The New York Jets that took the field last Sunday to face the Cleveland Browns looked a lot different to the team that recorded their first win of the season two weeks prior in Cincinnati, even if the final act in both cases was a celebration on the field. 

Darren Mougey stated that the trading of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams didn’t equate to a teardown, but the value on offer was too good to pass up. It’s never easy to trade two All-Pro’s and plenty of fans are disappointed to have lost two good players and two players who were beloved by the fans. 

But the Jets have now positioned themselves to control the first round of the next two drafts, and you can be sure that we’ll be getting into those draft discussions as the season winds down. 

Along with an array of picks, the Jets picked up several intriguing pieces which includes defensive pair Ja’sir Taylor and Mazi Smith, but today we’re focusing on the two new receivers added to the roster in Adonai Mitchell, acquired as part of the Sauce Gardner trade and John Metchie III, acquired in the Michael Carter II trade. 

Aaron Glenn said that he was unsure how long it would take to get both new receivers up to speed. We saw Metchie in limited action on Sunday, and both could play key roles on Thursday, offering intriguing upside for a team looking to improve their receiver room to help Garrett Wilson who is so often doubled on Sundays and has been ruled out this week with a knee injury. 

Let’s start with John Metchie III, who was the 44th selection in the 2022 draft by the Houston Texans. The former Alabama man was forced to miss his entire rookie season as he recovered from acute promyelocytic leukemia, a type of cancer of the white blood cells. In 2023 he joined a Houston Texans team that had plenty of receiving talent ahead of him including Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz and Noah Brown. 

Two and a half years into his career, I think it’s fair to say that Metchie would have hoped to have more than the 44 catches for 440 yards and 1 touchdown on his resume, especially considering at one point he was generating first round buzz following his 96 catch, 1,142 yard and 8 touchdown season at Alabama, a season in which he secured 61.1% of his contested catches and forced 20 missed tackles. 

Metchie landed in Philadelphia in a trade this offseason but again found himself buried on a depth chart that included DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Dallas Goedert, Saquon Barkley and Jahan Dotson. That resulted in 4 receptions on 4 targets for 18 yards and a move to the Jets where he should be given an opportunity to showcase his talent with a higher snap % than he’s had at any point in his career. 

The Jets have the perfect opportunity to evaluate him due to him being signed through the 2026 season and this is the perfect example of buying low and trusting your coaches to develop the skills that convinced the Texans to spend a 2nd round pick on him.

Coming out of college Metchie was renowned as a savvy and polished route runner who had plus body control and reliable hands. The fact he’d played in a pro-style offense at Alabama and excelled against elite level competition didn’t hurt either. 

Joining Metchie is Adonai Mitchell, a player who electrified during his one year as a Texas Longhorn in college, making 55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

It’s rare to find a 6’2 receiver who has 4.34 speed and a 1.52 10-yard split. Within those three numbers you find the size you want, the long speed you want and the acceleration you want in a prototype wideout. 

With Mitchell having been drafted in 2024, he’s signed through the 2027 season. Not only does that give the Jets plenty of time to evaluate him, it gives them plenty of time to develop him and unlock his potential. 

That development is clear for everyone to see, even halfway through his second year in the league. He’s improved his reception % from 45.1% to 60.0%, improved his yards per reception from 13.6 to 16.9, and his yards after the catch per reception from 4.5 to 6.2. He hasn’t had a single drop this season on 15 targets and has caught 100% of his contested catches. 

It may be a small sample size, but it shows that Mitchell is heading in the right direction. 

The Jets now have two promising and very exciting young receivers in the mix, players who are signed through the 2026 and 2027 seasons respectively at very reasonable cap hits. The wide receiver room has been refreshed and both players will look to prove that they’re long-term solutions in the quest to find some help for Garrett Wilson. 

New York Jets fans have waited a long time for the sweet taste of victory and that wait was rewarded last Sunday with a 39-38 victory in Cincinnati over the Bengals. 

The Jets faced deficits of 17-3, 24-10, 31-16 and 38-24 during that game, but walked out of Paycor Stadium with Aaron Glenn’s first win as Head Coach. 

