There is always a buzz surrounding the first Monday Night Football game of the year. When it pits two division rivals deemed to be playoff and potential Super Bowl contenders the fervor can reach a whole new level.
New York fans have been whipped into a frenzy about the prospects for their team this season following the offseason acquisition of four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers. Not since the club's acquisition of Brett Favre in 2008 has the team felt they had a quarterback capable of leading them to a playoff berth and possible Super Bowl title.
"I think it's going to be an electric atmosphere Monday Night," said senior reporter for NYJets.com Eric Allen in an appearance on the ‘Bills by the Numbers’ podcast. "We're talking about a team that took steps forward last year that has one of the top rosters in the NFL. Then they add a surefire future Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers and you're pairing him up with a very good defense. Add into that equation a Buffalo Bills team that has owned the division for the last three seasons, I think it's going to be a wild scene."
New York fans can be loud and create a hostile environment just like any other fan base, but something changes when they believe they have a winner on their hands. They become even more eager to assist their team in making life miserable for their opponent.
"When New York has a team that they think is a winner, they are extremists," said Jets analyst for MSG, and former Jets safety Erik Coleman on ‘One Bills Live’ this past week. "They are behind their team to the 10th power. I've had people talking to me about this game for three weeks. The hype is there. Everyone in New York is really excited about the Jets this season. They haven't been to the playoffs in over 10 years, so it's the first time in a while where the fan base can think playoffs going into the season."
Many prognosticators even have the Jets winning the AFC East and dethroning the three-time division champion Bills, knowing the trouble that New York's defense gave Josh Allen and Buffalo's offense last season.
"They had a good team last year," said Stefon Diggs. "They didn't do anything but get better, especially defensively. I think it's another year in that system. They have an amazing head coach, you know what system he's coming from. I think last year they were top 5 in all categories, top three in all categories. They've got a hell of a defense."
"This Monday night game pits two of the top five NFL rosters against each other. That'll be who the Bills and Jets are," said ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky on ‘One Bills Live.’ "Questions going in for the Bills are what does the defense look like without Von (Miller) and how does the offense look with (Dalton) Kincaid? And for the Jets, what does their defense look like with the addition of (Will) McDonald? And is their offensive line as suspect as everyone makes it out to be? It's going to be awesome to watch those two teams go head-to-head."
Scroll to see the best photos from the Buffalo Bills travel day to play the New York Jets in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL Season.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills travel to New Jersey, September 10, 2023.
But before the ball is even kicked off tonight at MetLife Stadium there will be a unifying element to the pregame ceremonies.
A tribute will be made prior to the game, commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the September 11th attacks on our country in which four commercial passenger airplanes were hijacked by terrorists. Two of those planes were deliberately crashed into the World Trade Center towers in lower Manhattan that fateful morning. A third was crashed into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The fourth was heroically taken down prematurely by American civilians aboard the plane in Shanksville, Pennsylvania once they learned of the hijackers' intentions.
The New York Jets will have members of NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority Police Department on hand for the pregame ceremonies. New York Police Officer, Brianna Fernandez will lead the entire stadium in the singing of the national anthem as a 100-yard-long American flag will be spread across the playing field.
Vinny Testaverde, who was the Jets quarterback during the 2001 season, will serve as an honorary captain. A Long Island native, Testaverde was instrumental in forcing the Jets front office and ultimately the NFL to postpone the league's slate of Week 2 games the weekend after the Tuesday terrorist attacks.
Those emotions for Jets fans, however, will quickly turn to a feverish support for their team in a game that could provide an early signal as to how the AFC East could play out this season.
"It'll be the biggest home game for the Jets maybe in decades," said Orlovsky. "It's not like the Jets are playing at home in primetime on the anniversary of 9-11 against an also ran. They're playing against a team that for the last three years has been one of the best teams in the conference and has one of the top three quarterbacks in the league. They've won the division the last three years and have Super Bowl expectations. They brought in a heavyweight team to face the Jets. That atmosphere will be nuts."
