The second leg of the Buffalo Bills’ bookends is upon the New York Jets as they wrap up a 2019 season that can be defined by one word: Weird.
The two AFC East sides met in Week 1, which saw the Jets blow a 16-0 lead for an all-too-familiar brutal loss in Adam Gase’s debut.
Buffalo built off that momentum and are now 10-5, good enough for their second playoff appearance in three years. It’s a nice change of pace for a franchise that had not made the playoffs since 2000 before sneaking in on the final day of the 2017 season.
While Buffalo prepares for the playoffs, the Jets have been relegated to a ninth-straight season of hitting the links rather than the gridiron.
But things have somehow looked up amidst a 6-9 season.
New York is 5-2 in their last seven since starting the season 1-7. The schedule was far from some imposing gauntlet, but the Jets beat the teams they were supposed to beat, for the most part.
Just don’t think much about the stinker in Cincinnati against the previously-winless Bengals in Week 13.
Second-year quarterback Sam Darnold has shown some vital improvements over those last seven games, especially in the turnover department.
After throwing for nine interceptions in four games between Weeks 6-9, Darnold has just three picks compared to 12 touchdown passes beginning in Week 10.
Darnold, though, has played second-fiddle to Buffalo’s fellow second-year quarterback, Josh Allen, this season.
The Wyoming product selected four picks after Darnold in the 2018 draft eclipsed the 3,000-yard passing mark this season while posting 29 total touchdowns (20 passing) with just nine interceptions. He managed to put up a pair of touchdowns without turning the ball over in Buffalo’s Week 16 loss to the AFC East-champion New England Patriots.
The Jets will be looking to end the season on a high note before an offseason of change, but the Bills will use Week 17 as a tune-up game for a rare postseason run.
Who comes out on top? Here is how to watch:
Jets vs. Bills Week 17 viewing information
Date: Sunday, Dec. 29
Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Live Stream: CBS.com
