Bills fans will have one eye on Las Vegas and the other on Foxborough this Sunday.
Buffalo’s own game against the Raiders doesn’t kick off until 4:25 p.m. EST, but the 1 p.m. matchup between the Jets and Patriots carries real interest for the Bills as they head into their bye week.
At 4-1, Buffalo sits atop the AFC East. New England is right behind at 3-2, with the Jets at 2-3 and the Dolphins bringing up the rear at 0-5.
That’s why a Jets win would land nicely for Buffalo.
The Bills’ only loss this season came against the Patriots, which matters because New England would hold the tiebreaker if the two teams were to finish with the same record before their Week 13 meeting in December. If the Jets can pull the upset in Foxborough, they would move ahead of the Patriots in the division and take that tiebreaker away from them. And yes, there’s also the small matter of the Jets beating the Patriots in Foxborough, which never gets old for the rest of the division.
The alternative is a lot less appealing for Buffalo. If New England handles the Jets and the Bills stumble against Las Vegas, the Patriots would grab control of the division heading into Buffalo’s bye week, just as happened last season.
The hope for Jets fans is there, but the recent history is ugly. Since the 2016 season, the Patriots are 18-2 against the Jets, and 11 of those wins have come by at least two scores, according to Pro Football Reference.
New England’s offense has also been far more productive, ranking eighth in total yards at 372.4 per game, while the Jets sit 26th at 284. On the other side of the ball, the teams are nearly neck and neck: the Jets rank fourth in defense, and the Patriots are fifth.
So while Buffalo takes care of its own business out west, the scoreboard in Foxborough could make life a little more comfortable for the Bills going into Week 7.
In Other News...
Bills Mock Draft Outlook Highlights A Defensive Need Fans Know Too Well
The Bills enter Week 6 at 4-1 and still look like one of the AFCs most complete teams on offense, with Josh Allen driving the show as they get ready for the Raiders. The defense, though, remains the familiar concern, sitting near the bottom of the league in several areas and keeping the conversation centered on whether Buffalo will use the draft to reinforce that side of the ball.
One recent mock draft points in that direction, linking Buffalo to Notre Dame safety Brauntae Johnson with the No. 29 pick. It is only a projection at this stage, but it underscores how often the Bills are being tied to help in the secondary as the season unfolds and the front office weighs where the biggest long-term fix might be. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Passing Game Hinges On D.J. Moores Uncertain Return
D.J. Moores availability has become one of the more important subplots for Buffalo as it prepares for the Raiders, because the Bills have not gotten much from him since the shoulder injury slowed him down. Moore missed Week 5 with an AC joint issue, which snapped a streak of more than 90 straight games played, and his limited workload this season has already changed how people are viewing his role in the passing game.
The encouraging sign for Buffalo is that Moore was back on the practice field Friday, but the uncertainty remains very real. He is listed as questionable for Sunday, and even the betting markets have been adjusting around the possibility that he either suits up at less than full strength or remains hard to count on, leaving the Bills waiting to see how much of their passing plan they can actually build around him. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Injury Decisions Just Reshaped This Raiders Matchup
Buffalo went into its Week 6 matchup with Las Vegas carrying a long injury report, with 15 players listed and five of them tagged questionable. Even with some key absences looming, the Bills did not bring up any practice squad reinforcements, leaving the roster picture to sort itself out on game day.
The final inactive list included D.J. Moore and Ed Oliver, a combination that changes the feel of this matchup on both sides of the ball. There was better news elsewhere, though, as Joshua Palmer and Dee Alford were back on the active roster, giving Buffalo a couple of available pieces as it tried to manage the fallout from an injury-heavy week. [Read more 🡒]