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Week 17: Bills vs. Jets
When the schedule came out back in April this game looked like it could be played with a playoff spot on the line for one or both teams. It didn't work out that way. The Bills have had a very disappointing 5-10 season where they have made many mental mistakes along the way and folded when the games got tough. The Jets lost their top two quarterbacks in the same game early in the season and have been in a downward spiral ever since. The Bills are coming off their best game of the year as they shocked the AFC North division champion Bengals in Cincinnati last week.
FACTS AND FIGURES
| Matchup: |
Buffalo (5-10) vs. N.Y. Jets (3-12) |
| Place: |
Giants Stadium |
| Television: |
CBS |
| Announcers: |
Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots |
| Spread: |
Bills by 1 |
| Series: |
Bills lead 50-40 (1-0 in Playoffs) |
| Last Meeting: |
Bills 27-17 in Buffalo (Week 6) |
| Jets Offense: |
Rush (31st); Pass (27th); overall (31st) |
| Jets Defense: |
Rush (28th); Pass (2nd); overall (12th) |
| Bills Offense: |
Rush (22nd); Pass (29th); overall (29th) |
| Bills Defense: |
Rush (32nd); Pass (20th); overall (29th) |
INJURY UPDATE
The Bills are very healthy for the last game of the season. Mike Williams has missed four straight games with a strained chest muscle and it is a longshot that he'll play in the season finale. In fact it is a longshot that he will ever play for the Bills again. J.P. Losman has various bumps and bruises including a sore shoulder and a bruised leg. He could have played last week and is healthy enough to go this week although it is uncertain if he will get the start.
The Jets have been banged up all year long. They are without their two top quarterbacks, Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler both underwent season ending surgeries. Brooks Bollinger will get the start. Curtis Martin is also out with a knee injury. Along the defensive line, Shaun Ellis and Dewayne Robertson have missed the past two games with hamstring and thigh injuries respectively. S Oliver Celestin missed the Patriots game with an ankle injury. WR Harry Williams missed last week's game with a knee injury. All of the other walking wounded for the Jets played last week.
 Bills Daily Injury Page
KEY MATCHUPS
WR Eric Moulds vs. CB Ty Law:
The two veterans resume their rivalry. They have matched up against each other many times and it is always a battle.
CB Nate Clements vs. WR Laveranues Coles:
The supposedly best Bills corner will be locked up with the leading receiver for the Jets. He leads New York in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.
RB Willis McGahee vs. LB Jonathan Vilma:
McGahee has struggled mightily in the second half of the season and there are rumblings that he may not be the player the Bills thought he was. Vilma is a tackling machine, he is the only linebacker in the league with more tackles than London Fletcher.
LT Mike Gandy vs. DE John Abraham
Gandy draws perhaps the premier pass rusher in the game. Abraham has 9½ sacks and could spend most of the game in the Bills' backfield.
DE Aaron Schobel vs. LT Adrian Jones:
Schobel is having a solid season. He is the only defensive lineman that seems to get pressure on the QB. He will need to do so in this game to force Bollinger into mistakes.
SS Lawyer Milloy vs. TE Doug Jolley:
With Martin out, Milloy will be asked to do less in run support and will be matched up against Jolley who is one of the better tight ends the Bills have faced all year.
GAME PLAN
When The Bills Have The Ball: The Bills will try one last time to pound the ball on the ground. The Jets run defense is weak and this is one last chance to get McGahee rolling. Weather conditions may also dictate a ground assault. If that fails, and the Bills go one dimensional they will have a tough time against the league's 2nd ranked pass defense.
When The Jets Have The Ball: The Jets offense is in shambles with their top two quarterbacks and top running back out. Look for them to attack the Bills with rookie RB Cedric Houston. He may be headed for the biggest game of his young career. If they go to the air, look for the Bills to pressure Bollinger into making critical mistakes.
BILLS DAILY PREDICTION
How do you predict a game that means nothing for both teams? It comes down to which team has more heart. Before last week I would have said the Jets. They haven't given up and play hard each and every week for coach Herm Edwards. The Bills though showed tremendous heart last week in their upset win. They seem to be playing to save coach Mike Mularkey's job. I look for both teams to play hard but look for a lot of mistakes as it will be hard to maintain focus. The team with the least mistakes will win. I think the Bills have more talent and some confidence and that will put them over the top:
Bills 20, Jets 13
Season Prediction Record: (9-6)
Season Record Against The Spread: (9-5-1)
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