NY Jets Week 2 Scouting Report: How to beat the Buffalo Bills

The New York Jets are coming off a brutal 34-32 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1. There’s no rest for the weary, however, as the Jets will host the Buffalo Bills in a Week 2 AFC East matchup.

Last week, the Jets were a few bad breaks from winning the first game of the Aaron Glenn era. While the first-year head coach spoke about how there’s plenty to improve, there were a lot of positives to take away as well.

But it’s a new week, and their eyes move on to the next opponent. The Bills defeated the Ravens in a thriller on Sunday Night Football. Standing alone atop the AFC East, the Bills have an early chance to seize control of the division they have won five seasons in a row.

So, who exactly are the reigning AFC East champions entering Week 2 of the 2025 season?

Who are the Buffalo Bills?

The Bills are led by head coach Sean McDermott. Joining the Bills in 2017, he is the fourth-longest tenured NFL head coach. Looking at the results, it’s easy to see why. He has only missed the playoffs once, has won the AFC East for the last five years, and has the highest regular-season winning percentage in Bills history.

Supporting him are offensive coordinator Joe Brady and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich.

Brady’s claim to fame is his work as the passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach for LSU’s historic 2019 season. The following season, he entered the NFL as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator, but only lasted two seasons. After that, he landed with the Bills as the quarterbacks coach and worked his way back up.

Babich, meanwhile, has known McDermott since 2011, when they both worked with the Panthers. While he has a long history in the NFL and college, 2024 was his first year as a defensive coordinator, and the group played below its typical level.

Bills Offense

Offensive Players

• Quarterback: Josh Allen, Mitchell Trubisky
• Running backs: James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, Reggie Gilliam (FB)
• Wide receiver: Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore
• Tight end: Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes (R)
• Offensive line: LT: Dion Dawkins, LG: David Edwards, C: Connor McGovern, RG: O’Cyrus Torrence, RT: Spencer Brown

The Bills are led by none other than 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen. Allen brings a level of power that makes him difficult to take down (12.7% pressure to sack rate) and allows him to get the ball anywhere on the field (9.4 average depth of target).

His MVP season saw him improve at protecting the ball with a career best with six interceptions, five fumbles, and a 2.6% turnover-worthy play rate. That didn’t stop the explosiveness, as he racked up 40 total touchdowns. He was right back at it with over 400 yards of offense and four total touchdowns this past Sunday.

Running back is led by the recently extended James Cook. Cook led the NFL with 16 touchdowns in 2024. While he had a rough go on the ground this past Sunday with 44 yards on 13 carries, he did well as a pass catcher, racking up 58 yards (fourth among running backs) on five receptions. Former Jets running back Ty Johnson adds some speed to the room. But Allen is the secondary, if not primary, rusher for the Bills.

The wide receiver position has been the biggest question mark for the Bills since trading Stefon Diggs in 2024. However, they may have found their answer. Keon Coleman, the 33rd overall pick in 2024, flashed as a rookie and is coming off an eight-catch, 112-yard, and one-touchdown performance against the Ravens.

Behind him is fourth-year pro Khalil Shakir. Shakir has emerged as a reliable option, doing his best work after the catch, ranking 10th in yards after the catch (8.0) and 13th in missed tackles forced per reception (0.25) last season. The recently claimed Joshua Palmer has already usurped former Jets second-rounder Elijah Moore on the depth chart.

At tight end, the Bills have a one-two punch in Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. Kincaid has been a solid starter since he was drafted, but may not live up to his status as a first-round pick. After racking up 673 yards as a rookie, Kincaid failed to eclipse 500 in his second season. However, he did improve to an above-average blocker.

Knox was the team’s primary tight end prior to drafting Kincaid and is a respectable blocker as well. While he may lack the receiving upside of Kincaid, he’s a quality backup tight end.

The Bills’ offensive line is one of the better units in the NFL despite not having a true star. All five starters returned in 2025, which gives them an edge. The unit is led by offensive tackles Dion Dawkins, a well-documented Jets hater, and Spencer Brown.

Brown’s fourth year was his best, ranking in the top 10 in pressure rate (3.43%, ninth among 67 offensive tackles with 500 snaps) and pass blocking efficiency (98.2, seventh). Meanwhile, Dawkins is a solid run blocker, but is at his best in pass protection where he ranked 14th in pass blocking efficiency (97.7).

The Bills’ weakness comes at guard, specifically right guard. O’Cyrus Torrence struggled greatly in 2024, earning a 52.3 PFF run block grade (62nd out of 66 guards with 500 snaps) while allowing a 6.1% pressure rate (60th).

