Spirits are down for the Buffalo Bills and their fans. It’s been a bad two weeks and now they will have to wait until Monday night to take the field against the New York Jets. The Bills tend to struggle against the Jets and they are once again on the road in MetLife this week. Coming in at 3-2, this is a must-win game for the Bills. Even though it has only been six games, the winner of this game will take control of the AFC East after Week 6.
The last time these two teams met on Monday night in MetLife, the Aaron Rodgers hype came crashing down after four plays when he tore his achilles after being sacked by Leonard Floyd. Enter Zach Wilson who led the Jets to a miraculous comeback in overtime against the Jets.
Well, Wilson is no longer in New York and neither is head coach Robert Saleh who was fired this past week. Instead, the Bills will be going up against Jeff Ulbrich who was promoted as the interim defensive coordinator. The Jets opted to keep the defensive continuity with Ulbrich, and the Jets’ defense still remains elite.
For the Bills, their offensive has been banged up the last couple of weeks. Khalil Shakir didn’t play last week against the Texans and it hurt Buffalo badly. Now there is a chance that the Bills could be heading into this division matchup without one of their elite weapons in the backfield.
James Cook's toe injury puts Buffalo Bills in tough predicament
Cook was on the Bills’ injury report with a toe injury and there is a lot of concern as to whether or not he will be able to suit up against the Jets.
Thursday injury report pic.twitter.com/8zVxbOjX2V
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) October 10, 2024
Cook has 309 rushing yards on the season and plays a crucial role in the offense. He has proven to establish the run but also serve as a threat in the receiving game. Not having him will heavily limit this offense that is already suffering at receiving options.
If he is not ready to go, Bills fans will see a heavy dose of rookie running back Ray Davis and Ty Johnson. While Davis has shown mini flashes, no one knows how he will be a go-to guy for all four quarters. Outside of Josh Allen, Cook is a player that defensive coaches have to gameplan for. Having him out of the game and only focusing on Allen puts the Bills at a massive disadvantage.