That win on Sunday was also the first time the Jets have won in Cincinnati since that 2009 wild card game where Shonn Greene rushed for 135 yards and a TD and Chad Johnson took a short visit to Revis Island. 

The victory was propelled by an offensive explosion which saw the Jets outscore their opponents 23-7 in the fourth quarter. Finishing strong is a trait associated with good football teams, and if we can maintain that trait then more wins will surely follow. 

After several down weeks for Tanner Engstrand and his unit, the Jets put on an offensive clinic:

• 39 points, including 23 in the fourth quarter
• 502 total yards
• 248 passing yards
• 254 rushing yards
• 9 conversions of either third or fourth down
• 7.2 yards a play
• 0 penalties
• 0 interceptions
• 0 fumbles
• 0 sacks
• One memorable afternoon for Jets fans. 

Just like the Mike White game of Halloween past, this may be remembered as the Breece Hall game. The Jets RB played a hand in three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and became just the fourth RB since 1950 to throw a game-winning TD in the final two minutes. Legendary Jets RB Curtis Martin did it back in 2000, which means the Jets are responsible for 50% of those unique plays. 

Hall also became the first non-QB since 1950 to have two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown in the fourth quarter. In fact, he became just the third non-QB since 1950 to have two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown in any quarter. 

Hall became the first RB since Ronnie Brown in 2008 to have two rushing and one passing touchdown in the same game. It also represented Hall’s 16th career game with 100+ scrimmage yards, which ties Laveranues Coles for the third-most such games by a Jet, only Thomas Jones (21) and Curtis Martin (48) have had more. 

The Jets scored 35 points and had over 500 total yards for the first time in a game since the year 2021 and that fourth quarter deficit that they faced was the second largest that the team have ever overturned to win. It was also the first time this season and the first time since 2023 that the Jets hadn’t allowed a single sack in a game. The game marked Joe Tippmann’s 35th consecutive start, the longest such streak for a Jets offensive lineman since Kelvin Beachum notched 37 consecutive starts between 2017-19.

The Jets 502 yards of total offense are the fourth-most and their 254 rushing yards are the second-most by any team in a game this season.

When you put all of these stats together, you realise just how unique that performance was, and now Aaron Glenn and Tanner Engstrand will be looking to build on that success over the coming weeks, with the Browns coming up straight after the bye week.

When the Jets take the field against Cleveland they’ll have a new face at receiver. Late on Wednesday night it was announced that the Jets had traded CB Michael Carter II to the Philadelphia Eagles for WR John Metchie III. A former Alabama standout who has overcome considerable adversity to get to the league, which included a battle with cancer which forced him to miss his entire rookie season. 

The talent possessed by Metchie III is unquestionable. He played for a Nick Saban team that made winning look easy. In his final year at Alabama he caught 96 passes for 1,142 yards and 8 touchdowns while bringing in 61.1% of his contested catches. With Metchie III signed through the 2026 season, this move gives the Jets plenty of time to get him up to speed and evaluate whether he could be part of the solution to the playoff drought puzzle. 

Expectations for this Jets offence has risen considerably after the outburst against the Bengals and providing Justin Fields with another weapon is never a bad idea. Metchie will join star receiver Garrett Wilson, alongside rookie receiving options Mason Taylor and Arian Smith. He’ll also have the veteran presence of Josh Reynolds to lean upon. If the Jets want to consistently hit the dizzying heights of 30+ points and 400+ total yards they’ll need contributions up and down the lineup. 

The Jets will be hoping that a change of scenery is the key to kickstarting their season as they head over to London for their fourth international game since 2015. 

Aaron Glenn and the team boarded a transatlantic flight on Monday night with promises to stay the course despite a disappointing 0-5 start to the season. 

New York will be hoping to channel the energy of their first international appearance back in 2015 when they beat the Dolphins 27-14 behind a suffocating defense and a dominant 166-yard performance from Chris Ivory and a 128-yard performance by Brandon Marshall.

Standing in their way is a Denver Broncos side who are coming off their best win of the season, and arguably the best win of the Sean Payton era, a 21-17 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, just the fourth game they’ve lost at home since the start of the 2023 season. 

