Orchard Park, NY – The Buffalo Bills take on the New York Jets at 4:25pm on Sunday at Highmark Stadium.
The game will be televised on CBS.
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NFL 2025–26 Week 18: Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
The Bills more or less wrapped up the No. 6 seed in the AFC and closed out the regular season (and presumably Highmark Stadium) with a 12-5 record.
It will be official shortly, but the Bills are headed to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars in the Wild Card round next week (day, time and TV info to come).
There will be plenty of time to dismantle the Jags, who have won eight in a row (but only two of those eight wins have come against playoff teams).
The Bills easily dismantled the Jets by mostly playing their backups.
Josh Allen played one snap and extended his streak to 122 straight starts before giving way to Mitchell Trubisky, who was sensational, completing 22 of 29 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns.
After James Cook’s short day, Ray Davis had his first 100-yard game and finished with 151 yards.
But the immediate concern for the Bills is the health of kicker Matt Prater, who re-injured his right quadriceps muscle and did not finish the game.
SCORE UPDATE: Bills 35, Jets 8 with 7:33 left in fourth quarter
Rookie linebacker Maxwell Hairston left the field to the medical tent and later the locker room with an ankle injury.
It’s a deep piece for a cornerback entering the playoffs, but it’s still a piece the Bills would rather have than not.
The Jets avoided the shutout with a 10-play, 48-yard drive capped by Andrew Beck’s 2-yard reception and two-point conversion.
Landing Ty Johnson for $250,000
SCORE UPDATE: Bills 35, Jets 0 with 12:05 left in the fourth quarter
Ty Johnson gets his $250,000 contract, runs on a simple 6-yard touchdown reception as Trubisky lands right.
Johnson needed two touchdowns today to activate the bonus.
He is 37 yards away from another $125,000 contract.
End of third quarter: Bills 29, Jets 0
The Bills are closing in on a playoff matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Patriots opened up a 31-10 lead against the Dolphins, and the Broncos lead the Chargers, 13-3 late in the third quarter.
The Jets pose no threat on the day they lock up the No. 2 overall draft pick.
Ty Johnson got the ball on six straight plays in the third quarter, but was stopped three times at the 1-yard line to be denied a $250,000 contract incentive.
Bills lose kicker to injury
SCORE UPDATE: Bills 29, Jets 0 with 7:46 left in the third quarter
It was an absolutely brutal start to the second half for the Jets. They couldn’t convert on a quarterback on 4th-and-inches from their own 39-yard line.
After the play, AJ Epenesa committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and backed Buffalo up 15 yards to their own 46-yard line. Ray Davis almost got it all back with a 14-yard run on the following play.
Trubisky continued his strong play, reeling in a 9-yard run and later hitting Gabe Davis and Keon Coleman on back-to-back throws.
Ty Johnson entered the game at the 1-yard line looking for a $250,000 touchdown.
But he won’t get a chance.
After a handoff to Gilliam, who was trying to give the fullback his first career touchdown, then dials a failed fade pass to Josh Palmer, then misses Keon Coleman on a play-action pass (with Gabe Davis wide open), Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady reverts to the play-action call and Gabe Davis catches a touchdown over the back of cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor.
The two-point conversion is good with Matt Prater.
The Bills kicker injured his right quad again today, a potentially devastating development heading into the postseason.
Halftime: Bills 21, Jets 0
The Bills built a 21-0 lead as the Jets couldn’t get their offense going until the final drive of the half.
Rookie defensive lineman TJ Sanders recorded his first career sack late in the second quarter to put the Jets out of bounds for a potential scoring drive.
After going on 4th and 14 at the Bills’ 41-yard line with 36 seconds left, the Jets called their second timeout with 19 seconds left as Buffalo struggled to get to the locker room. He didn’t use his final timeout after the Bills took a knee on the next play.
Good.
New York gained all 63 yards in the first half with 3:13 left. He’s not doing anything to jeopardize his No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Running back Ty Johnson has several contract incentives that are in play in the second half. Otherwise, they mostly spend it watching the scoreboard.
As it stands now, the Bills would be the No. 6 seed in the AFC and would have to travel to the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars next weekend in the wild card round.
The Patriots and Broncos lead but have yet to put away the Dolphins and Chargers to clean up the top of the AFC playoffs.
