Buffalo Plus: Buffalo Bills vs. Jets Preview, Ed Oliver’s Injury & New Studio Reveal

Date: September 12, 2025
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes (remote/absent for this particular episode)

Episode Overview

This Buffalo Plus episode kicks off the Bills’ Week 2 showdown against the New York Jets, dives into team health updates (most notably on Ed Oliver), and debuts the podcast’s new studio setup. Using a mix of team insight, humorous in-studio banter, and extensive post-Ravens game analysis, the team dissects the Bills’ performance and explores what’s ahead.

New Studio Vibes & Show Kick-off

• Debut of the Connors and Ferris Podcast Studio
  • The hosts are excited about their new digs. Jenna shouts out Brian Suerda for his behind-the-scenes work.
  • "[We've] been talking about it for a while. Cool to finally be here." – Jenna [01:13]
  • Banter about couch arrangement, “Dan is Right” and “Jenna is Right” mugs, and the family dynamic of the set [01:00–02:09].

Jets Rivalry & Division Game Stakes

• Bills vs. Jets Rivalry
  • Discussion of why these matchups are so “chippy,” especially Deion Dawkins’ open distaste for the Jets, calling them “Instagram posers” [02:40].
  • “He doesn’t like the Jets. He calls them…Instagram posers.” – Mike [02:41]
  • Jets have “a ton to prove” under new coach Aaron Glenn; comparisons with Sean McDermott’s early Buffalo tenure [03:07–03:44].

Culture, Resiliency & Lessons from Week 1

• Building Winning Cultures

  • Buffalo’s turnaround attributed to a real “culture” shift under McDermott since 2017.
  • “When people poo poo…culture, yeah. No, it’s real. And it is real in the NFL.” – Mike [04:04]
  • Micah Hyde’s remarks about arriving to a team with no culture, and how important establishing that has been [03:44–04:04].

• Comment Highlights

  • TR in chat: “Winning culture is the difference between guys who show up for a paycheck and guys who will go the extra mile to get it done.” [05:20]

• Resiliency in Comebacks

  • Bills’ resilience showcased in comeback victory over Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.
  • “They could have quit on Sean McDermott…But with Josh Allen as your quarterback, the belief that that team has and the experience in coming from behind…” – Jenna [05:20]
  • Ed Oliver’s defensive clutch moment; the expectation that someone (especially #17, Josh Allen) will get it done [06:36–06:40].

Week 1 Review: Offensive and Defensive Analysis

• Keon Coleman Steps Up

  • Named “White Claw Grab of the Game” for his crucial catches, even after early struggles.
  • “What I want to see…is that consistency…Maybe it is just in a big moment—can you make a play?” – Jenna [08:13]

• Offense:

  • Mike: “I think they're better than they played. And I say that when they scored 41 points.” [08:50]
  • Discussion of clunky execution, especially in the run game and inconsistent O-line performance [09:06–09:46].

• Defense:

  • Ravens game exposed weaknesses, especially with new personnel.
  • “Some of those guys need to play better. Bernard’s got to play better. Milano’s got to play better. Certainly the safeties have to play better…” – Mike [11:01]
  • Drawing parallels between upcoming Jets matchups—Jets being “diet Ravens” (dual-threat QB, strong running game) [12:00–12:24].

Injury Watch: Ed Oliver and Defensive Adjustments

• Ed Oliver Status

  • Did not practice, in walking boot and on a scooter as of Thursday.
  • “That’s a huge concern of mine because Ed played so well for you on Sunday…and he made the type of plays that can kickstart a defense.” – Jenna [13:05]

• Backup Strategy:

  • If Oliver can’t go, rookie TJ Sanders expected to see significant snaps [14:28–14:47].
  • Comparison to past situations—Josh Allen’s brief post-game boot episode for context [14:52–15:26].

• Positive Defensive Notes:

  • Bosa’s solid debut—enjoyed the Bills’ home crowd, played more snaps than expected, compared to his time with the Chargers [16:23–18:11].

• Defensive Concerns:

  • Linebackers (Terrell Bernard, Matt Milano) “had a really tough night,” looked slow, but hosts express faith in their bounce back ability [18:19–18:37].
  • Rookie defensive back Dorian Strong notable for his physicality and resilience—unexpectedly not heavily targeted by Ravens [19:38].

• Secondary Health:

  • Trey White practicing in limited fashion; likely not rushed back vs Jets (Strong may start again) [19:56–21:33].
  • Max Harrison on IR; secondary remains a “work in progress.” Bishop and Taylor Rapp critiqued for coordination struggles [22:34–24:18].