The Broncos head into the game against the Jets on a two-game win streak, and boast one of the NFL’s best defenses having allowed just 84 points through the first five games, an average of 16.8 points per game. Only the Houston Texans have allowed fewer. 

The Broncos have the best red-zone defense in football, allowing teams to score touchdowns on just 28.57% of entries inside the 20 and boast the third-best third down conversion rate allowed of 30.30%, so the Jets will need to be at their absolute best when it comes to moving the ball. 

The offensive line will have its hands full with a Denver front that generates pressure at a league-high rate of 31.7%. They also blitz on 29.1% of all drop-backs which is the seventh-highest number in football. That unit is led by star linebacker Nik Bonitto who has generated 26 pressures and 7 sacks in just 114 pass-rush snaps this season. But the talent on this Denver defense filters through to all three levels. 

Outside of Bonitto you have Jonathon Cooper, D.J. Jones and old friend John Franklin-Myers up front, with dynamic linebacker duo Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad behind them and one of the better secondaries in football led by 2x All-Pro Pat Surtain II and safety Talanoa Hufanga who’s enjoying a career year to start the season. 

No defense is perfect, and DeVonta Smith took advantage of Denver’s #2 CB in Riley Moss at the weekend beating him for 114 yards on 8 catches, with Moss later admitting that he played “dumb football” by pressing Smith on a 3rd and 17 which resulted in a 52-yard completion and a Philadelphia TD two plays later. 

For as good as Denver can be, their linebacker unit can be exploited in coverage. Alex Singleton for example has allowed 88.5% of passes to be completed into his coverage for 273 yards and 2 touchdowns and while Pat Surtain has not been credited with allowing a TD this season, he has been called for five penalties. 

Tanner Engstrand’s gameplan will be a difficult one to devise this week, but it may be worth taking a page out of Jim Bob Cooter and the Indianapolis Colts playbook. In week two at Lucas Oil stadium, Indianapolis and Daniel Jones put up 473 total yards and 29 points which included over 300 passing yards and over 150 rushing yards. 

On the offensive side of the ball the Broncos have been more inconsistent ranking 18th in football at 23.4 points per game, just above the Jets who rank 19th with 22.4. 

However, moving the football hasn’t been much of a problem for Sean Payton, as the Broncos offensive unit ranks 10th in the league with 355.2 yards per game which includes 140.6 yards per game on the ground, ranked fourth in the league. 

A week after having to deal with the difficult George Pickens, Sauce Gardner will again be matched up with one of the best receivers in the league in Courtland Sutton. The veteran receiver is coming off an 8-catch 99-yard game against Philly and is now up to 365 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season. 81 of his 99 yards on Sunday came against young star Quinyon Mitchell, a player who had never allowed more than 2 receptions or more than 49 yards to any receiver in a single game. 

If you’re not worried about Sutton then you need to be worried about running back J.K. Dobbins, who is on course to have the best season of his young career. The former Raven and Charger has racked up 402 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground which is good for 5.2 yards per carry. His ability to extend plays is a dangerous skill set that the Jets will need to be wary of, his 255 yards after contact is 7th highest in football and his 14 missed tackles forced is good for 11th best in the league. In short, he’s an absolute handful. 

It’s clear that Sean Payton wants to run the football, the Broncos average 28.4 rushing attempts per game and try to control the clock. When they need a first-down through the air, they often turn to Courtland Sutton. In many ways their offense reflects the identity that the Jets are trying to establish, they’re just a little further down the line. 

If the Jets hope to find success against this offense they’ll need to ensure they find success stopping the run on early downs forcing the Broncos into obvious passing situations. Bo Nix is a very good QB, but under pressure his completion percentage drops to 47.6% and in 42 attempts under pressure he’s only thrown 1 touchdown (1 INT) and his average yards per attempt drops all the way down to 4.5. 

The Jets have been unable to generate pressure over the last couple of weeks which has put pressure on their secondary to hold up. Jermaine Johnson is currently re-habbing his ankle injury and it appears he will make his return on Sunday. Reuniting him with Will McDonald may be the recipe needed to get this pass-rush going. 

Sunday will be a difficult match-up, but maybe the unfamiliar confines of N17 is exactly what the doctor ordered, and maybe years from now we can say we saw Glenn’s first triumph as HC of the Jets. 

