The Buffalo Bills’ offense thought it had a good matchup against the New York Jets’ defense Sunday.
It didn’t.
Despite constant shoot-itself-in-the-foot mistakes by the New York offense early on, the Jets’ defense stayed strong throughout, holding Buffalo’s offense (Rian Lindell kick not included) scoreless until a meaningless late fourth-quarter touchdown and two-point conversion.
The Jets won, 27-11.
New York (5-3) held Buffalo (5-3) to a 3-for-11 third-down conversion rate, giving the offense plenty of time to make good on some first-half blunders. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez threw an interception from the Bills’ 7-yard line in the first quarter. Kicker Nick Folk missed a field goal in the second quarter and Sanchez lost the ball on a fumbled snap just before the half, yet the Jets led, 3-0, at the break.
The Jets’ offense got things going in the second half, scoring 17 points in the third quarter thanks to a LaDainian Tomlinson run and a touchdown strike from Sanchez to Santonio Holmes, and fullback John Conner added the dagger with a touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Linebackers David Harris and Calvin Pace each intercepted Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick once, and Jarius Byrd got the Sanchez pick.
Bills running back Fred Jackson did gain 82 yards on the ground and 38 through the air, though the Jets would have certainly signed up for that before the game given his success out of the backfield this season.
Sanchez finished the game 20-for-28 for 230 yards with a score and a pick, and Fitzpatrick was 15-for-31 for 191 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
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