ORCHARD PARK – John Abraham looked like he was moving around the field on a motorcycle Monday night during the Jets’ rout of the Dolphins.
Abraham wasn’t the only player with a clear added bounce in his step, but he was the most obvious. He was so jacked up he had to have an IV administered to him to calm him down between pregame warmups and kickoff.
“I was so hyper Monday night that when Herm came and talked to me in warm-ups and told me to have a good game, I told him, hey, man, you better calm me down because I might end up hurting someone out here tonight.
“I had so much energy before the game I had to get an IV. I was about to cramp up. After pregame, I usually don’t sweat that much, but I was sweating my [butt] off. I don’t know if I was just ready to play or what, but I couldn’t calm down for some reason. Being back on that Monday night stage really brought it out for me.”
The question this raises for the Jets is this: At 6-1 and tied for the best record in the AFC, ready to play at Buffalo today, can they bottle that heightened energy they took into their home game Monday night against Miami?
“I don’t think you can get that feeling until you’re on that stage,” Abraham said, still recalling Monday night. “I couldn’t even control how I was feeling. I was just ready to play. I’ve had that feeling before, but never like that. That’s when I pretty much knew something good was going to happen. A lot of people told me I was flying around; I didn’t even know.
“I can’t even imagine how it’s going to be this year for me in the playoffs, having everything going the way it is for our team and us being in a better predicament than we’ve ever been in. I can’t even imagine how it’s going to feel if we get to that point.”
If the Jets are going to get to “that point” they’re going to have to win games like the one they’re facing today. They’re favored even though it’s clear the Bills (2-5) will be a tough out, particularly on their home field, particularly because the Jets scraped by them, 16-14, a month ago at Giants Stadium.
It’s never easy to beat a team twice in one month, particularly when it’s a division rival. The Jets did it against Miami, routing the Dolphins at home after barely defeating them in Florida.
But Buffalo, despite its record and the fact it started the season 0-4, is better than Miami. The Bills’ defense, ranked second overall in the NFL, is better and healthier than Miami’s; their offense has two running backs (Willis McGahee and Travis Henry) who are better than any back on Miami’s roster; and they have a better quarterback (Drew Bledsoe) than the Dolphins do.
The Bills have won two of their past three games. This season, they’ve allowed five more points than they’ve scored, and given up 97 rushing yards per game, 55 fewer than the Jets’ offense has been averaging.
With high winds in the forecast, the running game will be critical, meaning the Curtis Martin/LaMont Jordan one-two punch could win it for the Jets, as long as their defense holds to form. The Jets have allowed one player in seven games to run for 100 yards on them (Corey Dillon, Patriots, 115). McGahee has rushed for 100 or more yards in each of his two starts.
Special teams will be a significant factor, and the Bills have one of the best kickoff returners in the game, Terrence McGee, who averages 28 yards per return with two TDs.
Punting has been an Achilles’ heel for the Jets, a source of major frustration for special teams coach Mike Westhoff. This will be a field-position game and an inconsistent performance by Toby Gowin could be costly.
Then again, if the Jets come out with the fervor they took the field with Monday night, all bets are off. The Jets will be 7-1 at the midway point of the season for the second time in franchise history.
PREDICTION
This game has “defensive struggle” written all over it. The defenses are stout, the weather is calling for blustery conditions. This will be about who runs the ball better, field position and turnovers. The Jets are a more sound team, more consistent on the ground, and better with turnovers, though their special teams have lagged a bit.
JETS 13
BILLS 10
INJURY REPORT
Jets: OUT: LB Sam Cowart (knee); LB Jason Glenn (forearm); G Brent Smith (knee); CB Derrick Strait (foot); S Rashad Washington (foot). QUESTIONABLE: WR Wayne Chrebet (back). PROBABLE: G Brandon Moore (hamstring).
Bills: DOUBTFUL: WR Josh Reed (knee); DE Constantin Ritzmann (foot); S Coy Wire (abdomen). QUESTIONABLE: QB J.P. Losman (leg); C Trey Teague (knee); CB Troy Vincent (knee). PROBABLE: WR Drew Haddad (hamstring).
KEY MATCHUP
Jets C Kevin Mawae, G Pete Kendall and G Brandon Moore vs. Buffalo DTs Pat Williams (317 pounds) and Sam Adams (335 pounds). This will determine how well Curtis Martin runs.
NUMBER TO KNOW
7-1; plus-12. The Jets will be 7-1 with a win, a record they’ve had once in franchise history (1986). The Jets lead the NFL with a plus-12 turnover margin.
JETS CONCERN
That Buffalo RB Willis McGahee is able to run on their defense, which has allowed one 100-yard rusher this season. McGahee has 213 yards and 2 TDs in his two starts.
FOE FACT
WR Eric Moulds leads the Bills with 40 receptions. Next on the list is Lee Evans with 11 catches.