With a nail-biting 41-40 triumph over the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills launched their 2025 season on a dramatic note last week. Many now see Josh Allen and the Bills as the AFC’s top team after their offensive surge in the fourth quarter. However, this optimism overlooks a pressing weakness. The Ravens exposed a major deficiency in Buffalo’s defense that the Bills will need to address when facing the New York Jets in Week 2.
Can the Buffalo Bills Stack Wins in Week 2 Against the Jets?
As the Bills prepare to face the New York Jets on the road in Week 2 at 1 pm, the spotlight remains on their run defense as they look to contain Jets running backs Breece Hall and Michael Carter. Last week’s lackluster performance raises a pivotal question: Did Buffalo’s own shortcomings cause the defensive collapse, or did Ravens running back Derrick Henry’s dominant performance create the Bills’ problems on defense? The Bills will need to prove they are not the problem as they face the Jets’ ground game.
It is essential to recognize that a key matchup will be Buffalo’s defense facing the Jets’ formidable running game, led by Breece Hall. The Jets’ dual-threat quarterback, Josh Allen, adds another layer to Buffalo’s challenge. Buffalo must improve defensively to avoid playing from behind late, and stopping the run will be harder with defensive tackle Ed Oliver sidelined for this matchup.
Further increasing the stakes, this matchup against the Jets is the first AFC East division game for both teams. Buffalo’s defense must rise to the challenge in this divisional game.
Injury Reports for the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets
According to the latest NFL Week 2 Injury Report, the Buffalo Bills have the edge over the Jets from an injury standpoint. Only one player, Ed Oliver, is ruled out for the Bills’ Week 2 game. Oliver’s self-inflicted ankle injury occurred when a teammate stepped on his foot in practice this week. The Jets, on the other hand, have three players ruled out this week. These are backup running back Kene Nwangwu (hamstring), wide receiver Josh Reynolds (hamstring), and defensive tackle Jay Tufele (illness).
Key to Victory #1: Stop the New York Jets Run Game
For the second week in a row to start the 2025 season, the Bills will need to come ready to do their best to stop a strong running game. This week, the New York Jets’ ground attack features running back Breece Hall and quarterback Justin Fields. Last week, Hall ran the ball 19 times for 107 rushing yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bills’ defensive line is experiencing depth issues that began with the loss of defensive lineman DeWayne Carter and now include the loss of defensive tackle Ed Oliver. This week, rookie defensive linemen T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker will need to grow up quickly for Buffalo.
Key to Victory #2: Put a Cap on the Jets’ Passing Attack
In addition to stopping the Jets’ run game, the Bills will also need to lock down New York wide receiver Garrett Wilson. In Week 1, Wilson was Justin Fields’ favorite target while catching seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. The Bills’ defensive secondary ran into issues last week when they gave up a long touchdown pass to Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. If Buffalo finds itself needing to use blitzes to stop the Jets’ running game, it could set itself up for play-action deep shots from the Jets. Consequently, the Bills’ secondary will need to stay focused on keeping the Jets’ passing game in front of them throughout the entire game.
Key to Victory #3: Contain Jets QB Justin Fields
The best way to stop an offense that is being led by Justin Fields is to force him to win the game from the pocket. While Fields is an elite runner and a serviceable passer, he has always experienced limitations when he has to rely on his arm to win games. The Buffalo Bills’ defense is renowned for disrupting quarterbacks and forcing opposing offenses to pay for their mistakes. This week, that means keeping Fields in the pocket and forcing him to be an efficient passer.
Key to Victory #4: Force Jets Turnovers
If Buffalo can improve its performance against the Jets’ running game and keep quarterback Justin Fields in the pocket, then Buffalo will be in a great position to force turnovers. For Buffalo, their biggest strength on the defensive side of the ball is their ability to force opponents to turn the ball over. For example, last week Buffalo struggled on defense, but down the stretch the Bills’ defense found a way to force the Ravens to turn the ball over. That fourth-quarter fumble by Derrick Henry set the Bills up for a game-winning field goal by newly acquired kicker Matt Prater. This week, the Bills’ defense will need to find ways to take the ball away from the Jets’ offense.
Key to Victory #5: Get Bills QB Josh Allen Going Early
Last week, the Buffalo Bills’ offense showed that they will go the same way quarterback Josh Allen goes. Buffalo has built their offense around the elite dual-threat ability of Allen. This week, Allen will need to get the ball to his weapons, Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir, early and often. While the Jets’ defense features star cornerback Sauce Gardner, they are experiencing a shortage of playmakers in their defensive secondary. Last week, Coleman caught eight passes for 112 yards and a touchdown against a talented Ravens secondary. If Allen can get Coleman going early against a porous Jets’ secondary, he could have a huge game in New York.
Game Prediction:
Buffalo Bills 42, New York Jets 31
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Main Image: Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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