The New York Jets (3-13) will visit the Buffalo Bills (11-5) at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., in Week 18. Let's take a deeper look at what to expect from the Jets final opponent of the 2025 season.
What is Buffalo Playing For?
The Bills have clinched a playoff spot but their, loss to the Eagles last Sunday, allowed the Patriots to clinch the AFC East, snapping Buffalo's streak of five-straight division titles. As a result, Buffalo will only be playing to improve their playoff seed when they take on the Jets Sunday at 4:25 p.m.
With a win, the Bills can be seeded as high as fifth, but their fate will still depend on the results of the Chargers', the Texans' and the Jaguars' Week 18 games. Regardless of those outcomes, the Bills will play on the road in the wild card round of the postseason.
On top of the playoff seeding that is at stake, Sunday's game versus the Green & White will be Buffalo's last regular season contest at Highmark Stadium, Buffalo's home for the last 52 seasons. The Bills plan to open and begin playing at New Highmark Stadium in Week 1 of the 2026 season.
Offense Runs Through Cook & Allen
The Bills have relied heavily on the Pro Bowl duo of QB Josh Allen and RB James Cook this season to help them reach the postseason. The Bills have scored 54 offensive touchdowns and Allen and Cook have combined to account for 51 of those, 26 rushing and 25 passing.
The Jets will have to contain both to have a chance at upsetting Buffalo.
Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, is having another elite season under offensive coordinator Joe Brady, completing 69.3% of his passes for 25 TDs and 10 interceptions while adding 14 rushing TDs, No. 3 in the NFL.
Allen has been productive despite the lack of a true No. 1 receiver. He has completed 20-plus passes to 7 pass catchers and thrown touchdowns to 10. WR Khalil Shakir leads the team in receptions (72) and receiving yards (719) but is the only receiver with more than 36 catches.
Cook, No. 2 in the NFL in rush attempts (307) and No. 1 in rushing yards (1,606), has been one of the NFL's best a creating explosive plays this season. His 9 runs of 20-plus yards and 4 rushes of 40-plus both rank in the top 4 among running backs.
Cook and Allen have Buffalo ranked No. 5 in total yards (5,927), No. 6 in total points (446) and on pace to potentially tie or pass the Chiefs' Trent Green and Priest Holmes for the most rushing TDs by a starting QB & RB duo in a season with 29.
Rematch of Week 2
The Jets and Bills last played in Week 2 when Buffalo defeated the Green & White, 30-10. New York struggled to throw the ball, passing for 54 yards, but was able to eclipse 100 yards on the ground.
Dominance in pass defense and struggling to stop the run has been Buffalo's M.O. for most of the season. The Bills have allowed the fewest passing yards in the NFL this season (163.4 per game) and fourth-fewest passing TDs (18) but surrendered the most rushing scores (24) and third-most rushing yards (140.4 per game).
Buffalo's run defense played well in the Week 17 loss to the Eagles, 13-12, allowing 82 yards on the ground to one of the league's elite running offenses, a promising sign for a group that is looking to improve before the postseason.
DE Joey Bosa and DE Gregory Rousseau have been Buffalo's best pass rushers with a combined 12 sacks. Bosa, additionally has a league-best 5 forced fumbles.
In the secondary, second-year safety Cole Bishop leads the team with 3 interceptions. Rookie CB Maxwell Hairston and CB Christian Benford (25) have also continued to play at a high level with 4 interceptions and 9 pass defenses combined.
Bills HC Sean McDermott has not revealed whether he plans to play his starters, but the Jets should expect a hostile environment when they got north in search of their first division win of the season.
