Game: Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets
Time: 8:15 p.m.
Odds: Bills -2, Jets +2
Total: 45.5
It’s the most eagerly awaited clash of the NFL’s Week 1. On Monday night, the New York Jets will host the Buffalo Bills as slight home underdogs. Aaron Rodgers will start for the Jets at quarterback against Josh Allen and the Bills. Rodgers will try to convince everyone that he and his Jets should be the favorite to win the AFC East. Buffalo is projected to be the division winner followed by New York, the Miami Dolphins, and the New England Patriots.
Buffalo was the preseason favorite to win the Super Bowl last year, but the squad was never able to fully recover after the late-season cardiac arrest of safety Damar Hamlin. Ironically, it was the Cincinnati Bengals that ultimately eliminated the Bills from the postseason in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Bengals were the Bills’ opponent 20 days earlier in a nationally televised road game on January 2 when Hamlin collapsed during the game.
That game was ultimately canceled, and the players made a failed attempt to get past the incident. Fast forward to 2023 and Hamlin is back on the roster and eager to make a contribution. The rest of the Bills also have new life and hope to prove they are still serious contenders to win the AFC this year as well as the Super Bowl.
A top quarterback was the one thing that was lacking in New York. It’s what kept the team from making the playoffs last season. Enter Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer who may lock up his place in Canton with a great performance in New York. With Rodgers at the helm of the offense, the Jets should feel more confident that they can score more this season. In last year’s games against the Bills, the Jets held Buffalo to 20 points or fewer both times. The Jets managed to split those two games.
Keep in mind that Allen injured his shoulder late in the second game and was unable to throw the ball downfield for the Bills in their 20-17 loss to New York in Week 9 of last season as a 10.5-point road favorite. Allen should, if anything, be out to prove himself tonight and play as he did in last year’s season opener, when he looked like the NFL MVP favorite.
The Rams, who were the defending Super Bowl winners two years ago, were Buffalo’s season opener last year. They were supposed to have a strong defense. The Bills destroyed them in a 31-10 home loss thanks to Allen, who threw for 297 yards and scored four touchdowns—three in the air and one on the ground.
The Jets backfield is incredibly talented, with veteran Dalvin Cook joining healthy Breece Hall, a second-year starter, and Michael Carter, another emerging gem. Rodgers is accustomed to a successful running game having had Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon in Green Bay. A big question for the Jets will be how new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett can make Rodgers feel comfortable in the offense.
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