Four Straight and Running Hot: The 7-1 Bills Bring James Cook and a Stingy Defense to MetLife as the Jets Hope to Get Garrett Wilson Back

The Buffalo Bills arrive at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon looking like a team that has found its identity. They are 7-1 and have won four straight, most recently a 23-6 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, the Associated Press reported. The New York Jets are 2-7 and coming off a 35-12 loss at Kansas City.

On paper, this is a mismatch. But division games have a way of ignoring paper, and the Jets will be playing at home with a chance to spoil a big season for their rivals.

The Bills did not light up the scoreboard on Monday night. They simply wore the Vikings down. James Cook carried a season-high 31 times for 107 yards and a touchdown, according to the AP. Josh Allen completed 21 of 34 passes for 234 yards, with a first-half touchdown pass to Keleki Latu and one interception.

The defense did the rest. Dorian Williams intercepted Carson Wentz on Minnesota's first drive of the second half, and Wentz finished 8 of 25 for 81 yards with three turnovers, the AP reported. Holding an NFL offense to six points on the road is the kind of performance that wins in November and December.

That formula, a heavy dose of Cook and a defense that takes the ball away, is likely to be the plan again on Sunday. Buffalo Rumblings framed its preview around exactly that matchup: Buffalo's productive running game against a Jets run defense that has struggled.

There is a catch for Buffalo. Playing on Monday night means one less day to recover and prepare, and Buffalo Rumblings noted that the Bills are still easing left tackle Dion Dawkins and left guard Alec Anderson back into the lineup. Keeping Allen upright and Cook running behind a healthy left side will matter on a quick turnaround.

There is help on the way in the secondary. Safety Amani Hooker, acquired from Tennessee before the trade deadline, is expected to make his Bills debut, according to the same preview.

New York's trip to Kansas City went badly. Kenneth Walker scored three touchdowns as the Chiefs pulled away, and the AP described the Jets as woeful in its game story. Late in the game, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones sacked quarterback Geno Smith, a snapshot of a long afternoon for the Jets' offense. The loss dropped New York to 2-7.

There was one bright spot. Running back Breece Hall returned from injury and was productive, the team's official recap said, totaling 87 scrimmage yards in his first game back.

The bigger question is in the receiver room. Garrett Wilson, the Jets' top receiver, missed the Kansas City game with a concussion. He is listed as questionable for Sunday, but he practiced fully on Friday, and coach Aaron Glenn said he was very hopeful Wilson would play, NBC Sports reported. Rookie receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) and Adonai Mitchell (knee) are also questionable. If all three are limited, the Jets will have a hard time stretching a defense that just held Minnesota to 81 passing yards.

For Buffalo, the test is discipline. Teams that are 7-1 can lose games like this by looking ahead, by turning the ball over early or by letting a struggling opponent hang around long enough to believe. Running the ball, protecting Allen on a short week and forcing Smith into long third downs is a recipe the Bills have already shown they can follow.

For New York, the path to an upset runs through Hall and through Wilson's health. A steady running game keeps Buffalo's offense on the sideline, and a healthy Wilson gives Smith a target who can win one-on-one matchups. The Jets need both to keep this close.

Darnell's take: what stands out about this Buffalo team is that it is winning without needing Allen to be superhuman every week. A 31-carry night from Cook and a defense that forces three turnovers is grown-up football, the kind that holds up in January. The Jets have pride on the line at home, and division rivals never go quietly. But if the Bills play the way they did in Minneapolis, they should leave New Jersey at 8-1 with a five-game winning streak.