HC Aaron Glenn announced Friday that WR Garrett Wilson has "one more step to go through before he's cleared," but is "confident" he will play against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Wilson, who leads the Jets with 43 receptions and 527 yards (12.3 per), was hit late in the Jets' 38-33 Week 8 loss to the Raiders and entered concussion protocol. After missing last week's contest in Kansas City, Wilson was a full participant in Friday's practice and is on track to return to the lineup.
While LB Trevin Wallace (groin) was ruled out, the Jets are in good shape on the injury front. Glenn said CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (illness), DT Harrison Phillips (ankle), WR Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle), edge Joseph Ossai (ankle) and CB Nahshon Wright (back) were full participants at Friday's workout.
Ossai will play his first game since Week 5 and his fourth game overall this season. Rookie S VJ Payne, who the Jets designated to return to practice last week, is "still going through his process," according to Glenn.
The Threat of Josh Allen
Bills QB Josh Allen provides a unique test for the Jets defense considering his ability to scramble and escape to extend plays. The Bills have one of the league's top backfields as James Cook has rushed for over 100 yards in four games this season.
In an overtime win over the Rams in Week 5, Allen was the team's leading rusher with 121 yards – he also threw for 210 yards in that game.
"I think everything goes through Josh," LB Demario Davis said. "He can do it all, make all the throws, phenomenal talent. He can extend plays, can make long throws down the field. He's just as dangerous with his legs as he is with his arm."
Allen, who has 9 rush TDs, rarely slides to avoid a hard tackle. Davis said his size (6-4, 237) allows him to sustain the impact of a hit.
"The element of when a quarterback is running the football, you're already kind of out of position because you're either in coverage and you're expecting somebody else to have the ball and then the quarterback comes out, so you're kind of a little bit off balance," Davis said.
Allen has 21 scramble carries for 222 rushing yards, which is the second-most in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. Although, against the Vikings in Week 9, Allen did not have a scramble rush for the first time this season.
The key for the Jets, who have allowed 118 rushing yards from QB scrambles this season (NGS), will be to contain Allen within the pocket and use their rotation of edge rushers throughout the game.
"That has to be a relentless approach about how you go about things," HC Aaron Glenn said. "We're going to have to utilize [our edges] in that aspect and do everything we can to not allow him to extend plays and what we call is make the second play. We're going to do everything we can to make sure we try to prohibit that."
See photos of the Jets on the practice field ahead of their Week 10 matchup with the Bills.
Battling the Bills' Defense
The Bills have a new defensive coordinator this season with Jim Leonhard running the unit after being hired in January. He was previously the Broncos' defensive passing game coordinator and in two seasons with Denver, the unit ranked third in yards allowed per game, third in passing TDs allowed and second in yards per pass attempt.
HC Aaron Glenn coached Leonhard in Cleveland and said he was a "very smart and intelligent player" and with Leonhard at the helm of Buffalo's defense, the unit has shown some different looks this season.
"They run a little bit more five down," RB Breece Hall said. "They used to be just four down, hold their two-high shell the whole game, and they just run a little more five down, and I think they give their edge rushers a little bit more space to work on tackles one-on-one. But we trust our guys and we're going to give them some help, so we should be able to execute our game plan."
In his first game back after a quad injury sidelined him for five weeks, Hall averaged a season-high 1.7 yards before contact on his 15 carries against the Chiefs, according to Next Gen Stats. The Bills have a top 10-ranked rushing defense allowing 91.6 yards per game and running backs just 0.4 yards before contact, the third-lowest mark in the NFL.
"For us as an offense, the whole key is always ... if we can be efficient and explosive," offensive coordinator Frank Reich said. "If we can mix the run and the pass and the play-pass, take our shots, run the control game, run the football, that's how you neutralize a good defense."