There are certain things that become synonymous with sports franchises all over the world. Something that ensures you know you’re home, even if that home is thousands of miles across the Atlantic ocean. For the Jets, that’s without doubt the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS chant. 

Whether you’re taking in a game at MetLife or walking down N17 this weekend, that chant will ring out, and as soon as the hush descends before the J, you know it’s time for football. 

Today that chant is widely associated with Edwin M. Anzalone, better known as Fireman Ed due to the fact he spent 20 years in the NYFD, working in Harlem. Ed will often be hoisted onto shoulders, quiet the crowd with arms spread before firing up the fans, calling for volume, volume and more volume. 

Ed has been in control of the chant since the mid 1980’s and we’ve seen it around NFL stadiums but also here in London when the Jets played the Dolphins and Falcons.

But that chant goes back a lot further than Ed, who took up the reins of leading it in 1986, in an attempt to get the lower deck of the meadowlands going. It goes all the way back to the 1970s when the Jets called Shea Stadium home. Some people claim it was around as early as the late 1960s. 

Having started life at the famous Polo Grounds, the Jets moved to Shea Stadium in Queens in 1964 alongside the New York Mets, baseball’s newest expansion team. The Mets held exclusive rights to the stadium during their season which often meant the Jets would start their season away from home, but while Shea was designed as a baseball stadium, older Jets fans still insist that the atmosphere generated there was unparalleled. 

For many baseball fans Shea was and still is their spiritual home, for the Jets it was home to one of the best games in franchise history, the 1968 AFL Championship win over the Raiders which sent the Jets to the Super Bowl, and we all know how that ended. In total the Jets spent 20 years at Shea stadium and while we can’t pinpoint the exact moment of creation for the chant, it started and evolved in Queens. 

Following their move to the meadowlands in 1984, the franchise worked tirelessly to ensure that Jets fans felt at home in a stadium that was designed for their cross-town friends, hence the red and blue seating. But like with every stadium, it took a little bit of time before the atmosphere regained its volume. The J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS chant was a huge part of improving the experience for home fans. 

At Shea, Jets fans Larry Mack and Don Schaeffer started spelling out J-E-T-S on opposite sides of the field in the upper bowl and Fireman Ed wanted to bring that energy to the whole stadium, noticing that the lower bowl was struggling to generate any kind of atmosphere. So in essence the chant started as a friendly rivalry between two sets of Jets fans and has morphed into the rallying cry that it is today. 

This Sunday, the Jets will be as far from home as their schedule takes them this season. But with the J-E-T-S chant binding fans from all over the world together, you can be sure that the atmosphere inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will still bring the energy as that first kickoff is sent into the sky. For those attending the game – make sure you are loud and proud so that the J-E-T-S can be heard all the way back in Queens where it first began.

London calling!

On Sunday, the Jets swap the Meadowlands for North London, turning Tottenham Hotspur Stadium green and white as the home team for their game against the Denver Broncos.

Whether you’re trying to fill the day with wall-to-wall Jets entertainment or need a place to watch the game without a ticket, we’ve got everything you need to know to make it the perfect day out!

Pre-Game Tailgates and Meet-Ups – AM

Two of our local-run fan groups have pre-game meetups on Sunday to get your gameday started in style.

The UK&I Jets Fan Club will be taking over The Victoria and Two Brewers pubs, which are on the walk to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Seven Sisters station, around 5-10 minutes from the ground. No tickets are required.

The official Gang Green UK tailgate will set you up for the long day ahead. Starting at 10am at Redemption Brewing Company in Tottenham, this ticketed event will finish 90 minutes before the game so you still have time to head down to the stadium and enjoy all the festivities. This event is ticketed, with all profits divided between three charities.

N17 – Pre-Game at the Stadium – 12pm-2:30pm

Make sure you get down to the stadium early to enjoy everything a Jets gameday has to offer.

The ‘N17’ experience space just outside the stadium is located on the corner of Worcester Avenue and Park Lane. There will be games and activities for kids and adults – including a field goal kick – plenty of opportunities to buy merchandise and a host of food and drink stalls to keep those energy levels up. 

