Tonight the AFC East Division will be contested as the Buffalo Bills take on the New York Jets to conclude Week 6. It's another important matchup to start the season for the Bills and the third straight game they face as an away team, an AFC playoff contender.

The Bills are currently in first place in the division, but a loss to the Jets would even their record at 3-3 and give New York a half-game lead over Buffalo. Keep in mind that both teams have injuries to key players that could impact tonight's outcome. Let's take a look…

Buffalo Bills offense vs. New York Jets defense

Injured bills: QB Josh Allen, RB James Cook, WR Mack Hollins, WR Curtis Samuel, WR Khalil Shakir

Injured Jets: CB Michael Carter II, LB CJ Mosley, LB Leki Fotu, LB Jamien Sherwood

The Jets ruled out Carter, who injured his back in pregame practice last week, for Monday night. However, the Bills have three injured receivers. Hollins and Samuel will play as they recovered from their respective injuries during the week and went into the weekend without being named. The bigger issue for the Bills is the questionable status of both Khalil Shakir, who didn't play at all in Week 5, and James Cook.

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The Jets' secondary, which will feature Brandin Echols in place of Carter, should have no trouble keeping up with a very handicapped Bills receiving corps. The Jets could feel the impact of their defensive injuries at linebacker. Cook's agent said he would play, but even if that's not the case, his understudy – Ty Johnson – isn't an easy tackle when given room to run.

There's also Josh Allen, who despite a sore ankle and a gloved hand is always a threat when he puts the ball away and runs over or through a shaky defense. While Jamien Sherwood was expected to play, CJ Mosley is listed as questionable. There's no doubt the Jets would like to have Mosley's decade of experience at the helm of their defense. If he doesn't play again this week – which would be his fourth consecutive inactive game – it will be Chazz Suratt, who has recorded five tackles in Mosley's absence.

There's always a chance the Jets could add Leki Foku back to their active roster, as he had been practicing for a full week recovering from a hamstring injury that placed him on the injured reserve list.

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

Still, the Bills' injuries raise far more question marks than the Jets' injuries. We already saw last week how difficult things were for Buffalo's offense without Shakir. When they are both without their top receiver And With their starting running back, it could spell even more trouble for a team that needs to come out of the gate strong tonight.

Even if they are active, will Shakir and Cook count quickly? Will they be able to run the way they do when they are healthy? And how flexible will Allen be on that ankle? Will he try more slides – something that didn't serve him well in Week 4 – as he tries to protect both hands? And his ankle?

Injury Advantage: New York

Buffalo Bills defense vs. New York Jets offense

Injured bills: LB Terrel Bernard, CB Taron Johnson, DT Austin Johnson, DT DaQuan Jones, DT Ed Oliver, EDGE Javon Solomon, LB Matt Milano (on IR), EDGE Von Miller (suspended)

Injured Jets: TE Tyler Conklin, OT Morgan Moses, QB Aaron Rodgers

Buffalo will be without Oliver, Milano and Miller. Bernard entered the weekend without an injury report for the first time since his pectoral injury in Week 2, so he's included. That also applies to DaQuan Jones and Javon Solomon, who both had a bit of mixed practice this week but didn't actually miss any work. The questions revolve around both guys named Johnson.

Cornerback Taron Johnson hasn't played in 19.5 quarters. The Bills have missed his presence as he is one of them, if not one of them The, best nickel corner in the league. However, linebacker Baylon Spector has stepped up in his absence. Spector has totaled 23 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery in his time as a starter this season. It's likely the Bills thought they'd get Johnson back until this week, since they didn't place him on IR after breaking his forearm in Week 1.

Johnson did not wear the non-contact jersey in practice this week, but entered the weekend as questionable. It's worth noting that this was the same route Buffalo took with Bernard last week, and after some weekend testing, Bernard was active in Week 5. And played 100% of the defensive snaps.

Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Buffalo likes to change its pass rushers – often. But without Ed Oliver and Von Miller and without Austin Johnson, their strength at the top is also limited. Johnson didn't play last week and was limited this week.

However, the Bills have plenty of players ready to make life difficult for the potentially immobile Aaron Rodgers. He's hobbling with another lower leg (ankle) injury and Buffalo has some very agile, very long and very fast pass rushers.

To make matters worse, tight end Tyler Conklin is also out with a hip injury. Conklin, who was the third-leading pass catcher in the Jets' Week 5 loss (he caught six passes for 55 yards with an average of 9.2 yards per catch), is questionable for playing time.

Additionally, the Jets' offensive line is also not healthy. Morgan Moses is dealing with a knee injury that has slowed him all week, and Tyron Smith's 14 years in the league are starting to catch up as he required both a DNP and LP day in the last two weeks – both listed as a vet rest.

Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Despite missing three key names, Buffalo's defense will be fine as they bring in Bernard and possibly Taron Johnson for the second straight year. They also get back safety Taylor Rapp, who cleared concussion protocol this week. They still have enough depth – and youth – at the top to keep up with a broken Jets offensive line and an immobile quarterback.

Injury Advantage: Buffalo

NFL teams are required to release their inactive lists 90 minutes before kickoff. That means we'll know for sure who really benefited from a Sunday rest day by 6:45 p.m. EDT.