Published Jan 2, 4:47pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jan 2, 4:47pm ET
Grok AI
Updated Jan 2, 4:47pm ET
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| Buffalo Bills | -8 (-105) |
| New York Jets | +8 (-115) |
The Jets, in the middle of another woeful season at 3-13, are on the verge of doing something no NFL team has ever done. If they do not get an interception against the Bills, they will manage to get through the entire 2025 season without a single pick.
Not one.
It's unfathomable for this to happen with all the bad passes, poorly run routes, mistakes, tipped balls, and other unquantifiable factors that influence every play. But they can somehow do it.
The last time the Jets had an interception pic.twitter.com/U6zCoUPeH9
— Dylan (@nyjetsfansonly) November 14, 2025
It's not an accomplishment.
There's not much to say about the Jets that the Week 17 loss to the Patriots didn't say.
They lost 42-10. Pats QB Drake Maye was chilling on the bench early in the 3rd quarter. They were down 35-3 at halftime and the score could have been 60-10 if New England had been so motivated.
Yes, the Jets are looking for a higher draft pick, but this game wasn't much different than any of their December games. It kind of throws a wrench into head coach Aaron Glenn's insistence that the games still matter and the team is playing to win.
The NFL media has repeatedly said that Glenn will be back for 2026. But Black Monday is coming. It's very possible that owner Woody Johnson will fire Glenn. Maybe he'll pull a George Steinbrenner and bring back Rex Ryan.
To be blunt, he wouldn't be wrong.
There's an art to tanking and the Jets have managed it without even trying.
ALSO SEE: Colts vs Texans | Week 18 Odds & NFL Pick (Jan 4)
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Qwan'tez Stiggers, CB | INJURED |
| Jelani Woods, TE | INJURED |
| Isaiah Davis, RB | INJURED |
| Mason Taylor, TE | INJURED |
| Michael Clemons, DE | INJURED |
| Brandon Stephens, CB | INJURED |
| Tyrod Taylor, QB | INJURED |
| Breece Hall, RB | INJURED |
| Justin Fields, QB | INJURED |
| Joe Tippmann, G | INJURED |
| Xavier Newman, G | INJURED |
Here's the scenario for the Bills as they prepare for the playoffs:
The likeliest scenario is that they will get the #6 seed. The Chargers are sitting Justin Herbert, so they don't care whether they win or not. It would be a cataclysmic shock if Buffalo loses to the Jets.
QB Josh Allen plans to play. He is coming off a tough outing in a 13-12 loss to the Eagles when a missed extra point by backup kicker Michael Badgley led to the Bills going for 2 after a late TD to try and win the game.
Allen missed a wide open Khalil Shakir.
Bills Fans: "Josh Allen we need you to convert this 2-point conversion. The division is on the line!"
— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) December 29, 2025
Josh Allen:pic.twitter.com/YEnvnAmahn
Badgley was subsequently cut. Matt Prater, who had been out with a calf injury, is back.
The best-case for the Bills is to get a big lead early against a team that is just looking forward to putting this dreadful season in the rearview. Then they can pull Allen, James Cook, Shakir, and every other key player they'll need to finally get over the hump and make the Super Bowl.
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| DaQuan Jones, DT | INJURED |
| Jordan Poyer, S | INJURED |
| Joey Bosa, DE | INJURED |
| Dalton Kincaid, TE | INJURED |
| Ed Oliver, DT | INJURED |
| Terrel Bernard, LB | INJURED |
In Week 18 Jets-Bills, it's not exactly a playoff game for Buffalo, but they do need to win to try and get the highest seed possible and the chance at another home game this season. It's more like a preseason game they're trying to win against a dispirited Jets team that is playing rookie Brady Cook at QB and is sitting most of the few key players they have.
Buffalo will try to put New York down early and remove Allen and others.
Once they get a double-digit lead, the Jets will fold, possibly spending the rest of the game trying to get an interception to avoid the latest ignominy in a franchise history full of it.
The one thing to consider is that the Jaguars and Texans games will be over by the time the Bills take the field. That could influence how hard they play.
Still, Buffalo will cover the spread and wait out the results of the relevant games that impact them and their playoff run.
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Buffalo Bills -8
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