You’d think, after 64 years, the Jets would’ve gotten this rivalry thing right. Or at least stumbled into rewriting some of their embarrassing history against the Bills. But nope. It’s like they’ve been stuck in the same rut since the Polo Grounds first echoed with the cheers of optimistic fans — you know, back when they were the Titans and nobody knew this would become a decades-long exercise in frustration.
That first game, though. Let’s talk about it. September 11, 1960. A cozy 10,000 fans showed up in a stadium built for five times that many. The Titans took the Bills apart, 27-3, with Al Dorrow scoring twice on the ground and Pete Hart rushing for 66 yards like a guy late to Thanksgiving dinner. Dick Jamieson threw for 152 yards, and Don Maynard, future Hall of Famer, had himself a day: four catches, 116 yards. Everything clicked. It was like a movie where the scrappy underdogs pull off the win and everyone goes home happy.
But then… reality.
The Jets did win again that season, sure. A nice little sweep. And for a minute, it seemed like Buffalo might be the Jets’ “kid brother.” You know, that little sibling who idolizes you, borrows your clothes, and eats all the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms. Only, it turns out the Bills weren’t content to play second fiddle. By the time the AFL merged with the NFL, the tables started to turn.
Now? The Jets are Fredo Corleone in The Godfather: the older brother who got skipped over. Buffalo has been Michael Corleone, coldly efficient, building its empire while the Jets bumble along, still searching for respect and relevance. And yeah, Fredo had that one big win in Cuba before it all fell apart — much like the Jets’ fluky AFC Championship runs — but we all know how his story ends.
Fast forward to 2023, and the Bills are perennial contenders. Josh Allen runs over defenses like a bulldozer with a personal vendetta. Stefon Diggs is out there making corners look like they forgot how to play football. Meanwhile, the Jets… well, Aaron Rodgers lasted all of four plays this year. FOUR. PLAYS. It’s like the football gods are just trolling them at this point.
Let’s face it: the Bills have owned the Jets for most of the modern era. The record isn’t pretty. Buffalo has dominated the series, especially in big moments, while the Jets’ highlight reel is basically Joe Namath, a few decent seasons, and a whole lot of Mark Sanchez memes.
And the worst part? It doesn’t look like it’s changing anytime soon. The Jets thought Rodgers was their ticket to relevance. Instead, they’re stuck with Zach Wilson, who throws passes like he’s aiming for a different zip code. Sure, the defense is solid — Sauce Gardner is a revelation, and Quinnen Williams is a beast. But even the best defenses can’t win games if the offense spends 40 minutes of every game playing patty-cake.
Meanwhile, the Bills are out here contending for Super Bowls. They’ve got the roster, the coaching, and the swagger the Jets only wish they had. If the Jets want to turn this thing around, they’ll need more than a few free-agent signings and a couple of draft picks. They need a total culture shift. But after 64 years, do you really expect that to happen?
Look, maybe I’m being too harsh. Maybe the Jets will finally figure it out one of these days. Maybe Zach Wilson will morph into Patrick Mahomes 2.0. Maybe the football gods will stop laughing at their expense.
But probably not.
For now, Jets fans will have to keep watching as Buffalo keeps rewriting their own history — one win at a time — while the Jets’ lousy Bills history remains… well, unwritten and unchanged.
