The New York Jets host the Buffalo Bills this week in their second consecutive home game to start the 2025 NFL season. Last week, they hung tough against old friend Aaron Rodgers and his new team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, before dropping a hard-fought 34-32 contest. This week, they’re dealing with a Bills team that came back to beat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 in a wild game.
Buffalo has beaten the Jets in their last three meetings, last losing to them on opening night in the 2023 NFL season. The Jets,
though, have won two out of the last three meetings between these two teams at MetLife Stadium.
Can the Bills beat the Jets to go 2-0 on the season? Can they improve on their horrid run defense from last Sunday night? How will they be able to emerge victorious this weekend? Here are the five Jets players we think are the keys to Buffalo attaining those goals—and for the Jets to spoil them.
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QB Justin Fields
Fields had a great game last week in his Jets debut, completing 73% of his passes for 218 yards and a score. He also rushed for 48 yards and two more touchdowns. If that sounds like something that could give the Bills trouble, well, it’s because it could, as the Ravens and 2023 MVP Lamar Jackson were able to do similar things. Granted, Fields isn’t the passer Jackson is, especially when under pressure, but he is a phenomenal weapon with his legs, and he throws a good ball when he has time to let it go.
The Bills will have to be much more disciplined in their read-option defense, as the edges were horrible for much of the night last Sunday. They’ll also need to vary their looks and send some pressure from different angles to keep Fields uncomfortable. Otherwise, we could see some familiarly frustrating drives from a Bills’ opponent this week.
RB Braelon Allen
Breece Hall is the starter, and he is both explosive and tough. He rushed for 107 yards last week, and he’s had plenty of success against Buffalo in his career (48 carries for 308 yards in four games). However, I’m going with the bruiser in Allen as the player to watch this week due in part to the Bills’ struggles last weekend with the powerful Derrick Henry.
Is Braelon Allen Derrick Henry? No. Allen isn’t nearly as talented as a future Hall of Fame player. However, it’s that size that worries me, especially if the Bills crash and sell out on keeping Fields from running in formations where Allen is on the field. If he’s running against a nickel defense, his eyes will light up once he makes it to the secondary. The Bills need to keep the Jets ground game from taking off this week, and stopping the three-headed monster of Fields, Hall, and Allen is essential to victory.
WR Garrett Wilson
This guy is just flat-out good. Buffalo’s defensive backfield is still a little bit of a hot mess, as neither safety played well last week, and top corner Christian Benford performed poorly perhaps for the first time in his career. Rookie Dorian Strong held his own, but if veteran Tre’Davious White is healthy, who knows what the team will do at CB2.
Wilson has killed the Bills over his career, with 36 catches for 386 yards and three touchdowns in his six games against Buffalo. No matter what the coverage or who is on him, the Bills need to know where No. 5 is at all times. Shutting him down, or at least slowing him down, will be a key part of coming out with a win on Sunday.
EDGE Will McDonald IV
The former first-round pick had a big day against his former teammate last week, sacking Aaron Rodgers twice in the Jets’ loss. Josh Allen was only sacked once for Buffalo last week, and that’s a trend the Bills would like to continue. Whether Buffalo’s using a sixth offensive lineman in Alec Anderson, a blocking tight end in Jackson Hawes, or a chip with a running back, they’ll need to give offensive tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown some help.
McDonald is a dynamic edge rusher who can blow up a game plan by himself. When paired with a stud defensive tackle like Quinnen Williams, it’s a recipe for some offensive coordinator indigestion. Buffalo’s offensive line needs to be up to the task, but offensive coordinator Joe Brady needs to be smart in how he handles that superb pass-rusher, as well.
DL Harrison Phillips
Hello, old friend! With so many strong players on defense, it’s hard to decide between Quinnen Williams, Quincy Williams, Sauce Gardner, or some of the other top-end starters on a quality Jets stop unit. So, why not watch a guy who began his professional career with the Bills, playing with Sean McDermott’s squad from 2018-2021.
Phillips totaled 107 tackles and 1.5 sacks in that span, and I’m sure he’d love to put a hit on his 2018 Draft classmate Josh Allen this weekend. With all the attention Buffalo is sure to pay to Quinnen Williams and Will McDonald up front, it’s possible that Phillips could benefit from one-on-one opportunities.
