New York Jets, Buffalo Bills Offensive Stars to Watch in Monday’s Game

Here are the offensive players to watch for each team as the New York Jets prepare to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Sep 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) warms up before the game against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

When the New York Jets face the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, there will be a new voice sending plays into quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich announced that New York's passing game coordinator, Todd Downing, would be the primary play-caller, taking those duties away from current offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

The demoted Hackett will remain on the staff but it’s unclear how involved he will be in the overall crafting of the game plan. The play-calling decisions on gameday will rest with Downing, who was previously an offensive coordinator with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Tennessee Titans.

Ulbrich will continue to call signals for the defense and get more involved with the offensive game plan as the season progresses.

The Jets are clearly at a fork in the road. With owner Woody Johnson's firing of head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday, he sent a clear message to his team — win now.

It’s now up to Downing to build a game plan and call the right plays that can get it done.

Here are the offensive players to watch for both teams entering Sunday’s game.

New York Jets

QB Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers was the first one to tell anyone who would listen on Thursday that he hasn't gotten it done. And he's right. Rodgers' play has been well below his standard.

The good news is that there are still 12 games to turn it around. The question is whether Rodgers will take to what Downing’s take on the game plan and the offense.

Rodgers says he's on board. It won't be clear if he is until Monday night. Outside of that, he needs to avoid making the mistakes like the ones he made against Minnesota and ones that crippled the offense early in the game.

RB Breece Hall

Look back at Downing’s history as an offensive coordinator and he used lead backs productively with the Raiders (Marshawn Lynch) and Tennessee (Derrick Henry). Henry rushed for more than 2,000 yards in two years with Downing. That could bode well for Hall.

The Jets need to run the ball. They're below four yards per carry and the best way to insulate their 40-year-old quarterback from harm is to grind teams down with the run. If you’re going to do that, Hall is the right guy.

RT Morgan Moses

Moses is a competent pass protector. But after the past two games one has to wonder if his injury had a larger impact on the run game. If you're inclined to believe that, consider the following. In three games with Moses, New York averaged 100.6 rushing yards. In two games without him, the Jets averaged 50 rushing yards.

That seems like a cause-and-effect relationship, but one can’t know for sure until Moses returns. All signs point toward the veteran rejoining the offensive line on Monday night.

Buffalo Bills

QB Josh Allen

Allen has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL as he has thrown for more than 4,000 yards in each of the past four seasons. He's a bit off that pace so far, and he's coming off taking a beating on Sunday. He's on the injury report nursing a couple of different injuries, but he's been a full participant at practice.

When it comes to the Jets, Allen has a bit of a checkered history at MetLife Stadium of late. The Bills have lost their last two games and Allen has thrown a combined five interceptions. There is a chance he can be victimized by one of the best secondaries in football.

TE Dalton Kincaid

One of the reasons Allen struggled last weekend was the absence of top wide receiver Khalil Shakir, who was out with an ankle injury. He’s still dealing with it this week and it’s not clear if he’ll play. If not, then Kincaid is likely the biggest receiving threat on the field and he’s capable of gutting defenses with seam routes. He’s caught 15 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.

RB James Cook

If Shakir is unable to play expect Cook to be a big part of the passing game out of the flat and on screens. Aside from gaining 309 rushing yards and scoring four times out of the backfield, he's also caught 11 passes on 13 targets with 123 yards and a touchdown. He's the guy the Bills will look to in order to move the chains. He's gained 22 first downs combined rushing and receiving, most of the team.