SCORE UPDATE: Bills 21, Jets 0, 4:58 remaining in second quarter
Mitchell Trubisky had a nice touch here midway through the second quarter when he connected with Gabe Davis and Reggie Gilliam for 40 yards.
Trubisky then pressed a throw to Gabe Davis on a slant to set up a short touchdown reception from Ray Davis.
Trubisky is 15-for-19 for 169 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bills got another defensive stop after the Jets botched a field option on 4th-and-1 near midfield. Brady Cook tried to throw a pass to Khalil Herbert, but it was too far in front of the running back.
SCORE UPDATE: Bills 14, Jets 0, second quarter remaining 11:43
Grable returned at left tackle and Ty Johnson ran in a 6-yard touchdown.
Johnson needs one more score to claim the $250,000 incentive. He is 43 yards away from collecting another $125,000.
Trubisky checked Johnson on a 3rd and 20 that ended up very close to the first down marker. But an unnecessary masking penalty sets up Buffalo’s new drive on downs at the NYJ 12-yard line.
Earlier in the drive, the Bills converted a 4th-and-4 on a completion to Keleki Lata to extend the drive before a holding penalty negated the play, where Davis fought through contact for a 21-yard gain.
End of first quarter: Bills 7, Jets 0
The Bills’ third drive starts with 3:04 left in the first quarter after the defense forces a second three.
Kincaid has three catches for 48 yards, which is a nice way to ease him back into the offense before next week’s playoff game.
Ray Davis has 68 yards of total offense (47 rushing, 21 receiving) on eight touches as the first quarter draws to a close.
The Bills’ O-lineman spring into action
Spencer Brown warms up after left tackle Tylan Grable went down with an injury on the Bills’ second drive. Brown probably thought he had an off night, but with Dion Dawkins inactive, it looks like he’ll be pushed into the emergency situation. Brown is in the right tackle; David Edwards is on the left.
The Bills turned it over on downs after Ty Johnson’s 4th-and-1 run up the middle is stuffed.
The Jets went three-and-out on their first possession when Joe Andreessen got a pressure on Brady Cook on third down.
Keon Coleman was back to go back with an active Khalil Shakir, but it’s unlikely to be touched much.
Allen plays 1 snap to extend starting streak
SCORE UPDATE: Bills 7, Jets 0 with 8:17 left in first quarter
Josh Allen took the first snap of the game, extending his streak to 122 consecutive starts, before he finished to a standing ovation and Mitch Trubisky took the field.
NFL running back James Cook picked up 10 yards on his first carry. Cook started the day 137 yards ahead of Derrick Henry for first place. Cook likely won’t play long, and it would take a special performance from Henry in the AFC North Division winner-take-all game later Sunday night to overtake Cook.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid (left knee) appeared on the opening possession. The tight end is a critical piece on the offensive side of the ball and needs some work before the postseason.
It will be such a tactical day to begin with.
Tight end Dawson Knox entered the day needing six catches, 7 receiving yards and one touchdown to trigger three separate $100,000 incentives.
Knox earned $200,000 for his 17-yard touchdown catch.
Pray
The Bills play what will likely be their final game at Highmark Stadium on Sunday in the regular season finale against the Jets.
The stadium, which opened in 1973, has been a haven for generations of Bills fans.
Buffalo begins the day still unsure who it will face in the wild card round of the playoffs next week. He has a chance to climb as high as No. 6 in the AFC, even if he needs help from Denver.
In this scenario, the possibility of a playoff game is: slim; ; but possible.
A more likely scenario is finishing as the sixth seed. That’s where Buffalo will land if they beat the Jets and get a loss from the Chargers, who plan to stick with starting quarterback Justin Herbert against the Broncos.
Buffalo, of course, will remain the appetizer fair as it prepares for a Super Bowl run. Quarterback Josh Allen is dealing with a leg injury where an extra week of rest will do more than just change his playoff position.
If the Bills can’t beat the Jets, they’ll remain the No. 7 seed in the AFC and likely get a Game 3 with the New England Patriots.
Here’s a look at Buffalo’s complete list of inactives for Sunday’s game:
- DT Da’Quan Jones
- LB Terrell Bernard
- With Jordan Poyer
- WR Brandin Cooks
- DE Greg Rousseau
- LT Dion Dawkins
- DE Joey Bosa
The Jets also have several starters remaining, including running back Breece Hall, before he is expected to hit free agency. New York signed former Syracuse and Bills defensive end Kingsley Jonathan to its active roster for the game.
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