Plenty of Miscues as the New York Jets Fall to the Buffalo Bills

Mistakes were a plenty on Thursday night as the New York Jets took on the Buffalo Bills.  The Jets didn’t show up early and fell behind 22-3, and a comeback fell short as the Jets fell to the Bills by the above score, 22-17.

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There is an age-old saying that never fails in the NFL.  The team that wins the turnover battle wins the game.  The New York Jets turned the ball over four times and the Bills didn’t turn it over at all.  The turnovers turned into 12 Bills’ points, and the Jets lost.  Very few NFL games will ever be won by the team that turned the ball over four times.  The teams are just too close in talent level to be able to survive giving the ball up four times.

There were a couple of key moments where the momentum changed in this game.  The first was in the second quarter following the Bills’ field goal.  Devin Smith has to protect the football if he is going to return kicks.  The fumble was inexcusable, it doesn’t matter that he is a rookie.  He must be better than that.  The Bills’ recovered, scored quickly, and they were off and running to their early lead.

The second came in the fourth quarter, following the botched Bills’ punt.  The score was 22-17, the Jets’ had forced another three and out, and the miscue gave the Jets the football on the Bills’ 13.  The New York Jets, the number one red zone team entering the game, put up no points.  We can debate whether or not Todd Bowles should have kicked the field goal, but either way, the Jets’ came away with no points.  That was where they had all of the momentum, and they just gave it back.  The Bills ran the clock down and the Jets didn’t get a serious shot again.

Nov 12, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver

(15) drops a pass while defended by Buffalo Bills corner back

(28) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Bills defeated the Jets 22-17. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The other key set of miscues came in the form of dropped passes. The Jets just had too many. Eric Decker dropped one on a key third down conversion try. Brandon Marshall got his hands on one early that turned into an interception in the first half. Early in the second half, Marshall dropped another one down the right sideline, on a pass that Ryan Fitzpatrick dropped right into his hands. The New York Jets had their opportunities, they just couldn’t make the most of them, despite forgetting to show up for the first half of the game.

The second best running offense in the league came to MetLife and got it done. The Jets couldn’t figure out how to stop LeSean McCoy, as he put up 19 carries for a game high 112 yards. He looked as fast as ever, and was the same type of running back that the Jets have not been able to stop over the last several years.

There were some bright spots in the game. For one, Chris Ivory came back to life. He attacked the line of scrimmage to the tune of 18 carries for 99 yards. He added two catches for 36 yards, and generally had some more life in his game. This should be beautiful music to New York Jets’ fans, as he will be a necessary weapon if the Jets are going to make a run over the final seven games.

Nov 12, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback

(5) is sacked by New York Jets defensive end

(96) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets’ defense kept them in the game, despite not being able to force any turnovers. The man who led the charge was Muhammad Wilkerson, who played the best game he has played in recent memory. He posted two sacks, including one where he showed great speed in beating Tyrod Taylor to the edge on a scramble. Wilkerson also posted six tackles, three solo. He earned his paycheck on Thursday night, that’s for sure.

Rontez Miles had a solid debut, with seven tackles, four solo.

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The loss makes the AFC wild card race very interesting. With the loss, the Jets drop into a three-way tie at 5-4 with the Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s safe to say that these teams, along with the Oakland Raiders making a strong surge, will be jockeying for playoff position right up through week 17.

Next for the New York Jets is a date with the Houston Texans on Sunday, November 22nd.