It is personal. When Dion Dawkins, the Bills' vocal left tackle, went on a podcast this past summer and admitted he's literally trying to "destroy" the Jets every single time he sees them on the schedule, he wasn't just talking for the cameras. He was capturing the actual vibe of Buffalo vs NY Jets. This isn't your polite, cross-state handshake. It's a nasty, grass-stained rivalry fueled by the fact that Buffalo is the only team that actually plays in New York, while the Jets—and the Giants—are tucked away in the Jersey marshes.
Honestly, the 2025 season was a bit of a reality check for anyone hoping the Jets would finally close the gap. It didn't happen.
Buffalo basically ran away with the AFC East again, finishing the regular season 12-5. Meanwhile, the Jets spiraled to a 3-14 record. You’d think a record that lopsided would make the games boring, but the drama actually stayed pretty high-voltage.
The Josh Allen Era Dominance
Josh Allen is just a problem the Jets haven't solved. Even when he isn't playing his best "Superman" football, he finds ways to gut this defense. Take the September 2025 matchup at MetLife Stadium. Allen actually took a nasty hit to the nose early on. He was bleeding, stuck gauze up his nostrils, and just kept going. He didn't even need to throw a touchdown that day to win 30-10. He just used his legs, ripping off a 40-yard dash—one of the longest of his career—and let James Cook do the rest of the dirty work.
Cook has turned into a certified "Jets killer." He put up 132 yards and two scores in that first meeting.
The most embarrassing part for New York?
The Bills defense, missing stars like Ed Oliver and Taron Johnson, held the Jets to just two completions in the entire first half. Two. You can't win in the NFL like that. It doesn't matter who your quarterback is if you're averaging less than a yard per play through your first eight possessions.
Why the rivalry stays heated
- The State Pride Factor: Buffalo fans never let New York City forget that the Bills are the "real" New York team.
- The Dion Dawkins vs. Michael Clemons Beef: This is a legitimate, off-field feud. Dawkins has called Clemons a "weirdo" and doesn't hide his distaste for the Jets' defensive line's "trash talk."
- The Turnover Curse: Historically, the Jets have actually played Allen tough by forcing interceptions, but they haven't been able to turn those mistakes into wins lately.
What Happened to the Jets' Offense?
The 2025 season was supposed to be a resurgence. Instead, it was a mess. They moved on from the Aaron Rodgers era—Rodgers actually spent 2025 playing for the Steelers, where he also struggled against Buffalo—and the Justin Fields experiment in New York fell flat.
In that 30-10 blowout, Fields had more points on the scoreboard (10) than he had passing yards (2) at one point in the third quarter. It was painful to watch. The offensive line couldn't handle Greg Rousseau, and the newly acquired Joey Bosa was lived in the backfield, forcing two fumbles in his Buffalo debut against the Jets.
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The season finale on January 4, 2026, was the final nail. Buffalo won 35-8.
The Bills were so comfortable that they rested Allen and Cook for large chunks of the game. Mitchell Trubisky came in and tossed a 17-yard touchdown to Dawson Knox. When your backup quarterback is carving up a "top-tier" defense, you know the rivalry has hit a major imbalance.
The Statistical Reality
If you look at the all-time series, Buffalo leads 73-58. But the recent trend is what’s terrifying for Jets fans. The Bills have won five straight matchups heading into 2026. Over the last five meetings, Buffalo has outscored New York by 69 points. That’s more than two touchdowns per game on average.
James Cook is currently the NFL's rushing leader, and a big reason for that is how he treats the Jets' front seven. He’s averaging over five yards per carry against them. On the flip side, the Jets' passing attack ranked dead last in the league (32nd) in 2025.
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Future Outlook and Actionable Insights
So, how do the Jets actually make Buffalo vs NY Jets a contest again? It isn't just about finding a quarterback; it's about the culture of the offensive line. Until they can stop players like A.J. Epenesa and Greg Rousseau from living in their backfield, the result will be the same.
For the Bills: They just need to keep the status quo. Their "power-run" identity with Cook combined with Allen's ability to scramble has proven to be the perfect kryptonite for the Jets' defensive schemes.
For the Jets: They have to get younger and meaner on the line. The defense is talented—Quincy Williams is still a tackling machine—but they spend too much time on the field because the offense can't sustain a drive.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the Trenches: In the next matchup, don't watch the ball. Watch Dion Dawkins vs. the Jets' edge rushers. That’s where the game is won and where the real "hate" lives.
- Monitor the James Cook Usage: Buffalo has realized they don't need Josh Allen to throw 40 times to beat the Jets. If Cook gets 20+ carries, the Bills almost always win.
- Check the Injury Reports: Both teams have struggled with depth. Buffalo’s ability to win without Ed Oliver in 2025 was a fluke; they need their interior rush to keep the Jets' run game (Breece Hall) contained.
The gap is wide right now. Buffalo is a Super Bowl contender, and the Jets are in a total rebuild. But as long as the "only team in NY" debate exists, these games will always have enough sparks to start a fire.