Then it’s into the stadium to make our voices heard, chant J-E-T-S loud and proud and show that the fanbase on this side of the pond is just as passionate as anywhere else in the world.

Game Time at the Stadium – 2:30pm

Make sure to get in your seat early and help build an atmosphere for the team as they take the field! There will be giveaway flags on every seat to help turn the stands into a sea of green and white, whilst we will be coordinating J-E-T-S chants that should help get the stadium shaking!

Then the whistles blow and we are underway! You can expect the same excellent game presentation and entertainment as a home game at MetLife, whilst rapper Giggs will take the field at half time for a special performance!

Gameday Watch Party – 1pm – 6pm – Jets Pub, Greenwood

Not managed to secure a ticket for the game? No problem.

Head to the Greenwood Pub in Victoria to soak up the atmosphere with fellow fans and cheer the green-and-white to victory while gaining access to exclusive giveaway opportunities. Stay after the game for the crowd to filter in, hopefully in celebration of an outstanding victory. 

No tickets required but we recommend booking a table to secure a prime viewing spot!

New York Jets Touchdown Tailgate is coming back to London!

The New York Jets are bringing the ultimate gameday experience back to the Big Smoke! On Saturday, 11th October, join us for our very own Touchdown Tailgate at Vinegar Yard, London Bridge – your perfect introduction to the tailgate tradition.

No ticket is required to attend, but you can secure a free giveaway item as well as a chance to skip the queue by signing up today to our membership club and registering for the event in the member portal.

There is no better place in the capital to show your green and white pride, and enjoy an unforgettable atmosphere. Expect a packed lineup of entertainment and activities throughout the day. Fans will be treated to exclusive giveaways, with plenty of prizes and Jets merchandise up for grabs.

You can get involved with legend meet-and-greets, enjoy delicious food, drinks and tunes with plenty of interactive games, perfect for fans of all ages. Whether you’re tossing a football, getting a custom Jets temporary tattoo, or just enjoying the vibrant setup, there’s something for everyone.

Jets legends in attendance will include Wayne Chrebet and Bart Scott, whilst a special pop-up Jets merchandise store will sell fan favourites as well as exclusive London Game items.

Don’t miss this chance to join fellow Jets fans ahead of the Broncos match-up at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mark your calendars for Saturday, 11th October at Vinegar Yard and get ready to chant: J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!

The entrance to Vinegar Yard is located on St Thomas Street, and the nearest rail station is London Bridge, a short two-minute walk up the road. London Bridge is accessible via the Jubilee and Northern lines as well as overground services.

In many ways we’re spoiled as international Jets fans here in the UK. Not only do we have a dedicated website, multiple fan clubs and our own ambassador in the great Nick Mangold, but we’ve been able to see our team in the flesh on three separate occasions; four if you count the upcoming game against the Denver Broncos.

For fans who can’t get over to MetLife for one reason or another, it’s a dream come true to see the team in London. Fans from all over Europe travel to the capital in the days leading up to the game to soak up the atmosphere and meet likeminded fans. The famous J-E-T-S chant can be heard reverberating from pubs around N17.

The London games are a melting pot of the NFL community with every jersey on show, but if you want to feel part of a bigger Jets community then there are options available. Here is your guide to getting the most out of the Jets in London in 2025.

Friday 10th October – Jets Pub Kickoff Party – 6pm to 9pm

The game may not be until Sunday but the party starts on Friday at the Greenwood Pub in Victoria, the official pub of Jets weekend! 

Fans in attendance will get to talk Jets over a pint or two (don’t overdo it, it’s a long weekend). There will be guest appearances and a Q&A from legends of Jets past and a number of giveaways and prizes.

NYJFC members can get early access to the kickoff party from 5pm by registering through the member portal. Non-members can sign up now to access that and other London Games perks on the home page.

Saturday 11th October – Touchdown Tailgate – 12pm til late

Things start to heat up on Saturday as fans descend on Vinegar Yard at London Bridge for the Touchdown Tailgate party. Head down to take part in a day of football fun with plenty of games and giveaways to keep you entertained. 

There may be some surprise appearances and it’s usually a great opportunity to meet some fans who have made the journey over from the states, introducing them to how we do things over here in the UK.