David Edwards is a fairly average guard, performing slightly better in pass protection. At center, Connor McGovern (not the one who was on the Jets) is a solid starter. While his PFF pass block grade was good (68.9, seventh among 32 centers with 500 snaps), he allowed pressure at the 27th-ranked rate (4.47%).

All three interior linemen struggled in the season opener. Torrence allowed the second-most pressures (5) among guards, while McGovern had the third-most pressures allowed (3) and third-lowest PFF grade (51.7) among centers.

2024 Offensive Statistics:

• Total yards per game: 359.1(10th)
• Yards per play: 6.0 (6th)
• Points per game: 30.9 (2nd)
• Rushing yards per carry: 4.5 (11th)
• Rushing touchdowns per game: 1.88 (1st)
• Net passing yards per attempt: 7.3 (5th)
• Passing touchdowns per game: 1.76 (7th)
• Passer rating: 100.8 (9th)
• Turnovers per game: 0.47 (1st)
• Sacks allowed: 0.82 (1st)
• Red zone scoring: 71.6% (2nd)
• 3rd down conversion rate: 44.1% (7th)
• 4th down conversion rate: 72.7% (2nd)

Buffalo Defense

Defensive Players

• Defensive tackle: Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, T.J. Sanders (R), Deone Walker (R)
• Edge rushers: Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa, AJ Epenesa
• Linebacker: Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Matt Milano, Shaq Thompson
• Cornerback: Christian Benford, Dorian Strong (R), Taron Johnson (NB), Tre’Davious White
• Safety: Taylor Rapp, Cole Bishop, Cam Lewis, Jordan Hancock (R)

The Bills have usually fielded one of the best defenses in the NFL over the last several years. The 2024 season marked a step back, as their 11th-place ranking in points allowed was their first time out of the top four since 2020.

Buffalo’s greatest defensive strength is the lack of weaknesses across the depth chart. Each position has solid starters.

The defensive end room is led by Greg Rousseau, who was extended this offseason on a four-year, $80 million contract. It was well deserved, as he ranked 10th in both pressures (63) and run stops (22) in 2024.

Opposite of Rousseau is the talented but oft-injured Joey Bosa. Over the first seven years of his career, he had a pressure rate of 15.23%. Since 2023, however, that number is down to 9.0%. Both struggled to get to the quarterback on Sunday, combining for three pressures on 36 pass rush snaps. However, they finished with five defensive stops, and Bosa had a forced fumble.

The defensive tackle position is anchored by 2018 first-round pick Ed Oliver. Oliver is coming off a career game with one sack, four total pressures, four run stops, and a 92.1 PFF overall grade. Most importantly, he knocked the ball loose from Derrick Henry in a pivotal moment of Buffalo’s comeback. Before this year, Oliver had settled into “good but not great” territory. That may be changing in 2025.

Behind Oliver is veteran DaQuan Jones and 2025 second-round pick T.J. Sanders. Jones is a reliable run stopper, while Sanders should bring some pass rushing juice. However, Jones recorded only one tackle in the opener while Sanders had the third-lowest PFF grade (29.6) among all defensive tackles.

The linebacker group is anchored by Terrel Bernard, a playmaker in coverage. In 2024, he finished with two interceptions and allowed the third-lowest completion rate (68.3%) out of 70 linebackers with at least 500 snaps.

Next to him is Dorian Williams, who had an up-and-down season. He had the highest target rate (20.5%) among linebackers and earned the third-lowest PFF coverage grade (40.2). Even so, he showed flashes, allowing the fourth-fewest yards per target (5.97) and looking stout against the run with a 9.9% run-stop rate (10th) and a 78.9 PFF run defense grade (15th).

Veteran Matt Milano rounds out the unit. A former All-Pro, he unfortunately suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries in 2023 and 2024. On Sunday, the linebacker group struggled as a whole, combining for just four tackles across 113 snaps.

The Bills’ back end has long been a strength, but has started to decline in recent years.

Christian Benford leads the cornerback position. Benford may be one of the most underrated corners in the NFL after his 2024 season. Among 91 cornerbacks with 500 snaps, he ranked top-five in yards allowed per cover snap (0.48, second), yards allowed per target (5.47, fourth), targets per snap (8.73%, fourth), PFF’s overall grade (82.6, fourth), and PFF’s coverage grade (82.8, fourth). However, he struggled immensely in coverage on Sunday, allowing five receptions on six targets for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

He’s followed by Dorian Strong, Taron Johnson, and Tre’Davious White. Strong, a fifth-round pick in 2025, was tossed into the fire in Week 1. He performed admirably, allowing only one catch for 36 yards and not missing a tackle. However, PFF thinks he performed worse than he looked, giving him a 45.3 overall grade (81st out of 96 cornerbacks with at least 20 snaps) and 37.1 coverage grade (87th).

