The New York Jets are getting set to take on the Buffalo Bills to wrap up Week 1 of the NFL season. This is the most-anticipated season opener for the Jets in quite some time with the debut of Aaron Rodgers coming. But there are plenty of other interesting matchups to watch in this one, so let’s run through some of those battles here.
Jets CB Sauce Gardner vs. Bills WR Stefon Diggs
Let’s face it, this is the matchup everyone is waiting to see on Monday. You have All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner going up against one of the best receivers in the game in Stefon Diggs. Diggs took round one with 93 yards on five catches but Gardner returned the favor in the second meeting, allowing only 37 yards on three catches. Who will get the edge to start 2023? It will be very fun to watch and find out.
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers vs. Bills QB Josh Allen
This matchup of course also has a star matchup at the quarterback position, let’s not forget that. Aaron Rodgers makes his highly-anticipated debut with the Jets while Josh Allen enters his 6th season in Buffalo. These two have met twice before with each scoring a victory. Rodgers and the Packers beat Buffalo 22-0 in Allen’s rookie season in 2018 while Allen scored a victory last year on the day before Halloween in a 27-17 decision. Both quarterbacks have Super Bowl aspirations this season. The Jets are hoping that, at least for one night, the Madden curse strikes Allen.
Jets DT Quinnen Williams vs. Bills IOL Connor McGovern, Mitch Morse and O'Cyrus Torrence
Yes, the other Connor McGovern signed with the Bills this season, meaning both Connor McGoverns will be on the same field Monday night. Buffalo’s version, along with Morse and Torrence, have quite the task at hand Monday night of trying to handle one Quinnen Williams, who scored three of his 12 sacks last season against the Bills. Torrence is the bullish rookie out of Florida. Talk about a mountain of a challenge for your NFL debut. Morse and McGovern are the veterans here, so the Jets may look to pick on Torrence and see what he is made of.
Jets OTs Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton vs. Bills Edge Greg Rousseau
We’ll clump Brown and Becton here together in case Buffalo wants to move Rousseau around. Rousseau will help spearhead the Bills’ pass rush while Von Miller is on the reserve/PUP list. Rousseau had a two-sack game in Week 14 against the Jets last season. He’ll need a performance like that if the Bills hope to get Rodgers and the offense off schedule Monday. They need to somehow stay the course defensively up front without Miller. They’re hoping Rousseau is that guy.
On the flip side, the Jets need Brown and Becton to continue playing well and to stay healthy. We’ve seen the alternate at offensive tackle and it isn’t good.
Jets defensive backend vs. Bills TE Dalton Kincaid
Rookie tight ends don’t often make a major impact in their first year. Bills first-round rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid is not your average rookie tight end. He is going to be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Go watch how incredible he was at Utah. He was a big reason why the Utes won the last two Pac-12 championships. Now he’ll try and help Josh Allen and the Bills finally get over the hump in the AFC playoffs and reach the Super Bowl.
The backend of the defense for the Jets — their safeties and linebackers — have to slow him down somehow. It will be really interesting to see how the Jets try to match up with Kincaid and who defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich lines up against Kincaid.