NYJFC members can once again register in the portal for this event, in order to skip the queue and receive a giveaway item on arrival.

Saturday 11th October – Jets UK Fan Event – 4pm til late

Once you have had your fill of the tailgate action, make the short stroll around the corner to be part of something special on Saturday night at Belushi’s in London Bridge. The two biggest fan-organised groups, UK and Ireland Jets Fans and Gang Green UK have teamed up to put on what they hope to be the biggest Jets fan meet-up outside of the USA. 

It all kicks off at 4pm and it’s guaranteed to go late into the night as Jets fans from across the country mix it up with some of the biggest names in Jets fandom including the Gotham City Crew and Badlands!

It’s completely free to attend and there will be a raffle for charity with some incredible Jets-themed prizes. A great way to get game-ready. 

Sunday 12th October – Pre-Game Tailgates and Meet-Ups – AM

Both of the aforementioned fan groups have pre-game meetups on Sunday to get your gameday started.

The UK&I Jets Fan Club will be taking over The Victoria and Two Brewers pubs, which are on the walk to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Seven Sisters station, around 5-10 minutes from the ground. No tickets are required.

The official Gang Green UK tailgate will set you up for the long day ahead. Starting at 10am at Redemption Brewing Company in Tottenham, this ticketed event will finish 90 minutes before the game so you still have time to head down to the stadium and enjoy all the festivities. 

All profits from this event will be divided between three charities.

Sunday 12th October – N17 – 12pm-2:30pm

Make sure you get down to the stadium early to enjoy everything a Jets gameday has to offer.

The ‘N17’ experience space just outside the stadium is located on the corner of Worcester Avenue and Park Lane. There will be games and activities for kids and adults, plenty of opportunities to buy merchandise and a host of food and drink stalls to keep those energy levels up. 

Then it’s into the stadium to make our voices heard, chant J-E-T-S loud and proud and show that the fanbase on this side of the pond is just as passionate as anywhere else in the world.

Sunday 12th October – Gameday Watch Party – 1pm – 6pm

Not managed to secure a ticket for the game? No problem.

Head back to the Greenwood Pub in Victoria to soak up the atmosphere with fellow fans and cheer the green-and-white to victory while gaining access to exclusive giveaway opportunities. Stay after the game for the crowd to filter in, hopefully in celebration of an outstanding victory. 

No tickets required but we recommend booking a table to secure a prime viewing spot!

The Jets head on the road for the first time this week taking the I-95 with the final destination pinpointed at Raymond James Stadium. 

Week two didn’t exactly go to plan. The early positivity gave way to a frustrating afternoon for everyone. But a new week presents a new opportunity and there is a sense of urgency around 1JD to get into the win column and avoid falling into an 0-3 hole. 

A very difficult matchup awaits against a 2-0 Buccaneers side who have squeaked out two wins to start the season; a 23-20 victory in week one against the Atlanta Falcons was followed by a 20-19 victory against the Houston Texans. 

Today, we’re getting ready for that game by looking back on some notable players and coaches who connect the Tampa Bay Bucs with your New York Jets, starting with the main man.

Todd Bowles

The former New York Jets head coach (2015-18) has taken the Buccaneers to three consecutive play-off appearances behind a 29-24 record. 

You know exactly what you’re going to get with Bowles, who took charge of the Jets for four seasons before landing in Tampa Bay in 2019 as part of the Bruce Arians staff. When Arians decided to step into a Senior Football Consultant role in 2022, Bowles took over and Tampa won three straight divisional titles for the first time in their history. 

Bowles is very similar to the coach we saw in New York. He still loves to play cover-3 zone, he still loves to blitz and his bend but don’t break defensive philosophy has served him well. 

Darrelle Revis

This still feels as painful today as it did back in 2013. When you think of Darrelle Revis, one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play the game, you think about his legacy in New York and you unfortunately think about the title he won in New England. But people often forget that for one year he was a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. 

That 2013 season wasn’t the best year of his career as Revis allowed 4 touchdowns for the first time since his rookie campaign in 2007. The Jets used the pick they got for Revis on Sheldon Richardson, a player who would spend 4 years with the Jets before moving on to Seattle. 

