New York @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2013 ) Buffalo 20, N.Y. Jets 27

The relative weakness of the AFC is a positive for the New York Jets, who own the sixth-best record in the conference despite having been outscored by 62 points in their nine games. The Jets have alternated wins and losses and will look to put together their first back-to-back triumphs of the season when they visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Bills were right in the wild-card hunt until a three-game slide dropped them to last place in the AFC East.

New York is coming off a bye after a shocking 26-20 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 9 and leads the NFL in rushing defense, limiting opponents to 73.8 yards on the ground. That’s bad news for Buffalo, which runs the ball well but is just 29th in passing and is working quarterback EJ Manuel back into the offense after a four-game absence due to a knee injury. Manuel made his return at Pittsburgh last week but struggled to 155 yards on 39 pass attempts and threw an interception.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Bills -1. O/U: 41

ABOUT THE JETS (5-4): Geno Smith is having an up and down rookie season but played one of his best games against Buffalo in Week 3, when he passed for a season-high 331 yards to go along with two touchdowns in a 27-20 triumph. New York is not asking much of Smith, who is enjoying the luxury of a rushing offense that produces an average of 129 yards, and he attempted a season-low 19 passes in the win over the Saints. “We’ve been running the ball well, and we’ve been doing a good job on the read (option) plays,” Smith told ESPN New York. “We’ve tried to stick with things we’re good at, and that’s one of them.”

ABOUT THE BILLS (3-7): Buffalo is averaging 13.3 points during its three-game slide and just barely scratched out one touchdown in a 23-10 loss at Pittsburgh last week when Manuel found Chris Cragg with three seconds left. “We have to get (Manuel) to play better,“ coach Doug Marrone said. “We know this is a quarterback-driven league. We’re building a franchise quarterback.” Manuel could have less help this week with wide receivers Stevie Johnson (groin) and Robert Woods (ankle) each sitting out Wednesday’s practice. The Bills are a much better team at home and pulled off victories against Carolina and Baltimore in front of their own fans in September.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Jets WR Santonio Holmes (hamstring) is expected to return following a five-game absence.

2. New York has taken nine of the last 11 meetings but dropped its last trip to Buffalo, 28-9, on Dec. 30, 2012.

3. Jets DE Muhammad Wilkerson had two sacks in the last meeting and has recorded at least one in five straight games.

PREDICTION: Jets 24, Bills 17