2012 Buffalo Bills Schedule: Jets A Good Opening Day Test

I, for one, am glad that the Buffalo Bills will open their 2012 NFL regular season schedule against the New York Jets. Having lost to Rex Ryan's crew in five consecutive contests, Buffalo's September 9 trip to MetLife Stadium will provide as good an opening-day litmus test as any other matchup could.

To put it lightly, the Jets have absolutely demolished the Bills of late. During their five-game losing streak to New York, the Bills have been outscored by an average final of 30-14; they've allowed 212 rushing yards per game at over five yards per carry; and even the much-maligned Mark Sanchez (15-of-26, 169 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) has an acceptable average stat line during the run.

Most of the useless off-season rhetoric this spring has had Buffalo on the upswing thanks to their free agent spending spree, while the Jets' acquisition of the Tim Tebow circus has most thinking they're on the verge of a downward spiral. When the two teams hit the field in 144 days, however, it's still the Bills who have much more to prove, particularly against their opening-day rival.

Everything else on the Bills' schedule - with the exception of their home prime time game, which is noteworthy only because it's a prime time game - is now irrelevant to me. Once the 2012 NFL Draft concludes next weekend, it's all about the Jets.