5 things to watch as Jets face Bills in Week 1 of 2023 NFL season

The 2022 season began with the Jets confounding their critics by starting 7-4 but ended in familiar fashion as they dropped six straight and dropped from postseason contention. However, everything changed for this franchise during the offseason when it cashed in on the opportunity to trade for Aaron Rodgers.

The future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback has had a positive impact on team culture since his arrival, and optimism is high that the team can contend this year with him under center.

Here are some of the biggest stories to watch as the Jets look to get off to a winning start...

How good can Rodgers be in this offense?

Rodgers’ credentials as a four-time MVP and 10-time Pro Bowl selection are unquestionable. However, he’s 39 years old and dealt with a statistical regression in most categories last season. This included an uncharacteristic 12 interceptions, the most he’s thrown since a single-season career-worst 13 in 2008. Was this just a blip, or have the Jets committed to a player who is past his prime and never going to recapture his best form?

The Jets are hopeful that there are enough reasons to believe in Rodgers returning to something like his best in 2023. He’s reuniting with his close friend and former offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, seems reenergized by the change of scenery and could thrive in an offense which has a good mix of veterans and young players with potential. It’s also possible that some of his struggles last year were injury related, although that underlines the importance of keeping him healthy.

In recent seasons, analysts have often hypothesized that the Jets could be a threat if they had even mediocre quarterback play and even a down year from Rodgers provides an upgrade over what they’ve had at the position in recent seasons. This first look at Rodgers in real game action will give insights into his prospects for the upcoming year against a formidable Bills defense that ranked sixth in the NFL last season.

How good can this defense be?

Cornerback DJ Reed made waves this week when he suggested the Jets were hoping to have an elite defense that could one day be compared to the 1985 Bears or the Seahawks’ famed “Legion of Boom.” Again, if they can perform well against the Bills, who had the No. 2 offense in the NFL last year, this will showcase their potential.

A relentless and deep collection of pass-rushers should set the tone while Reed, along with Sauce Gardner and Michael Carter II, hold up their end of the bargain in coverage and CJ Mosley directs traffic and relays signals from the sideline. Depth at cornerback and linebacker is a minor concern but they are entering the season healthy.

What held this defense back from being dominant last year was the fact that they struggled to force turnovers in the second half of the year. The Bills aren’t as conservative as some NFL teams, as they had three or more turnovers five times, including once in the postseason, so the Jets could get some chances to cash in. Gardner, in particular, will be keen to increase his interception count, and safety Jordan Whitehead also dropped multiple opportunities last year.

Will it take a while for the offensive line to develop chemistry?

The Jets had uncertainty on their offensive line all offseason, and tackles Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton were each limited in practice this week, which doesn’t help a unit that hasn’t had much of a chance to work together.

We’ve seen over the years how it can often take several weeks for an offensive line to gel as a unit, especially when they have to keep making personnel changes. However, the Jets can’t afford to have their offensive line making mistakes that stall drives – and they must keep Rodgers healthy.

One bonus for the Jets is that at least stud pass-rusher Von Miller won’t be suiting up, as he begins the season on the PUP list.

Can the Jets handle the high expectations?

The Jets actually enter Monday night’s game as a slight underdog, but expectations for the team as a whole are as high as they’ve been in recent memory. A Week 1 loss to a divisional rival could dent the team’s confidence and put them under even more pressure to win their next game. The division champion Bills obviously know exactly what it takes to perform at the highest level on a national stage.

While the team now has plenty of veterans with postseason experience and even a few players who have won Super Bowls, there are plenty of key contributors who haven’t been on a playoff team yet. Rodgers will once again have a role that is paramount in establishing a championship mindset throughout the organization and look to set the tone from the outset.

Who will lead the rushing attack?

The Jets’ rushing attack will be headed up by two players who are making their return from injury and didn’t suit up at all in the preseason. New York recently added Dalvin Cook to create a 1-2 punch with Breece Hall, who suffered an ACL tear in the middle of a stellar rookie season last year.

It’s not quite clear yet who will get the majority of the workload. Will the pair split carries or will Hall be brought along slowly as he is coming off a more serious injury than Cook?

The team will also have the option to go to the hot hand if either is looking rusty to start the year. Interestingly, the Jets ran the ball extremely well in their win over the Bills last season without Hall in the lineup.