After an offseason filled with excitement and optimism, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is making his highly-anticipated Jets debut as New York hosts the Buffalo Bills on “Monday Night Football.”
Can Josh Allen and the Bills, who are aiming to rebound after another deflating postseason loss, give New York a reality check, or will the new-look Jets prove they’re a legitimate contender?
Here are the biggest storylines to monitor in Monday’s matchup.
When the Jets are on offense
Does Aaron Rodgers’ rejuvenated mindset translate to improved results on the field?: Even though social media and “Hard Knocks” allowed us to get a glimpse of how excited Rodgers is to be in the Big Apple, it’s impossible to overlook how he declined last season. The four-time MVP threw for 3,695 yards, his lowest total when playing an entire season, to go along with 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. As a result, Rodgers’ QBR in 2022 was his worst as a full-time starter (41.3).
Nevertheless, Rodgers will have better weapons at his disposal with the Jets than last season. Garrett Wilson, who caught 83 passes for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns en route to winning the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, should be the focal point of the passing attack. Additionally, given Rodgers’ already well-established rapport with Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, the two receivers should be heavily involved, which in turn will ease each former Packers’ transition to New York.
New York’s newest rushing tandem: Because second-year tailback Breece Hall is coming off a torn ACL that cut his impressive rookie season short, New York added another former NFC North standout this offseason in four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook. The ex-Viking has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in each of the last four seasons and now that he’s teamed with Hall, the Jets could have the top running back duo in the NFL.
If it weren’t for his injury, Hall was well on his way to earning Offensive Rookie of the Year, as he tallied 681 all-purpose yards and five total touchdowns in seven games. Even so, it appears he’ll still be eased back into the lead role, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that Cook should receive the bulk of the Week 1 and early-season carries.
Damar Hamlin’s return: Just eight months after going into cardiac arrest on the field during last season’s Week 17 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, Hamlin is suiting up for his return to regular-season action. The 25-year-old safety played in all three of Buffalo’s preseason games, recording nine solo tackles and two assists. Although it’s still unclear how many snaps he’ll get on defense, Hamlin should be a contributor on special teams against the Jets.
Will the offensive line deliver a clean performance?: “Hard Knocks” may have focused primarily on the Jets’ positive aspects this preseason, but the offensive line appears to be an area of concern. Jets HC Robert Saleh ripped the unit during an expletive-laden rant in one episode and Rodgers later admitted the O-line was still “a work in progress.” Facing a Buffalo pass rush without OLB Von Miller should be a favorable matchup to start the season, although a poor performance would be troubling.
When the Bills are on offense
How involved will Stefon Diggs be after last season’s sideline meltdown?: The All-Pro wide receiver aired out his frustrations to Allen amidst a four-catch, 35-yard performance in Buffalo’s divisional-round loss to Cincinnati, which has been a significant storyline throughout the offseason. Despite all parties saying the incident was overblown, Diggs was still clearly unhappy this offseason and skipped OTAs as a result.
Diggs should still see plenty of passes coming his way after averaging 9.6 targets last season, though it’ll likely be a challenge to turn those into receptions against New York’s elite cornerback duo.
Is Buffalo able to effectively move the ball on the Jets’ self-proclaimed “historical defense?”: Not only could Diggs struggle in the opener, but it’ll be interesting to see how efficiently Buffalo’s offense operates in general. Last season, New York allowed the fourth-fewest points among NFL teams (316) and notably kept Buffalo in check during their two meetings, allowing just 37 total points.
If New York’s defense plays to the “historical” level cornerback D.J. Reed believes it can reach, then Allen and the Bills might have greater difficulty finding the end zone this time around.
Intriguing tight end headlines rookies to watch: There aren’t many offensive rookies in this matchup, but even if there were, first-rounder Dalton Kincaid would still be the biggest newcomer to keep an eye on. The former Utah tight end caught 70 passes for 890 yards during his final collegiate season, which were both team highs. However, Buffalo doesn’t plan to utilize Kincaid as a true tight end and instead as a slot receiver.
Allen has commended Kincaid’s high IQ and should the rookie live up to expectations, he could be the final piece that puts an already elite Buffalo offense over the top.
Can James Cook handle an increased workload?: While the Jets’ Cook will be more of a committee running back, his younger brother, James, is stepping into a starting role for Buffalo. The 2022 second-rounder will see a significant uptick in usage that he hasn’t seen before, not just during his time in the NFL but throughout his entire football career. Cook logged 7.5 rushing attempts per game during his final year at Georgia in 2021 and averaged 5.6 carries last season.
LeSean McCoy was the last Bill to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, doing so back in 2017. Buffalo will hope Cook can end that streak starting on Monday.