PLAYER NOTES
–OLB Josh Martin returned from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was placed on injured reserve after sustaining his second concussion in Week 4. Last season, Martin started nine of the 14 games he appeared in and totaled 43 tackles.
–S Marcus Maye underwent shoulder surgery on Tuesday and will miss the rest of the season. Head coach Todd Bowles said his recovery will take a few months.
–QB Sam Darnold was a full participant in practice Wednesday and may return after missing the last three games with a sprained right foot. On Wednesday, head coach Todd Bowles said it was too early to tell if Darnold would play this week at Buffalo.
–RB Isaiah Crowell did not practice Wednesday due to a toe injury.
–C Spencer Long missed practice on Wednesday due to illness along with the knee and finger injuries he has been dealing with in recent weeks.
–WR Quincy Enunwa was limited at practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: CB Trumaine Johnson returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown last week but overall the first season of his five-year deal has been difficult. In the fourth-quarter collapse, Johnson was called for a critical facemask penalty. And in the last meeting against Buffalo, Johnson was targeted on the first play from scrimmage, a 47-yard completion to Robert Foster that set the tone for a 41-10 Bills romp.
GAME PLAN: It’s difficult to gauge exactly what offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates is plotting at least based on the last two weeks. In the New England loss, Bates called 12 running plays. Last week, Bates called 32 runs and it resulted in Isaiah Crowell finishing with 21 carries for 98 yards. The Bills are 14th in rush defense compared to ninth in pass defense and if quarterback Sam Darnold returns, it seems logical to think they might attempt to play it safe and attack a low-rated run defense.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Jets defense vs. Bills QB Josh Allen. The Jets will get their first look at the seventh overall pick in a game setting. Allen missed the 41-10 Jets loss on Nov. 11. Last week Allen produced 85 percent of Buffalo’s offense and the Jets must be wary of his ability to scramble out of the pocket. Among those with the main responsibilities will be linebacker Darron Lee, who like safety Jamal Adams is not underachieving.
–Jets WR vs. Bills secondary. Whoever is dropping back in the pocket will be opposing the league’s top pass defense and will encounter challenges from CBs Tre’Davious White and Levi Wallace. The Jets are averaging 13 points in the losing streak and going up against a top-ranked pass defense is hardly ideal for a free-falling team.
