Jones is the AFC's leading rusher with 1,144 yards and averages 4.7 yards per carry. He also tops the conference with 14 touchdowns, including a club-record tying 12 rushing.

Washington is one of the best all-purpose threats in the NFL, leading the league with 1,881 combined yards while scoring touchdowns rushing (four), receiving (two) and on returns (one).

Jones and Washington are excellent outlet receivers for Favre with 70 catches and four TDs between them.

"They are a formidable 1-2 punch," Bills strong safety Bryan Scott said. "It's a big challenge for us this week."

Jones has been Mr. Reliable for the Jets. The powerfully built 5-foot-10, 210-pounder is a physical runner who breaks tackles and hits the hole with a good burst of speed.

The Bills did a decent job against Jones in the first meeting, holding him to 69 yards. But he averaged 5.8 yards per carry, scored a touchdown and had a key 23-yard gain during the decisive fourth-quarter drive in which the Jets burned nearly nine minutes off the clock.

While Jones is the focal point of the Jets' offense, defenses always have to be on alert for Washington, who is the team's most explosive weapon because of his speed and elusiveness.

He averages 5.3 yards per rush with two touchdown runs over 60 yards. He's dangerous as a return specialist, too, averaging 27.5 yards on kickoffs with one touchdown. He had a pair of 40-yard plays (one reception and one kickoff return) against the Bills in the previous game.

"He is the guy that creates the explosive plays for them," Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said of Washington. "He had an explosive play against us in the first ballgame on a screen for 40 yards. You definitely don't go to sleep on him. You must put all eyes on him at all times.

"Most teams have two backs now and so the combination of Thomas being a power runner and then the explosiveness of Leon Washington that presents the defense with a lot of challenges."

***

The Bills finally made official what had been expected for weeks: Aaron Schobel's season is over.

The Pro Bowl defensive end was placed on injured reserve Thursday. He has been sidelined the past eight weeks with a lingering foot injury. He tried to practice last week, but was still experiencing too much discomfort.

Schobel finished with 32 tackles and one sack in five games this season.

Trent Edwards did some light throwing on the side but did not practice again Thursday because of his sore groin. He hasn't been ruled out for Sunday, but all signs point to him being no more than the emergency third QB if he suits up.

Cornerback Jabari Greer, who has missed the last two games with a sprained knee, was limited in practice. Rookie Leodis McKelvin took snaps with the starting defense. Coach Dick Jauron said Greer has an "outside chance" of playing Sunday.

Meanwhile, safety Donte Whitner (illness), wide receiver Josh Reed (back) and defensive tackle Marcus Stroud (hip) practiced fully after sitting out Wednesday.

***

As predictions go, it wasn't on the level of Joe Namath's Super Bowl III guarantee. But despite a two-game losing streak that dropped his team into a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East, Favre came out this week and all but guaranteed the Jets would be in the playoffs.

"It will be tough, obviously, especially based on the way we've played the last two weeks," he told the Jets media. "But I expect to make the playoffs. I would hope that every guy in the locker room feels the same way. Why think any different?"

Favre's optimism is based on the fact the Jets still control their own destiny. But he warned that they can't look past the Bills.

"The bottom line is we're 8-5 and we're tied for the division," Favre said. "So there's three games left. We can't worry about the remaining two. We have to worry about this one."

e-mail: awilson@buffnews.com