Buffalo Bills Underdogs At Home Against New York Jets

NFL News - November 30th, 2009 - Written by John

Both the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets had high divisional hopes after making headlines during the offseason, but now they find themselves simply playing for pride with five weeks left in the season, and playoff hopes seemingly forgotten.

They meet on Thursday night, where NFL Betting lines show the Jets with a 2 1/2-point edge on the road over Buffalo, according to BetUS. The Bills beat New York in their first meeting in Week Six, 16-13, in overtime.

Both teams made waves by making off-season acquisitions that seemed to position themselves to make a charge against the New England Patriots. The Bills inked wideout Terrell Owens and the Jets hired Rex Ryan to be head coach, then drafted Mark Sanchez in the first round. All three have disappointed so far. Owens was hobbled by a foot injury for several weeks, Ryan was publicly ridiculed for crying in a team conference, and Sanchez is fourth in the league in interceptions with 17.

But both are coming off good weeks in which Buffalo beat Miami, 31-14, and New York dominated the Carolina Panthers, 17-6.

Buffalo has been a takeaway machine on defense, though, leading the NFL with 21 interceptions, including a league-leading eight by cornerback Jairus Byrd.

New York only has 11, but has the 3rd-rated total defense.
Owens had 97 yards and a touchdown in the win, and now has 293 yards and two scores in the last two games. And if not for a late-inning drive by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11, interim head coach Perry Fewell would be 2-0 in his first two games leading the Bills.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for 543 yards and two touchdowns in the last two games after being selected by Fewell to be the starter. Fewell also went with Fred Jackson as the starting tailback instead of Marshawn Lynch, and Jackson racked up 116 total yards and two scores.

For the New York Jets, it was simply nice to see Sanchez manage the game and allow the defense take over. Darrelle Revis had a 67-yard interception return that turned out to be the difference, and the Panthers only gained 179 total yards with four turnovers. Sanchez was picked once, but it didn't cost him and he completed over 75-percent of his passes for the first time in his career.

The teams have split the season series in four of the last six seasons. The only exceptions were a Buffalo sweep in '07, and a Jets sweep in '08.