Later in the evening, the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets meet Monday Night Football Fight for the top spot in the AFC East. The start to the NFL season was anything but smooth for both teams – but thanks to a weak division, both are very well positioned in the playoff race.

Last week, the Jets shocked the NFL with the sudden firing of head coach Robert Saleh. Could this give the Jets a little more momentum heading into Week 6 play, as many have suggested? Meanwhile, the Bills will look to avoid a three-game losing streak after starting the season with three straight wins.

Division games always call for exciting football, so there’s a good chance we’ll see an exciting game tonight. Let’s look at some keys to keep an eye out for Monday Night Football…

The Jets are causing a stir: new head coach and play caller

In a surprise midseason move, the Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh and promoted defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to interim coach. Ulbrich wasted no time in shaking things up by relieving offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett of his game-calling duties and turning them over to passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Todd Downing.

While the Jets likely won’t overhaul their entire identity in just a week, the team could find new energy with these fresh voices and minds at the helm. Expect players to be motivated and ready to prove their worth during this transition period.

A battle for first place in the AFC East

Tonight’s game could completely change the standings of the AFC East. This is a surprising fact since the Bills appeared to be the dominant team after the first three weeks of the season. If the Bills win, they will solidify their division supremacy with a 4-2 record and a head-to-head victory over the Jets (currently in second place).

However, should Buffalo lose, the Jets will take control of the AFC East and flip the script on what was once a comfortable lead for the Bills. The pressure is on for Buffalo to avoid a three-game losing streak and reassert itself as the team to beat in the division.

Bills defense vs. Jets RBs

Buffalo has been below average at defending opposing running backs this season. They rank 10th in the NFL in yards against RBs, giving up an average of 108.2 yards per game. In addition, they had major problems defending the running backs in the passing game – they gave up most of the receptions (7.2 per game) and receiving yards (62.4 yards per game) to opposing running backs. To make matters worse, the Bills allowed running backs eight plays of more than 20 yards. That’s an alarming statistic heading into a matchup against a Jets offense that boasts two capable defenders in Breece Hall and rookie Braelon Allen.

However, the Jets had their own issues in the running game, ranking last in the NFL with just 80.4 rushing yards per game. With Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver out due to injury, this could be an opportunity for the Jets to take advantage of a weakened interior defender and finally establish their ground game. With the new coaching changes, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets embrace the run and establish a new identity in the run game.

Who steps up for Bills’ passing attack?

Buffalo’s “everyone eats” approach at receiver was fun for a few weeks, but it hasn’t caught on lately and they need to find a more clearly defined identity. With wide receiver Kahlil Shakir listed as questionable, the Bills could be without one of quarterback Josh Allen’s top targets for the second straight week. The offense seemed incapable without Shakir last week, but they need to find other reliable options for Allen.

Last week I featured Dalton Kincaid in an article urging the Bills to take advantage of his talent and make him a top receiving option. It’s a good thing that Allen is distributing the ball, but in key situations he needs someone he can rely on to make a play. It’s important to have someone who sets the tone for the passing game, and I think Kincaid is a good choice as he’s likely to consistently create mismatches. Kincaid must be deployed stronger and soon.

Quarterback Josh Allen will be looking to bounce back after one of the worst performances of his career when he completed just nine of 30 pass attempts against the Houston Texans. The only positive thing about this game is that we may never see Allen play this badly again.

The Bills’ offense is certainly in a bit of a pickle, but they have enough talent — especially with Allen at the helm — to get back on track. The Jets’ defense is certainly a big challenge and one that Allen has struggled with, but I expect Buffalo’s offense to look better than it has the last two weeks.