The Jets’ “White In” is back on!
QB Mike White, who has gained folk hero status, will be back at the controls for the Jets (2-6) Sunday against Buffalo (5-3) at MetLife Stadium. White was given clearance to play after an elbow injury took him out of last week’s game against Indianapolis.
Here are the betting odds for Sunday’s game.
Jets Vs. Bills Betting Odds
| Sportsbook | Point spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | Bills -12 (-110) Jets +12 (-110) | Bills -650 Jets +500 | Over 47.5 (-110) Under 47.5 (-110) |
| DraftKings | Bills -11 (-110) Jets +11 (-110) | Bills -630 Jets +450 | Over 47.5 (-110) Under 47.5 (-110) |
| FanDuel | Bills -12 (-110) Jets +12 (-110) | Bills -620 Jets +460 | Over 47.5 (-110) Under 47.5 (-110) |
| Caesars | Bills -12 (-110) Jets +12 (-110) | Bills -700 Jets +475 | Over 47.5 (-110) Under 47.5 (-110) |
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Mike White’s Impact On Jets
According to sources, White won over his teammates and coaches for his quick grasp of the playbook and his relationship with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who was in the booth instead of being on the sidelines for starter Zach Wilson. Wilson’s status to return from a knee injury still isn’t clear.
Head coach Robert Saleh insisted Wilson is still the guy.
“If Mike is playing phenomenal football, it is what it is,” stated Saleh. “We have the utmost confidence in Zach when he gets ready to play and he gets back on the football field that he’s going to do a phenomenal job.”
White can further muddle the quarterback picture if he plays well against the Bills’ defense that is tops in the league. Buffalo has allowed an average of 177 yards passing yards and 85.6 rushing yards per game with 11 interceptions. It certainly won’t be an easy task.
Against Cincinnati, White hit 10 receivers in his record-setting 405-yard afternoon. He will need to spread the ball around again to try and keep the Bills’ defense honest.
White has found a comfort zone with rookie WR Elijah Moore, who had six catches against Cincinnati and a pair of touchdowns against Indianapolis. The Jets have been waiting for Moore to be a consistent performer, and he may have found the route.
Rookie RB Michael Carter, who continues to assert himself as the team’s lead back, faces a stiff challenge from the swarming Bills defense. Carter again will have to be an effective weapon out of the backfield, as he is the team’s second-leading receiver with 27 catches for 263 yards behind WR Jamison Crowder, who has 28 receptions for 241 yards and one touchdown.
The Jets’ offense ranks 23rd in the league with an average of 274 yards passing and 77 yards rushing. The Jets are 27th in the league with an average of 18 points per game overall, but they have averaged 25.7 points per game over their last three.
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Jets Need Improved Defense
Defensively, the Jets are dead last in the league after their listless performance against the Colts. They are 27th against the rush, 29th against the pass, and 32nd in scoring. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has had 10 days to fix the issue.
Their red zone defense dropped to 16th overall after being ranked in the top five all season. They have given up an average of 408 yards per game, 227 of them via the air. The unit has just one interception. The Jets also lost safety and captain Marcus Maye for the rest of the season with an injury.
They will have to find a way to throttle Buffalo QB Josh Allen, who was ravaged last week in a 9-6 loss to Jacksonville.
Ulbrich believes his unit can be fixed starting on the ground.
“Starts with run defense,” he said. “That is something, as a defensive coach, and I know the defensive players on this team would take great pride in, and we did not play the run even close to our standard last week, or the New England week for that matter. So, that’s absolutely being addressed. The light has been shown on it. Coaching it tighter. Players know that they need to play it better and that’s technique, that’s calls, that’s a little bit of everything. But that’s definitely where the focus has been.”
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Jets Key Injuries
Losing Maye will be a crucial blow to the unit, and Ashtyn Davis and Jarrod Wilson will fill the void. OL Chuma Edoga (knee) is out, and RB Tevin Coleman (hamstring), WR Corey Davis (hip), DL Shaq Lawson (hamstring), and Alijah Vera-Tucker (toe) had limited practice Wednesday and are probable.
Bills Offense And Injuries
It’s Josh Allen, and the thought of him can cause a stir. Allen has 2,236 yards passing with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also has rushed for 319 yards.
Allen has a stable of targets, starting with deep threat Shelton Diggs (48-588, 3 TDs) and possession receiver Cole Beasley (51-446-1). Veteran WR Emmanuel Sanders (28-479-4) has been effective along with TE Dawson (28-286-5).
RB Devin Singletary (355 yards) has helped to offset the passing attack and an offense that has averaged 29.9 points per game. The Bills’ offense is ranked from first to fourth in the league in passing and rushing.
The Bills will want to bounce back after scoring six points against Jacksonville, and they have lost two of their last three games. Allen had three turnovers and zero touchdowns against Jacksonville.
Buffalo likely will miss LB Tremaine Edmunds, who hasn’t practiced due to a hamstring injury. The Bills are otherwise healthy.
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Bills Defense
The Bills’ defense has been stingy all season and is the league’s best. Buffalo has averaged a league-best 14.8 points per game allowed. The Bills are allowing 177 passing yards and 85 rushing yards per game. Overall, they are first against the run and fourth against the pass.
Buffalo has recorded 18 sacks. The Bills’ unit is ranked fourth, and it has been among the top five in the league all season.
Edmunds is the team’s leading tackler, and his absence could make a difference. LB Matt Milano has done a solid job, and CB Taron Johnson and S Jordan Poyer have been tackling machines. They anchor a ball-hawking secondary. Last week, they limited Jacksonville to 118 yards passing and 79 yards rushing. They could cause plenty of problems for White and the Jets’ offense.
Other Factors
This game will really come down to the Jets’ defense. The Jets tend to bounce back after a poor performance and need to corral Allen, or it will be a long afternoon. Allen has a 3-2 lifetime mark against the Jets. Their last two meetings have been decided by eight and 10 points, both Bills’ victories.
The Bills swept the series last year, the first time either team did since the Jets in 2016. This is the first meeting between the two in 2021. Buffalo got off to a fast start, and now suddenly has New England on its heels for the AFC East title.
The Jets are -12 and the Bills are +11 in takeaways this season.
Jets Vs. Bills Sports Betting Recommendations
The total is 48: Take the over
The point spread is Buffalo -11: Take the Bills
ATS Records: The Jets are 2-6 overall but 2-1 as home underdogs. The Bills are 4-3-1 overall and 1-2 as road favorites.
Predicted score: Bills 42, Jets 20
Score: Bills 42, Jets 20
About the Author — Jeff Moeller
Jeff has covered countless sports events on the high school, collegiate and professional levels in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey for 37 years. He has worked for The Associated Press, Gannett, and numerous weeklies, dailies, wire services, and websites.