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This past Tuesday, Robert Saleh walked into the 2-3 New York Jets’ facility in Florham Park, NJ, beginning a game plan before Monday night’s home game against the AFC East-rival (3-2) Buffalo Bills (the Bills’ third consecutive road test).
That didn’t last long. He was fired five games into what’s been another underachieving season.
Saleh was 20-36, though he and the Jets were not going to battle with quarterbacks one would describe as elite (see Wilson, Zach as ‘Exhibit A.’).
There was never a real opportunity with a competent quarterback such as Aaron Rodgers, though it was Rodgers, who missed essentially all of his first season with the Jets, denying any part in the dismissal.
Owner Woody Johnson claimed the firing was made by a committee of one…him.
New York is returning stateside after a 23-17 loss to the undefeated Minnesota Vikings in London last Sunday. It trailed, 17-0, before a rally fell short. An uglier effort was the 10-9 home loss to the Denver Broncos the previous Sunday.
Now, it’s former defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as the interim coach. He is highly regarded as overseeing a unit which has surrendered just 255.8 yards and 17 points/game (second and T-fifth in NFL),
Meanwhile, the Bills have coaching issues of their own after a last-second, 23-20 loss to the Texans in Houston last Sunday. Sean McDermott was ripped a new one after some questionable, late-game clock management gave Houston that late shot.
It was a game the Bills were down, 20-3.
Buffalo is a 1½-point favorite here (total at 41), according to NFL odds.
The old AFL foes have met 127 times (including postseason) back to 1960, Bills leading, 69-58.
Note the Bills have won seven of the last 10, the ‘under’ 8-2 in those games.
Is James Cook-ing?
Much has been made about a new-look Buffalo Bills’ offense in which quarterback Josh Allen (945 passing yards, eight touchdowns, no interceptions) spreads the wealth among several targets. Through five games, 10 different Bills had caught passes, running back James Cook third with 11 receptions.
James (team-leading 309 rush yards, four touchdowns) missed practice earlier in week with an injured toe/ankle. Buffalo with an extra day of rest ahead of this game helps the status of Cook.
Buffalo will try to put the breaks in a two-game skid (same as New York), getting drilled by the Ravens in Baltimore the previous game.
Jets Will Prevail
Buffalo is remaining as the short-priced (-245) choice to win the AFC, with the Jets 3-1 (+300) second choice, as per NFL division odds.
Sure, the New York Jets have underachieved through the season's first five weeks. Then again, this is a franchise which has wrestled with relevance over any number of seasons/decades.
Whether a coaching change is a fix remains to be seen. It never seems to with Gang Green.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills began the season with dominant victories over Arizona, Miami and Jacksonville (at least 31 points in each). They’ve lost consecutive games on the road, scoring a combined 30 points.
Buffalo is overrated, at least now. Throw in a third roadie in a row while possibly playing without an offensive stalwart (aforementioned James Cook) and we endorse the New York Jets +1½.
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