JETS AT BILLS, Ralph Wilson Stadium
WHEN: 1 p.m. ET
TV: Channel 2
PLAYER TO WATCH – WR JORDAN MATTHEWS
Matthews joined the Bills this summer as part of a blockbuster trade that sent top corner Ronald Darby to the Eagles.
Can the revamped Jets secondary match up? Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, the rookie safety tandem, will be making their first career starts. Free agent acquisition CB Morris Claiborne will also be wearing Jets green in a regular-season game for the first time this Sunday. Matthews will serve as a good test.
The 6-3, 212-pound former second-round pick caught 73 passes for 804 yards for Philadelphia last season. Now he’s the top receiver on the Bills roster, after they dealt Sammy Watkins to the Rams on the same day they traded Darby. Matthews had a similar role with the Eagles last year, but we’ll see if he can replicate the success in Buffalo starting Week 1 against one of the worst rosters in the NFL.
INJURY REPORT
JETS: TE Jordan Leggett (knee) and S Rontez Miles (eye) are OUT.
With TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins sitting out the first two games because of a suspension, Leggett had an opportunity to step up. But it won’t happen this week. The Jets will rely on former Giants TE Will Tye to fill the role, along with Eric Tomlinson and newly-signed Neal Sterling.
BILLS: LB Tanner Vallejo (knee) and DT Jerel Worthy (concussion)
No significant injuries here. Vellejo is a rookie backup, and Worthy is a depth player on the defensive line.
KEY MATCHUP
LESEAN MCCOY VS. JETS FRONT 7
Bills-Jets will effectively be the battle of the tankers. Both teams sold off significant portions of their respective rosters. And the loser will ultimately benefit more, because they’ll be closer to landing one of the stud quarterbacks available in the draft. But the Jets, if they truly want to win this game, will need to limit dynamic running back McCoy, and they have the talent to do it. Even after trading Sheldon Richardson, returners Muhammad Wilkerson, Leonard Williams and Steve McLendon still make up one of the most imposing defensive lines in the league.