Rex Ryan’s past and future meet once again tonight, as the Jets travel to western New York and take on their former coach’s Bills.
Both teams are 0-1 and in need of a turnaround game, and the Jets especially would love to wipe away the bad memories of two losses to Ryan’s club last season, including a Week 17 22-17 loss that kept Gang Green out of the playoffs.
These are three keys for the Jets to right the ship.
Control the running game
The Bills tied Kansas City and Carolina for the most rushing touchdowns last season with 19 each, while the Jets defense gave up an NFL-lowest four scores on the ground. Their defense must continue to play assertively in order to stop the Bills’ running game. LeSean McCoy, who’s run for 1,000 yards four times in his career, will test the Jets all game long.
Keep the defense up
The Jets sacked Bengals QB Andy Dalton seven times during Sunday’s season opener. Defensive tackles Steve McLendon and Leonard Williams led with two sacks each. Since the Bills are known for their running game, the Jets must be ready to keep McCoy and Tyrod Taylor in check from start to finish.
Hold the lead
With both teams recovering from Week 1 losses, the stakes will be high for the two division rivals. The Jets lost to the Bengals after giving up a 47-yard field-goal in the last minute. They must be cool and collected down the stretch tonight in order to defeat Ryan’s squad.
