The Jets cornerbacks have a tall task on Sunday defending the NFL's No. 1 passing offense (307.7 yds/g) led by QB Josh Allen and WR Stefon Diggs. Allen ranks third with 2,198 passing yards, second with 19 passing touchdowns and fourth with a 105.9 rating. Diggs' 7 receiving TDs are tied for first in the NFL, his 764 receiving yards are second and 55 catches ranks third.
The Jets have held their own against some of the league's best receivers at MetLife Stadium this season. In Week 3, Bengals wideout Ja'Marr Chase was held to 29 yards; and the league's leading receiver, Tyreek Hill, had 47 yards when the Dolphins visited East Rutherford in Week 5.
Jets cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed have top-five coverage grades, according to Pro Football Focus. Gardner's 86.9 grade is second and Reed's 81.9 is fifth.
"We feel good about our defense," HC Robert Saleh said. "We feel like we've added speed, there's a lot more experience, it's Year 2, so we're a lot more precise on how we do things. It's going to be a great challenge because Gabe Davis is a lot better than he was a year ago. Stefon, goes without words. … It's going to our biggest challenge to date, but I do think it's a challenge that our guys are ready for."
NYJ Run Game/Buffalo Run D
The Jets ran the ball a season-low 15 times last week against the Patriots. In their first game without rookie RB Breece Hall, Michael Carter led the backfield with 26 yards on 7 carries. James Robinson made his debut in green and white and Ty Johnson took 19 snaps, his most the season.
Buffalo's defense allows an average of 95 yards per game, fourth in the NFL. Before last Sunday's game against the Packers, the Bills had not surrendered 50 rushing yards to an opposing back. Green Bay RBs Aaron Jones (143 yards) and A.J. Dillon (54) were a part of a rushing attack that totaled 208 yards and averaged 6.7 yards per carry.
"You always want to run the ball," Saleh said Monday. "It will always be a common question when you're losing, 'Coach, why didn't you run the ball?' Well, that was a question in Week 1, Week 3. No questions over the last four weeks because we're in the lead and we're able to just run the ball. So, whenever you're losing in the fourth quarter and you got all those two-minute plays, we had a two-minute situation at the end of the half, too, where we're throwing the ball. So, it's always going to tilt it.
Shuffling Bills Secondary
Buffalo has the NFL's No. 3 overall defense, No. 9 passing defense and No. 1 scoring defense. The Bills, who have played their first seven games without CB Tre'Davious White, activated the All-Pro and Pro Bowl corner on Wednesday from the physically unable to perform list (ACL).
Bills HC Sean McDermott said that White is considered day-to-day. Buffalo, however, could be without All-Pro S Jordan Poyer (elbow), who leads the team with 4 interceptions. The secondary is already without second-team All-Pro S Micah Hyde (neck), who is out for the season.
