1. Run and gun
Even though the Bills have experienced a couple of losses the past two weeks, Josh Allen's touchdown production hasn't suffered all that much. The Bills QB had two more touchdown tosses last week.
Allen became the 10th player in the Super Bowl era to post 1,800 or more offensive yards and 18 or more offensive touchdowns in his team's first six games according to NFL Media research. The offensive captain has 19 thus far (16 passing, 3 rushing)
With a single passing touchdown against the Jets, Allen will set a new franchise mark for touchdown passes in the first seven games of the season with 17.
But Allen is less concerned with his passing marks and more concerned about ending their two-game losing streak.
"We're not going to let the last couple of weeks put us in the tank," said Allen. "We're a resilient group and we're going to keep grinding and getting better. We're looking forward to Sunday and putting our best foot forward and try to win the game."
If Allen posts a rushing and a passing touchdown Sunday against the Jets, he'll set another team record for most games with at least one rushing and one passing touchdown, moving ahead of previous record holder Jack Kemp (13).
2. Escape from New York
For the winless Jets, they've not only lost games, they've lost some of their better players to demands for a trade and opt outs. Before the season, starting MLB C.J. Mosley and WR Josh Doctson opted out.
Then S Jamal Adams was traded to Seattle with S Bradley McDougald coming back to New York in the deal.
Last week they released Le'Veon Bell as the club decided to end a working relationship that had not proven to be all that fruitful.
This week they traded talented veteran DT Steve McClendon to Tampa Bay and OLB Jordan Willis to San Francisco. Those trades only brought draft choices back in return.
3. A post-Le'Veon backfield
The Jets have turned to the youth in their offensive backfield in the wake of moving Le'Veon Bell off the roster. Former Bills RB Frank Gore is the veteran of the group, but head coach Adam Gase has stated that it's his intention to get rookie fourth-round pick La'Michael Perine more work going forward.
Evidence of that came in last week's game against the Dolphins. Although Gore had more carries and receptions in the game, Perine got more snaps on offense than his veteran counterpart.
"Gore is a tough, straight-ahead runner, but Perine is a guy the Jets like a lot," said Eric Allen of newyorkjets.com. "He cannot only run it, but is an adept receiver out of the backfield. I think his workload will continue to increase for Perine. The Jets think that he has the explosive factor that Gore does not have. And their change of pace back Ty Johnson is another sub 4.4 guy who played for the Detroit Lions last year. He'll see his workload increase too."
4. Still Digging
Bills receiver Stefon Diggs remains atop the AFC in both receiving yards and receptions this week with 55 yards and 42 catches respectively.
He also has three 100-yard receiving games over the first six weeks and is currently on pace to post single-season career highs in receptions and receiving yards. If he manages to reach the century mark again on Sunday against the Jets, Diggs will become just the fourth Bills player in team annals to rack up four 100-yard receiving days in his team's first seven games (Frank Lewis-1981, Andre Reed-1989, Eric Moulds-2000).
A fourth 100-yard receiving day would also give him the most three-digit receiving days in a season (4) since Sammy Watkins had five such performances in 2015.
5. Jets skill positions a healthier bunch
When the Bills faced the Jets in Week 1, New York was not a healthy roster. Second-round wide receiver Denzel Mims was on I-R and they were missing inside linebacker Avery Williamson. Their injury list only expanded in the weeks that followed with WR Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder also dealing with injuries.
However, NYJets.com senior reporter Eric Allen, in an appearance on ‘One Bills Live’ this week explained how New York's offensive unit is getting healthier and could have all their pieces in place on Sunday.
"They're getting healthier. Sam Darnold has not had his receiving corps on the field at all. Denzel Mims the second-round pick out of Baylor hasn't played in a game yet. Breshad Perriman came back last week against the Dolphins and had four catches for 62 yards. Denzel Mims and Breshad Perriman are both big targets with wide catch radiuses and are both sub 4.4 guys. So Darnold, provided he plays, will have more speed around him. This week could be the first time where the Jets would have Denzel Mims and Breshad Perriman outside and Jamison Crowder in the slot all on the field together this season."
As for Darnold he's been practicing on a limited basis this week after missing the last two games with a throwing shoulder injury. The Jets would like to have Darnold in the lineup knowing he has the mobility to make plays off script in comparison to his backup Joe Flacco.
"Each of them can make any throw, but the difference with Darnold is he can improvise and make a lot more plays outside the pocket," Allen said. "Joe Flacco you know where he's going to be. He's going to be in the pocket. If things collapse around Sam Darnold he's able to get outside and he's comfortable tucking it and he's pretty accurate when he is on the move."
Darnold has practiced on a limited basis, but looked good, and although Jamison Crowder has a groin injury, it's considered minor.
6. Another rung up the ladder
Bills head coach Sean McDermott has posted winning records in two of his first three seasons with the club. Now off to a 4-2 start, Buffalo's sideline boss has a chance to move up the franchise's all-time coaching wins list.
If Buffalo emerges victorious from their game with the Jets on Sunday, McDermott will move into fourth place on the team's all-time coaching wins list with the 30th in his Bills tenure.
A win Sunday would move him past Wade Phillips, who posted 29 victories in three seasons as head coach.
