on eight rushes in three quarters against the Bills. 

The Virginia Tech product could be in for his most electrifying performance in years on Sunday.

There Won't Be More Than 40 Points Scored

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Last time these two teams played, they combined for 66 points. 

However, that's not very indicative of the kind of games the two AFC East rivals play. 

The Bills and Jets are similar in many ways. Both teams benched young, sophomore quarterbacks for veterans. Both pride themselves on solid ground games and even better run defense, and both usually win tight, low-scoring affairs. 

In fact, Buffalo has averaged just 20 points per game this year, while New York has averaged a measly 17.4. 

Add in the crazy conditions, and it'd be surprising if either team exceeded 20 points. 

Expect the game to be a hard-fought contest decided by field goals and the success of each offense's rushing attack. 

Don't be surprised if the winning team fails to even score multiple touchdowns.

The Jets Will Get Their Third Win of the Season

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The Bills are 5-5 and still in a position to make a playoff push, and they beat down the Jets at MetLife Stadium back in October. 

However, Buffalo isn't a much better team than New York. It, too, has flaws throughout its roster, and its quarterback position is anything but settled. 

The Bills have also seen their performance drop off a cliff in the past two weeks, and Wednesday's missed practice could undermine their preparation for Sunday's game. 

The Jets, on the other hand, are coming off of both their best game of the season and a bye week. Michael Vick has avoided turnovers to date, and the weather conditions should mask the team's biggest flaw, the secondary. 

Rex Ryan's troops won't roll into Buffalo and ease into a victory, but they should be able to squeeze out a win if they play smart, hard-nosed football for 60 minutes.