Last January, shortly after he was hired, Rex Ryan said Buffalo would be the last place he ever coaches. It was, in his opinion, the turning point of his on-field relationship with Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Advertisement
That’s when the Jets – Bills history-laden matchup should be ending in Buffalo. That’s how the Bills have managed to go 4-3-1 ATS their last eight times out.
The Jets (10-5) went from being outside the playoff picture to controlling their chances with a 26-20 overtime victory last Sunday over the New England Patriots – helped in large part by Bill Belichick choosing to kick off rather than start the extra period on offense. But both those teams are in.
“Crazy” and “no filter”, according to a sixth-round draft pick who punched out his team’s starting quarterback over a few hundred bucks. Enemkpali’s characterization will no doubt go over well with (some) Jets fans.
Suddenly, the Steelers’ fate is out of their hands.
Most of the injured Bills played in Buffalo’s 22-17 win on November 12 at the Meadowlands. The answer was no. The Bills failed to make the playoffs for the 16th consecutive season: the longest postseason drought in North American sports today. We know that. But you have a head coach that’s been a defensive coordinator and a head coach for 11-plus years.
Let Rex Ryan serve as your daily reminder that you should never count your chickens before they hatch.
Could it be “flexed” from Sunday afternoon at 1 o’clock to that night at 8:30?
To do that, the Bills need to solve Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. That’s why when he talked about going to the playoffs he genuinely believed it. Now in hindsight, seeing how his words led to criticism for his team which did not meet those expectations, Ryan will be changing his approach.
This Sunday, Fitzpatrick returns to a town he was comfortable with for four years, and he told NY reporters earlier this week how much living in Buffalo and playing for the Bills meant to his career.
“It’s certainly not what we were wanting”. But the Jets went on to miss the playoffs each of the following four seasons, finishing. “So, I think the belief’s always been there just because we see the way that everybody works week in and week out and we see the talent level on this team”.
When asked about the stupidest thing he said this year, Ryan responded “Well no I just think when I’m like hey, we’re gonna be in the playoffs”. We want to be in the role of we win, we’re in.
The 2015 National Football League season will once again end without a postsesaon appearance for Buffalo a streak that has been going on since 1999.
Advertisement
Bills running back Boobie Dixon took it a step further, calling the finale against the Jets his team’s “Super Bowl”. “I know it’s not just me, it’s Chan, it’s Kevin (Patullo), it’s Rex (Ryan) on the other side, you guys will have plenty to write about, which will be good, but yes it’s a insane circumstance that that’s what it’s going to come down to in Buffalo” (via NY Jets Media Relations Department).
