The Jets defense put aside a generally poor performance by coming up with their fifth touchdown of the season to beat the Bills 31–27 at the Meadowlands on Sunday. But the reality is the Buffalo Bills snatched defeat from the jaws of victory while the Jets continued to look shaky.
Ahead 27–24 with about two minutes to play, Bills QB J.P. Losman scrambled out of the pocket, got sacked and stripped of the ball. Jets defensive end Shawn Ellis recovered the bouncing ball and took it to the end zone for the winning score.
“I told the team I expected us to win the game,” said Jets coach Eric Mangini post-game. “Whatever it took, however long it took, that’s what we had to do. [The game] looked to be going in different directions at different times.
“The end result is what we’re looking for.”
The Bills failed to close out the game despite dominating the fourth quarter and rushing for 187 yards on the fourth-best run defense in the NFL. The 187 yards rushing was a season-high against the Jets defense. The Bills started the season 4–0 and are destined to finish last in the AFC East and out of the playoffs.
Favre had another mediocre game throwing two interceptions and only for 207 yards. He completed a paltry 56.7 percent of his passes. His interceptions took the wind out of the Jets’ sails and allowed the Bills to get back in the game.
The star for the Jets on Sunday was all-purpose back Leon Washington who scored on an electrifying 47-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and racked up 132 yards returning kicks.
Jets Great Start
The Jets scored on their first two possessions of the game, jumping out to a 14–3 lead. But after that, Favre would be picked off early in the second quarter and the Bills clawed their way back by establishing a strong running game with Marshawn Lynch. Lynch would average six yards a carry and run for 127 yards and one TD on the day.
After the Bills took a 17–14 lead late in the second quarter, the Jets came up with their first big play on offense, courtesy of Leon Washington.
The Jets began on their own 17, typical of the poor field position they seemed to have all day, and after a few quick passes, Favre handed off to Washington who, as previously mentioned, scampered 47 yards for the TD.
With a 21–17 lead entering the third quarter, the Jets continued to stumble on offense. The Bills would continue their power-running game behind the league’s biggest offensive line.
After Favre’s second interception, the Bills tacked on a field goal.
But Losman never seemed to be comfortable in the short passing game, often over-throwing his receivers. Jets corner Hank Poteat was the beneficiary of one such error as he picked off Losman early in the fourth quarter. Jets kicker Jay Feeley would then nail his 12th straight field goal and the Jets led by four.
Losman would finally start to complete some passes, putting together a convincing 64-yard drive, capped off by a Fred Jackson 11-yard TD run. The Bills were grinding down the Jets, who were unable to get a first down in the fourth quarter.
But when it came time to close out the game, Losman would fumble and Shawn Ellis, the longest-serving Jet, would make them pay.
“We just stayed composed and kept fighting,” said Ellis.
“We needed some type of break…some way, somehow. We needed a little help,” said Favre. “It doesn’t matter how we win them. An ugly win is a win. You get past that. You just need to win. That’s the bottom line.
“You start believing in the guys around you.”
The Jets (9–5) won a roller coaster of a game with four lead changes over the Bills (6–8).
Nothing has been solved in the ultra-tight AFC East Division. The Jets, Patriots, and Dolphins are all 9–5 with two games left to play—quite remarkable considering the Jets were 4–12 last year while the Dolphins were 1–15. Currently the Jets hold the tiebreaker though.
The Jets and Dolphins meet on the final Sunday of the season.
