Ryan Fitzpatrick is making a bid to be the team’s permanent starter after going 17-26 for 246 yards and a touchdown in Fewell’s first win as coach. Fitzpatrick has also established a nice rapport with Terrell Owens.

The two have connected for 14 completions for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns over the last two games. Darrelle Revis faces another big match up as he tries to silence Buffalo’s dynamic receiver.

With the way Revis has been playing, we have to give him the advantage over Owens. He dominated Owens in their first match up allowing a mere 3 catches for 13 yards (no touchdowns).

Fitzpatrick would be nuts to challenge “Revis Island” unless he sees significant separation. This is why the match up on the other side is even more interesting.

Lito Sheppard played with better awareness against Carolina than he had in his prior starts. His match up with Muhsin Muhammad was a favorable one for the Jets’ because Muhammad is more of a possession receiver, which allowed Sheppard to be more physical at the line.

But Sheppard will face a much faster guy this week in Lee Evans. In their first match up Evan’s burned Sheppard on a critical third down catch which he took 37 yards for a touchdown.

As Sheppard has done all year, he gave Evans a huge cushion, playing a good seven yards off the line. Evans ran a quick slant and Sheppard was slow to react. It was an easy catch and run for Evans who ran right past two Jets’ defenders for the score.

Sheppard needs to challenge Evans at the line and stop playing as though he is afraid to get beat deep. He is a physical corner who thrives in bump and run coverage yet he has played off coverage most of the season.

This is likely due to injuries Sheppard has had since training camp but unless he can play his style, the Jets are better off with Sheppard on the bench.

Evans has been quiet recently, averaging only 2.3 catches and 34 yards over his last four games but he is a big play waiting to happen and will test Sheppard all game long. The Jets would be wise to roll safety help over the top as much as possible.

Fitzpatrick is a mobile quarterback and can beat you with his feet. He ran for a 31-yard touchdown against Miami and can do similar damage against the Jets if they let him.

The Jets need to keep him in the pocket and will likely use one of their linebackers to spy him on passing downs.

Fitzpatrick frustrated the Jets’ D in their last meeting. They brought consistent pressure on him yet he continued to deliver the ball to his receivers. In fact, he completed 5 passes for first downs while under significant duress.

His elongated delivery makes it easier for linemen to knock down passes and for defensive backs to jump his routes. With more time to prepare for him this time, the Jets should have better success disrupting his rhythm.

The Jets do not have to sack Fitzpatrick to be successful. He does not adjust his arm angle well to throw around pressure so all the Jets must do is block his throwing lanes to force incompletions.

Since Fitzpatrick hangs in the pocket well under pressure, the Jets would be better off with less pressure and more defenders in coverage. They must make him go through his progressions and dump off to his third and fourth options, something he is not very good at.

In the run game, Fewell has committed more carries to Fred Jackson who has clearly outplayed Marshawn Lynch this season. Jackson will be the starter and brings a great deal of versatility to the position.

The Jets held Jackson in check in week 6, allowing him only 52 yards and a 3.5-yard average. But he has been more effective since Fitzpatrick took over at quarterback.

Jackson has averaged 5.1 yards per carry over his last three games. He does a lot of things well and can beat you in a number of ways.

He follows his blockers well and runs with patience. He also has good vision and balance and can hit the cut back lane if you let him.

Jackson also has soft hands and is a good receiver out of the backfield. The Bills will keep him on the field on third downs for his receiving ability and for his pass blocking skills as well.

Although the Bills had a nice comeback win over Miami, I believe the Jets match up well against this offense. Their 19th ranked rushing attack is not enough to offset their uneven passing game, which ranks 26th.

Their offensive line has given up 33 sacks already this year, which ranks them 28th in the NFL. To make matters worse, they lost rookie guard Eric Wood for the season with a broken leg.

At left tackle third year man Jonathan Scott has replaced the injured Demetrius Bell. A third stringer, Scott presents a weakness for the Jets’ right side to exploit.

Keep an eye on Marques Douglas who will face Scott in running situations and Calvin Pace who will oppose him on passing downs.

This offensive line has been error prone. The Bills’ team has committed 87 penalties on the year (fourth worst) and their offensive line has a majority of those.

Geoff Hangartner was owned by Kris Jenkins in the first match up and may have problems in this one despite Jenkins’ absence. Sione Pouha did a nice job beating him with quickness and should be able to hold the point of attack against this guy.

Although the Bills have played better under Fitzpatrick, the Jets should be able to keep him in check if they play with the same intensity and discipline they showed against Jacksonville.

Despite Buffalo’s late-game breakout against Miami, they do not score a lot of points. In fact, before Fitzpatrick’s 31-yard scamper against Miami, the Bills had scored only one touchdown in their prior 7 quarters.

The one touchdown came on a 98-yard bomb to Terrell Owens but we must take that with a grain of salt. Owens beat back up corner Tyron Brackenridge who was filling in for injured starter Rashean Mathis.

The Bills’ 16.9 points per game ranks them 26th and they should have difficulties making big plays against a Jets secondary that has been stingy all season.

The Jets presently rank 2nd in passing defense. They bring good pressure and with Revis shutting down the other team’s best receiver, they make it very difficult for their opponent to drive the ball down the field.

Buffalo is 31st in the league on third down, averaging a pathetic 27%. The Jets should be able to get off the field as long as they keep Fitzpatrick in the pocket and make him beat them with dump offs and sustained drives.

If I were a Jets’ player I would want to redeem myself for the game I gave away in week 6. Sanchez was the main culprit with 5 interceptions but there was plenty of blame to go around. They wasted a brilliant effort from their offensive line and running back and should be fired up to take it to Buffalo.

This is a statement game for the Jets. The need to be sharp, limit their mistakes and play with intensity in order to win this prime time game.



Keys

• Keep Fitzpatrick in the pocket. As long as they block his throwing lanes, the Jets should be successful but if they allow him to make plays with his feet, he will keep drives alive and open things up in the secondary.

• Do not blitz too much. Fitzpatrick hangs in the pocket and delivers the ball well under pressure. The Jets will have better success with more defensive backs, which will force him to go through his progressions and check down to his third and fourth options.

• Take Terrell Owens out of the game. After two solid games, Owens is clicking with Fitzpatrick. The way to cool down this offense is for Revis to take away Fitzpatrick’s primary receiver.

• Sheppard needs to be more physical and jam Lee Evans at the line. Evans will eat him up if he gives him too much cushion.

• Attack inexperienced left tackle Jonathan Scott.