Looking Ahead: Bills vs. Jets Preview

• Matchup Potential & Coaching Angle

  • Jets, under new HC Aaron Glenn, bring a different vibe. Glenn’s background with Parcells/Dan Campbell shapes his defensive mentality [27:21–29:27].
  • “That is who Aaron Glenn is. So I think that’s the team he’s going to want. He doesn’t have that team yet, and we’ll see.” – Mike [29:28]

• Jets Offense:

  • Justin Fields gets praise for tools, described as a “bigger, faster Tyrod [Taylor]” who’s earned a shot at QB1 [29:27–30:08].

• Bills Historical Struggles at MetLife:

  • Josh Allen’s worst statistical performances typically come against the Jets [44:13–45:04].
  • “He doesn’t play like Superman at the Jets…He hasn’t played well at MetLife all the time—but that’s…he’s human.” – Mike [44:29]

• Game Atmosphere:

  • Hosts expect a tight, chippy, emotionally charged divisional game [41:05–42:26].
  • Both hosts pick the Bills to win:
    • Mike: Bills 27–19 [42:11]
    • Jenna: Bills 27–21 [42:26]

Players to Watch / Impact Players

• James Cook (Picasso’s Player of the Week)

  • Set for a heavy workload vs Jets. Hosts expect Cook, newly paid, to be motivated and impactful, especially as the Bills look to establish the run [36:00–37:56].
  • “He had the heck of a play on the screen…things like that where I’m like, I think this is a game that Cook could be a really big impact player.” – Jenna [36:25]

• Keon Coleman

  • Consistency and clutch play potential spotlighted [07:46–08:13].

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “The hate that Dion [Dawkins] and the Jets have…He calls them Instagram posers.” – Mike [02:41]
• “When people poo poo…culture, yeah. No, it’s real. And it is real in the NFL.” – Mike [04:04]
• “I think you saw the maturity from [Keon]…when you needed him to show up, he was a huge playmaker.” – Jenna [06:40]
• “They scored 41 points…And at moments, it was just uncoordinated. Just pulling out your hair of like, nobody is open downfield. Josh had to become a unicorn.” – Jenna [09:05]
• “I think James Cook will have a big day, and that is my expectation.” – Jenna [37:30]
• “He hasn’t played well at MetLife all the time—but that’s…he’s human.” – Mike [44:13]

Community, Channel News & Light Moments

• Buffalo Plus Growth

  • Celebrates 40,000 subscribers; call for listeners to help by telling friends [45:15–45:55].
  • Jenna’s mom hands out business cards at family gatherings in Patriots territory: “My mom’s trying to gas up Buffalo Plus.” – Jenna [47:35]

• Podcast Challenges & Punishments:

  • Loser among the hosts must do funny “punishments”:
    • Catch 10 passes from a Jugs machine
    • Bad-karaoke duet, song of Mike’s choice
    • Progressive hot wings & reading mean (funny) tweets [39:02–40:56]

• Upcoming Community Appearances:

  • Several live Buffalo Plus events and appearances mentioned [52:02–52:34].

• Bantery, relatable asides:

  • Light stories about post-game soreness, emotional weight of the prior week, wedding attendance etiquette, and Jenna’s height at games [26:32–26:43; 47:16; 48:36].

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – New Studio Banter and Set Intro
• 02:20 – Jets Rivalry Discussion and Culture Talk
• 05:20 – Fan Comment on Winning Culture
• 06:05 – Baltimore Comeback, Resiliency, and Ed Oliver’s Play
• 08:13 – Keon Coleman Applause & Bills Offense Analysis
• 13:05 – Ed Oliver Injury Update
• 15:55 – Defensive Standouts: Bosa, Rousseau, and Concerns
• 18:19 – LB & Secondary Performance, Dorian Strong emerges
• 27:21 – Previewing Aaron Glenn’s Jets
• 29:27 – Justin Fields as Jets’ QB
• 36:00 – James Cook Highlighted as Player to Watch
• 41:05 – Bills vs Jets Game Picks & “Josh at MetLife”
• 44:13 – Josh Allen’s Historical Struggles vs Jets
• 45:15 – Hitting 40k Subscribers & Community Moments
• 47:35 – Jenna’s Mom Spreading the Buffalo Plus Word
• 52:02 – Upcoming Live Events & Shoutouts

Final Thoughts

This episode effectively blends a detailed Xs-and-Os Bills vs. Jets preview with strong team-chemistry and fan interaction. Key takeaways are Buffalo’s need for consistent offensive rhythm, defensive improvement (especially with Ed Oliver’s status in question), and a wary respect for a Jets team seeking to prove itself under new leadership. All eyes are on James Cook for a potential breakout game.

As always, the Buffalo Plus crew keeps the tone fun and insider-y, reinforcing their status as a must-listen for Bills fans looking for genuine insight and a dash of levity.