Jets solve Bills in “must-win” game


JetsLogoFLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets’ 2015 season ended on the third day of 2016 with an agonizing loss to the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park. On the 259th day of 2016, the Jets went to Orchard Park and saved their 2016 season — at least for now.

The Jets won perhaps the earliest “must-win” game in franchise history Thursday night, when they vanquished a few demons with a wild 37-31 win over the Bills. The victory allowed the Jets (1-1) to avoid an 0-2 start heading into a four-game stretch in which they’ll face a quartet of teams that made the playoffs in 2015.

“It was game two, we needed to win a game,” Jets head coach Todd Bowles said afterward. “You never want to start 0-2. The fact it’s a division rival, we know it’s going to be tough. I’m proud of them.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick, who quarterbacked the Bills from 2009 through 2012, finally solved a Rex Ryan-coached defense by throwing for 374 yards and one touchdown as the Jets got some revenge on the Bills for the 22-17 loss that knocked them out of the playoffs on Jan. 3. Fitzpatrick entered Thursday 2-8 in 10 career starts against Ryan-coached teams.

“I think it meant a little bit more than a regular game, just because this (was) my life being here for years, not necessarily because it was against Rex,” Fitzpatrick said. “More excited about our team and the way that we responded in the second half.”

The Jets appeared as if they might be headed for another gut-wrenching loss when the Bills scored 17 unanswered points in a stretch of 3:50 spanning the second and third quarters to take a 24-20 lead. But the Jets responded with 17 straight points before turning back a late Bills comeback attempt.

Now, the Jets can relax for a bit before preparing to visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 25.

“Considering we don’t get a bye until week 10,” Bowles said, “this is a good break for us.”

REPORT CARD VS. BILLS

–PASSING OFFENSE: A-minus. Other than a disjointed first drive in which he had the ball stripped twice, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (24-of-34 for 374 yards and one touchdown) was sensational as he finally got the best of Rex Ryan. The Jets big two might be turning into the big three, as WR Quincy Enunwa (six catches for 92 yards) was robbed of a bigger game only by a late rib injury. WR Brandon Marshall (six catches for 101 yards) shrugged off what looked to be a season-ending knee injury in the second quarter while WR Eric Decker (six catches for 126 yards and one touchdown) was also back after a quiet opening week. WR Jalin Marshall (three catches for 45 yards) remained in the game plan even after losing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.
–RUSHING OFFENSE: A-minus. Who knows if RB Matt Forte (30 rushes for 100 yards and three touchdowns, two catches for nine yards) can hold up to this workload as he nears his 31st birthday, but he was terrific in grinding out yardage and showing off a goal-line grittiness with which he is not usually associated. So much for the idea that RB Bilal Powell (one rush for two yards, one catch for one yard) would be a bigger factor on a short week.

–PASSING DEFENSE: D. Sure, the good news is Bills QB Tyrod Taylor (18-for-30, 297 yards, three touchdowns, one interception) accounted for more than half their passing yardage on two plays, but the bad news is those two plays were an 84-yard touchdown pass to WR Marquise Goodwin and a 71-yard touchdown pass to ex-Jets WR Greg Salas. No matter how Todd Bowles tries to spin the “one bad play” storyline with CB Darrelle Revis, the truth is he’s been scorched twice this year and he wasn’t even assigned to WR Sammy Watkins for much of Thursday. The Jets, four days removed from racking up seven sacks, didn’t take down the elusive Taylor once. At least CB Marcus Williams continued laying claim to the title of best playmaker in the back end by picking off Taylor deep in Jets territory.

–RUSHING DEFENSE: B-plus. The Bills finished with just 76 rushing yards, more than half of which came on the long gainers by RB LeSean McCoy (24 yards) and Taylor (15 yards). McCoy finished with 15 rushes for 59 yards. The Jets weren’t tested in the red zone by the Bills, who didn’t run a play inside the Jets’ 20-yard-line until late in the fourth quarter.

–SPECIAL TEAMS: B. K Nick Folk (3-for-3 on field goals, 4-for-4 on PATs) bounced back from his nightmarish opener. Rookie P Lachlan Edwards averaged 41 yards on two boots. The Jets did allow Bills WR Brandon Tate to return a kickoff 45 yards in the third quarter, but that drive ended with Williams’ interception.

–COACHING: B. Bowles’ surly pre-game demeanor worked as the Jets came out focused and produced a solid effort in a must-win game. He’s lucky, though, that failing to go for two up 37-24 in the fourth didn’t come back to haunt the Jets. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey dialed up a relentless game plan that a befuddled Rob Ryan defense had no hopes of containing.