Meanwhile, Johnson is the primary slot cornerback and contributes in the run game (76.8 run defense grade, eighth among 33 cornerbacks with 200 snaps in the slot). However, he struggled in coverage in 2024, giving up a 100.9 passer rating. Rounding it out is White, who is not the same player he was early in his career. However, he still makes plays on the ball, with a 14.87% pass break-up rate last season.

The safety position is in a similar state. Taylor Rapp (53.8 overall PFF grade) is the veteran of the unit, and he is joined by second-year pro Cole Bishop, who started four games as a rookie.

Bishop replaced Hamlin, who was coming off his first full season since experiencing cardiac arrest against the Bengals in the 2023 season. He lost the starting job and didn’t appear in Week 1.

It was a rough start for the Bills’ defense in 2025, as they allowed 40 points. However, they came to life in the fourth quarter, only allowing six points and 82 yards. If they can maintain that, they will again be one of the better defenses in 2025.

2024 Defensive Statistics:

• Total yards per game: 341.5 (17th)
• Yard per play: 5.5 (22nd)
• Points per game: 21.6 (11th)
• Rushing yards per carry: 4.5 (21st)
• Rushing touchdowns per game: 0.76 (11th)
• Net passing yards per attempt: 6.2 (19th)
• Passing touchdowns per game: 1.65 (25th)
• Passer rating allowed: 93.3 (18th)
• Turnovers per game: 1.88 (3rd)
• Sacks per game: 2.29 (19th)
• Red zone scoring: 57.4% (16th)
• 3rd down conversion rate: 43.8% (28th)
• 4th down conversion rate: 53.1% (13th)

Storylines and Battles to Watch

Will the Jets keep the ground game rolling?

The Jets dominated on the ground against the Steelers in Week 1. They finished the game with 182 rushing yards (fourth in the NFL), three rushing touchdowns (tied for first), and 4.7 yards per carry (10th).

While Justin Fields is certainly a big part with 48 rushing yards (sixth among quarterbacks), the Jets’ resurgent run game was led by their offensive line. Rookie right tackle Armand Membou had a dominant debut, finishing with PFF’s second-highest run-blocking grade (90.3) among tackles. He, along with the rest of the offensive line, opened massive holes all game. They will have the opportunity to replicate that performance against the Bills.

Against the Ravens, the Bills allowed the most rushing yards (238) and rushing touchdowns (3) in the NFL while also allowing the most yards per carry (8.2). However, Baltimore has the best rushing attack in the NFL since Lamar Jackson took over.

While the Jets have a similar style to the Ravens, there’s reason to believe the Bills’ run defense will bounce back.

Ed Oliver is coming off a career game with four run stops, while Greg Rousseau added three more. Meanwhile, Rapp, Johnson, and Williams are typically above average against the run and will likely return to their career standards.

Can the Jets’ struggling pass defense slow down the Bills’ explosive passing attack?

One of the biggest takeaways from the Jets’ loss in Week 1 was the disappointing play of their secondary. Aside from superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner, the rest of the group struggled immensely.

The two biggest culprits were cornerback Brandon Stephens and safety Tony Adams. Stephens allowed five receptions on seven targets for 60 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Adams allowed all three targets to be caught for 56 yards while also missing two tackles.

It didn’t stop there, unfortunately. The Jets’ linebacker duo of Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood allowed all nine targets to be caught for 73 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bills’ passing offense will be an even bigger test.

Led by Keon Coleman’s 112-yard day, the Bills had 394 receiving yards against the Ravens (first in the NFL). Their lack of a true number-one target acts as a strength in this offense, with five players finishing with at least four catches and 45 yards.

This prevents a difficult matchup for the Jets’ shallow back seven. While Sauce Gardner won’t have much of an issue erasing his opponent, the same can’t be said for the rest.

The Jets’ hope is that most of their defenders will regain their past forms. Historically, Michael Carter II, Sherwood, and Williams are all excellent in pass coverage. They will need to get back to that if the Jets have any hope for victory Sunday.

