Jets’ Fitzpatrick limited with ailments, but should be OK

“I want it”, defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson said of reaching the postseason. A win Sunday over the New York Jets coupled with a victory by the Pittsburgh Steelers over Cleveland would keep New York out of the postseason.

Earlier in the season, before the Pats and Bills played in a big Week 2 game (well, as big a game as there can be in Week 2), Ryan explained his media philosophy versus Belichick’s.

This has been the year of the backup and I can’t think of a more back-up QB matchup than Zach Mettenberger battling it out with some combination of Ryan Lindley, Josh Freeman, or Stephen Morris. I would have thought this line would have been more in the -1 or pick ’em range. The first outing didn’t exactly go in the Harvard product’s favor. “So that’s not something we can really worry about until we get there and see what happens”. “I absolutely did, without question”.

For the 16th straight year, the Bills will not be going to the playoffs.

“Probably so, because you look at the impact your words have in a negative light, I guess”, Ryan said. “So…” “… Now I can say the truth”. Is it ideal? Nope, it’s certainly not. That’s the way it is and whether it’s my brother, whether it’s a lot of friends and all that stuff over there, I’m still gonna try to win. 5 Jets under a new coach and with good old Ryan Fitzpatrick behind center, can guarantee a playoff spot by beating the Bills, and my guess is they will.

The game was decided when Fitzpatrick’s side-arm pass over the middle was intercepted by linebacker A.J. Tarpley with 11 seconds remaining.

“It has some extra meaning to me because I was there for four years and the fans were so great to me and my family”, Fitzpatrick said Monday. “I didn’t play well in that game and some of the missed opportunities and things that we had, but you can’t dwell on it”.

-Cornerback Ron Brooks was placed on injured reserve because of a hip injury. Also, banged up safety Bacarri Rambo might be replaced by Jonathan Meeks. A win puts them in the playoffs, but there is more to this game.

If the Jets expected Rex Ryan to get the Chip Kelly treatment this week, they are going to be disappointed. “But I’m looking forward to this”. His players love playing for him…when the team is winning. I’d rather them see an honest [picture] of who we are, and I’m proud of who we are. “Todd came in and basically gave us the core characteristics of how he wanted his team run and we backed him and now we’re sitting at 10-5”. Our fans, they’re frustrated. And I love the fact they believed in me. With my future, it’s one of those things where the ownership doesn’t have to tell me anything.

SERIES HISTORY: 110th regular-season meeting.

“Game Manager” isn’t usually a term associated with quarterbacks who can run like a poor man’s Usain Bolt (of course, Taylor won’t ever be described as a poor man’s anything after becoming a free agent this coming offseason), but Taylor has played that role to a T in his first campaign in Buffalo. He’ll be up against one of the better defenses in the league today and best be on top of his game.

DYNAMIC DUO: Marshall and Decker have combined to become one of the NFL’s most productive wide receiver tandems.

-Bills CB Leodis McKelvin vs. Jets WR Brandon Marshall.

However, if there’s one criticism of this unit it’s that it has struggled to protect the quarterback at times this season, and it was something the offensive linemen struggled with Week 10 as well. The Bills are the slight favorites according to ESPN’s Power Index but both ESPN’s Nation’s team reporters have selected the Jets.

Six weeks ago, when the Bills traveled to East Rutherford to face the Jets at MetLifeMET -1.07 % Stadium, Buffalo held all the advantages.

Are the Jets a playoff team?