Vinny Testaverde

If Chad Pennington didn’t exist, then Vinny Testaverde would be my answer to the question “Who’s your favourite Jets QB of all-time?”. Vinny meant everything to the Jets, his 29 TD season in 1998 propelled the Jets to their first AFC East crown since the NFL merger and a Championship game loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Broncos. I also maintain that had he not been injured in 1999 the Jets would have secured their second Championship. 

Vinny, however, started in Tampa Bay after being drafted with the 1st overall pick in the 1987 draft; the same draft that included QB Jim Harbaugh (taken by the Bears with the 26th overall pick). He also played against the Buccaneers in his first game of his second stint with the Jets in 2005, and played the final game of his career against the team that first drafted him.

The Brooklyn native spent 7 years with the Jets overall and is still remembered fondly by many who got the opportunity to watch him play. 

Keyshawn Johnson

Here’s another #1 overall pick who played for both sides. After posting 168 catches for 2,796 yards and 16 touchdowns in just two years at USC, the Jets took Keyshawn with the first pick in 1996, making him the first receiver to be taken #1 overall since Irving Fryar was taken by the Patriots in the 1984 draft. 

Keyshawn’s time with the Jets could be described as turbulent, but he was a highly productive player on the field. In four years in NY he put up 305 receptions for 4,108 yards and 31 touchdowns. 

In 2002 Johnson went on to win a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and the Jets used the two picks they received for the wide receiver on John Abraham (13th overall) and Anthony Becht (27th overall). 

Marvin Powell

Here’s another first-round pick that played for both the Jets and Bucs. Marvin Powell was the fourth overall pick in 1977 and became one of the premier offensive tackles in football over his 11 years in the NFL, earning 3× first-team All-Pro selections and 5× Pro Bowl selections. 

1985 was a tough year for everyone on that offensive line as the Jets allowed 62 sacks which led them to use their first two draft picks in the 1986 draft on offensive tackles Mike Haight (22nd overall) and Doug Williams (49th overall). To make space, the Jets cut Powell. 

He played just two years in Tampa before announcing his retirement and dedicating himself to his law career. A man of many, many talents. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick

I’m not sure there’s an NFL franchise that Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn’t played for but we’ll always have that 2015 season where Fitzmagic was in full effect as the Jets pushed to a 10-6 record but still missed the playoffs. Over two years with the Jets, Fitzpatrick threw for 6615 yards and 43 touchdowns. 

Following his release from the Jets in February 2017, Fitzpatrick landed in Tampa under Dirk Koetter and while he only started 10 games over two years in Florida, he had some highlight reel throws reminding everyone the magic was still alive, prompting Miami to sign him as a free agent and name him their starting QB over Josh Rosen. 

We may not have come away last week with a win, but you’d be hard-pressed to not be encouraged by what we saw on Sunday afternoon. Had one bounce gone the Jets way, I may have had to re-write my piece from last week on the best opening day games in Jets history. 

With that game in the books, we now turn our attention to this weekend and the first divisional matchup of the season. The Jets will welcome Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills this Sunday, hoping to put down a statement and get back on equal terms with the only side in the AFC East to record a victory in week one. 

The Jets/Bills rivalry may lack the intensity that the Jets share with the Dolphins and Patriots which is probably due to the fact that when the Bills are good the Jets are bad, and when the Jets are good, the Bills are bad. In fact, these two teams have only ever both had winning seasons in the same year on four occasions, but there have still been some memorable games through the years, and the Jets haven’t always walked away victorious. 

Heading into this weekend, Buffalo hold an all-time series lead with 71 wins and 58 losses, and have won 8 of the last 10 games, so let’s hope the Jets are due a victory this weekend. 

Before then, we’re taking a stroll down memory lane as we look at five of the most memorable games in this rivalry’s history. 

1981 – AFC Wild Card Game – Buffalo Bills 31-27 New York Jets

First on our list is the only playoff game in this rivalry’s history, despite playing in the same conference for over 7 decades now. The two teams were evenly matched entering the game, but with the Jets hosting it at Shea stadium, many expected NY to advance to the divisional round despite this being our first playoff game since the 1970 merger. 

