Dion Dawkins isn’t trying to soften the edges of this AFC East matchup. With the Buffalo Bills set to face the New York Jets on Sunday, the veteran left tackle made it plain that this one carries extra weight for him.
“I take it personal when I play the Jets,” Dawkins said, via Terrin Waack.
That kind of sentiment fits the history. Dawkins, a second-round pick in 2017, has spent his entire career in Buffalo and has been part of plenty of Bills-Jets battles along the way. One of the most heated came in November 2023, when Dawkins and Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons got into an exchange that carried into the tunnel after the game, with players needing to separate them.
A few months later, Dawkins was even more direct when asked about that moment.
“Imma just keep it a buck. I hate [the Jets’ players]. All of them,” Dawkins said on VladTV at the time.
He didn’t stop there, either, taking a shot at what he saw as the Jets’ focus: “Those are a bunch of dudes who want to take pictures on Instagram…that’s wack. I play [football] because I die by it.”
The Bills come into this meeting in strong shape. They’ve won seven of their first eight games under head coach Joe Brady and are coming off a 23-6 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. New York, by contrast, is 2-7 and sitting near the bottom of the AFC.
Buffalo’s offensive line is also worth watching. Dawkins sat out Monday’s win over the Vikings because of a rib injury and was limited in practice this week. Spencer Brown, Alec Anderson and Connor McGovern were also limited.
If Dawkins is cleared to play, the Bills should expect plenty of edge from him at MetLife Stadium. These teams will see each other again in the regular-season finale in Buffalo.
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Bills Suddenly Have A Josh Allen Protection Concern Against The Jets
The Bills are heading into their matchup with the Jets with some familiar names on the practice report, but the biggest concern sits on the edge of the offensive line. Dion Dawkins, Alec Anderson and Connor McGovern remained limited in practice and are still expected to suit up, which at least gives Buffalo some stability as it tries to keep Josh Allen upright in a division game that rarely comes easy.
Spencer Brown is the more pressing question after not practicing Thursday because of the ankle injury he picked up in the previous game. His availability for Sunday is uncertain, and if he cannot go, Tylan Grable could be the next man up at right tackle. For a Bills offense built around Allen extending plays, the protection picture could matter just as much as the game plan itself. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Have One Remaining Game That Could Reshape The AFC Race
The stretch run in the AFC is starting to take shape, and the Bills are right in the middle of it with one game left on the schedule that could still alter the conference picture. Around the league, the coming weeks are loaded with matchups that matter for playoff seeding and division races, from the Chiefs and Bengals to the Jaguars and other contenders trying to hold position.
For Buffalo, the focus is less on the broader NFL board and more on how one final opportunity could ripple through the AFC race. The Bills have spent the season navigating a crowded field, and with other contenders also facing consequential games, their last chance to influence the bracket carries extra weight even before the rest of the results come in. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Passing Game Faces A Week 10 Problem Fans Will Notice
Week 10 brings another reminder that the Bills passing game is never just about Josh Allen and the big names on the outside. This slate is shaping up as one where slot usage could matter just as much as the usual boundary work, and the matchup landscape around the league is starting to separate the teams that can feed their inside targets from the ones that will have to work harder for every catch.
For Buffalo, the wider point is easy to see in a week built around receiver matchups: some defenses are inviting production in the slot, while others have been far less forgiving. The Saints, Bengals and Chiefs all stand out in different ways in that discussion, and the Bills will be watching closely because those kinds of coverage splits can quietly shape how efficient the entire passing game looks on Sunday. [Read more 🡒]