NFL Kickoff: The Buffalo Bills Pose Headaches on Offense for the New York Jets on Sunday
After a strong close to last year for the New York Jets, there are high expectations for third-year quarterback Sam Darnold to take the next step in 2020. And after leading the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs last year, expectations for Josh Allen are equally high.
Allen was taken four picks after Darnold was selected third overall by the Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft. Initial returns after a rocky rookie season were not good but Allen rebounded for a strong 2019 with the Bills, leading them to the playoffs.
Now, the 24-year old quarterback enters his third year in the league at a very different place than Darnold. The Jets remain very much in rebuilding mode and are likely at least one year away from being a playoff contender.
The Bills and Allen, on the other hand, are expected to build on last year’s postseason trip and are favorites to win the AFC East.
“It’s a very good core and the young quarterback is mature too,” said Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams during his weekly press availability.
“You know, we’ve seen every single game film he’s played in since his first start in everything, even in the preseason, back when I was at Cleveland. You know, we’ve seen every single snap that he has played as a quarterback.”
The Jets overachieved last year, winning six of their final eight games to finish 7-9. But they are a team that is not ready to compete for the division or the playoffs. Darnold might be the best young quarterback in the AFC East, but the team around him remains a work in progress.
While the Bills lost in the AFC Wild Card last year to the Houston Texans, it was still a season that saw them take a step forward – a significant one at that. With a young quarterback in Allen, there is a building block upon which they can develop a good, solid core.
With one of the league’s best defenses a year ago, the Bills are good on both sides of the ball. But it is the burgeoning talent on offense that is giving optimism in upstate New York.
Part of that core is the team’s playmakers on offense. The addition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs via a blockbuster trade this offseason gives Allen a target who is coming off consecutive 1,000 yard receiving seasons.
Stopping this potential juggernaut on offense in Buffalo is already a steep challenge. The Jets come into Week 1, however, with even further challenges in terms of their gameplan.
The Jets are a bit in the dark when it comes to how the Bills will look on Sunday and how they will utilize Diggs. With no preseason games this year, the Bills offense is a mystery for Williams and his defense.
“And then this receiving core, we’ve gone against them, no matter where they’re at, or where they’re from, we’ve gone against them and we’ve done a good job as a staff on picturing the right type of things and the right type of study cut ups that our players can see each one of those guys maybe not all of those guys together, because I haven’t played together yet on film, but we have the right type of teaching tape,” Williams said.
“So, it’ll be a challenge, but it is every single week in this league, is we’ve seen the league go to a more of a passing offense, a passing league.”
Last season, Allen finished with 3,089 passing yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 16 starts.