Is Jermaine Johnson really back? Bills RT is the perfect test

In his return, Johnson finished with a 73.1 PFF overall grade (22nd among 99 defensive ends with 20 snaps in Week 1) and 75.8 run defense grade (seventh). To go along with that, Johnson also finished with four pressures on a 12.1% pressure rate (35th). However, he will have a bigger challenge in Week 2.

Johnson lined up exclusively on the left side in Week 1, which means he will face off against the Bills’ right tackle, Spencer Brown. After playing like a top-five right tackle in 2024, Brown was their best offensive lineman against the Ravens. Brown had the seventh-highest run block grade (78.9) among 62 tackles with 40 snaps, along with the 28th-best pass block efficiency (97.1).

Can the Jets’ defense continue to slow down Josh Allen?

The Jets have given Josh Allen some trouble at MetLife Stadium. New York won two of its last three home games against Buffalo, forcing six Allen turnovers in those contests while holding him to 218.7 passing yards per game.

However, Allen figured the Jets out in his last trip to MetLife. In Week 4 of last season, Allen had no turnovers and posted a 127.9 passer rating, leading Buffalo to a narrow 23-20 win following multiple misses from Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein.

Allen has consistently exploited the Jets with his legs. In his career, Allen has rushed for 542 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games against the Jets. Allen often converts with his legs at back-breaking moments, including a game-sealing run to defensive end Micheal Clemons’ side in 2024.

Can the Jets steal the division lead?

While it may only be Week 2, the goal of every season is to make the playoffs, win the Super Bowl, and hoist the Lombardi trophy. While the Jets haven’t sniffed the playoffs in 15 years, they will again try to return to the promised land in 2025. To do that, they need to beat the Bills.

In the AFC East, only the Bills achieved victory to start the season. Meanwhile, the Jets, Dolphins, and Patriots all lost to AFC opponents. However, the Jets can tie for the early division lead with a win over Buffalo. They would share it with either the Dolphins or the Patriots, who face each other in Week 2.

Week 1 was a gut-wrenching loss, but the Jets flashed enough to give hope for 2025. That hope will be dashed if they lose again on Sunday. Teams starting 0-2 in the 17-game era have only made playoffs 16.7% of the time (5 out of 30 teams). This improved in 2024 with three out of nine teams (Ravens, Broncos, Rams) turning things around and making the playoffs. But it’s better not to bet on being the exception.

Is this the real Justin Fields?

The NFL’s leader in EPA per dropback? Justin Fields (0.49).

The NFL offense with the third-best success rate? The New York Jets (51.6%).

It was only one week, but the Jets showed offensive excellence that fans have not seen for years.

Justin Fields was nothing short of outstanding this past Sunday, as Jets X-Factor’s Michael Nania breaks down here. Fields was excellent throwing the ball, highlighted by a long touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson and complemented by several tight-window throws throughout the game.

While Fields has always been a dynamic rusher, his struggles as a passer are why he’s on his third team. The Jets are hoping that player stayed in Pittsburgh, as that’s not who was on the field Sunday.

Starting with the Bears, Fields was explosive but reckless. With the Steelers, he was safe but too conservative. Now with the Jets, Fields is finally finding a balance.

The question is if he can maintain this level of play. The Bills should be a good opportunity to do so.

In Week 1, Lamar Jackson threw for 208 yards on only 19 attempts against Buffalo’s secondary. Per PFF, the Bills had the 30th-ranked coverage grade in the NFL (42.1) and 26th-ranked pass rush grade (57.2).

Final Takeaways

Despite the Jets’ loss in the season opener, they flashed some reasons to have hope for 2025. The Justin Fields-led offense was one of the NFL’s best in Week 1 and drew parallels to the Washington Commanders’ 2024 breakout season.

Defensively, it was a mixed bag. The good news is that their stars played like stars. The bad, unfortunately, was the rest of the defense. No other defensive lineman aside from Quinnen Williams, Will McDonald IV, and Jermaine Johnson recorded a single pressure. In the back seven, Sauce Gardner delivered a dominant performance, but the rest struggled greatly in coverage.

The Jets hope to see bounce-back performances from several of their defendersthis week. Recently extended linebacker Jamien Sherwood and free agent cornerback Brandon Stephens are chief among them.

The Jets’ coaches had a respectable debut, too. Their offensive game plan kept the Steelers guessing all game. They then showed accountability by moving on from kick returner Xavier Gipson following a brutal fumble at the start of the fourth quarter.

However, that’s all history as we head into Week 2. Nothing else matters except winning this Sunday. It’s a steep challenge against the Buffalo Bills. But “Any Given Sunday” continues to ring true, and head coach Aaron Glenn must bring his best.