The game started in ominous fashion with Bruce Hector fumbling the opening kickoff in the rain and it being returned for a Bills TD just 16 seconds into the contest. Things went from bad to worse for the Jets with the Bills racing to a 24-0 lead but that 1981 team didn’t lack fight, they kept battling to the very end with Mickey Schuler scoring his first and only TD of the season and Robert Jones and Kevin Long scoring to make it a four point game. 

The Jets got the ball back with a chance to win it all and they were given another lifeline when a Buffalo interception was nullified due to a holding call. Richard Todd drove the Jets to the Bills 11 yard line with time expiring but his 4th interception of the afternoon was also the dagger as he failed to spot Bill Simpson who was able to ice the game for Buffalo.

1985 – New York Jets 42-3 Buffalo Bills

Next up we have the highest margin of victory for the Jets against the Bills, with a dominant performance in 1985. The two teams at this point were heading in different directions. The Jets were on their way to an 11-5 record with the Bills struggling to 2-14 for the second consecutive year. 

That 1985 Bills unit was widely regarded as one of the worst offensive teams in NFL history, with their 200 points scoring the lowest total from any team in the 1980s. This lopsided divisional result contributed to the early firing of Kay Stephenson in Western NY after just four games. 

The star of the show was undoubtedly Freeman McNeil who totalled 192 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on just 18 carries with Ken O’Brien throwing 2 touchdowns. The Jets were coming off an embarrassing 31-0 loss in week one to the Raiders and this victory propelled them to 7 wins in 8 games. 

Unfortunately for the Jets they lost 3 of their final 5 games to miss out to the Dolphins in the AFC East and their season was ended by the New England Patriots 26–14 in the wild card round.

2002 – Buffalo Bills 31-37 New York Jets

The Jets finished the 2002 season with a 9-7 record and an AFC East title, only the second in their history and first since 1998. Although the start of the season was largely forgettable due to a 2-5 record, the opening day victory in Orchard Park was special. 

I like to remember this game as the Chad Morton game. With nothing to separate the sides at the end of four quarters, the game headed to OT, but Morton called ‘game’ when he returned the opening kickoff for a 96 yard TD, which I believe is still the longest overtime kickoff returned for a touchdown in NFL history. 

What’s remarkable about it is that it was his second kickoff return TD of the day, with the earlier return going 98 yards. Only 11 players in NFL history have ever returned multiple kickoffs for a TD in the same game, and Morton did it in an AFC East divisional showdown. 

1986 – New York Jets 14-13 Buffalo Bills

Despite being drafted by the Bills in 1983, Jim Kelly didn’t make an appearance in Western New York until 1986. The now legendary QB who resides in the Pro Football HOF never wanted to play for Buffalo and elected to suit up for the Houston Gamblers in 1984 and 1985 before the USFL folded. 

While the Jets walked away with a victory thanks to a suffocating defense and Mickey Shuler catching the game winning 36-yard touchdown, it’s famous for one of the best calls in NFL history by referee Ben Dreith.

As Marty Lyons hit Jim Kelly as he was throwing, the camera panned back to the QB with Lyons on top of him throwing some fisticuffs, this created a bench clearing scrum. When the penalty call was made, Dreith turned his microphone on and stated: “Personal foul on number 99 of the defense, after he tackled the quarterback, he’s giving him the business down there, that’s a 15 yard penalty”

Still one of the finest calls in NFL history and certainly the most memorable call in this rivalry. 

2001 – Buffalo Bills 36-42 New York Jets

The first year under new head coach Herm Edwards was also a highly successful one. The Jets finished the season 10-6 and moved on to the playoffs where they were defeated by the Oakland Raiders. 

The Jets started the season 7-3, and that included this win against a Buffalo Bills team who would end the year at 3-13. This game saw a little bit of everything, Vinny Testaverde threw for multiple touchdowns, Curtis Martin rushed for 135 yards and 2 scores. 

This game however has been included for another reason: Aaron Glenn recorded his 21st career interception for New York in this game and his only interception against the Bills as a Jets player. He had multiple picks against both the Patriots and Dolphins, but this was his lone one against our friends from Western New York.