Bills at N.Y. Jets
TIME, TV: 8:15 p.m. Monday, ESPN
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NFL LINE: 1/2.
SERIES RECORD: Bills lead 69-57.
LAST MEETING: Bills beat Jets 20-12 on Dec. 11, 2022, in Orchard Park, NY.
BILLS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB James Cook. The potent Josh Allen-led offense continues to look for ways to get the backfield more involved. Now it’s Cook’s turn to take over in the lead role in a game that features his older brother, Dalvin, on the other sideline. James Cook, a 2022 second-round pick out of Georgia, is regarded as more of a dual-threat running back in filling the starting job following Devin Singletary’s departure in free agency.
JETS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Aaron Rodgers. Acquired from Green Bay in April after 18 seasons with the Packers, the four-time NFL MVP makes his regular-season debut with the Jets. Rodgers raised expectations for the franchise and the fan base when he said he expects to win in New York and pointed out during his introductory news conference that the Jets’ only Super Bowl trophy from the 1968 season looks “lonely.”
KEY MATCHUP: Bills secondary vs. Rodgers. S Micah Hyde is back in his starting role after missing most of last season with a neck injury and CB Tre’davious White has had an entire offseason to regain his edge as Buffalo’s top pass-defender after being eased back in to close last season after missing nearly a year recovering from knee surgery. Hyde, White and starting safety Jordan Poyer have been together since 2017.
SERIES NOTES: The Bills’ .544 regular-season winning percentage against the Jets is their best against any AFC East opponent . ... Under Sean Mcdermott, Buffalo is 8-4 against New York, including winning five of the past six meetings . ... The previous time the teams faced each other on a Monday night was in 2014 when they played at Detroit’s Ford Field because of a blizzard in Buffalo. The Bills won 38-3.
STATS AND STUFF: The Bills are 4-2 in season openers under Mcdermott and 3-0 when opening against the Jets (2017, ’19 and ’20) . ... The game marks Buffalo’s first season-opening Monday night appearance since a 25-24 loss at New England in 2009.