The New York Jets had oodles of chances to pull off the Monday night win over the Buffalo Bills. Instead, like so many other Gang Green games of the past generations, they bungled the opportunity, falling 23-20 in a mistake-filling match at MetLife Stadium.
“This was a golden opportunity,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said, via the Associated Press. “Some games you win in the NFL and some games you give away. This was a giveaway.”
The Jets got behind in the second quarter thanks to a defense that was gorged by the Bills running game, allowing Buffalo three scoring drives of 70-plus yards in the first half. A Rodgers Hail Mary prayer was answered to close the quarter, pulling the Jets to 20-17.
A first-drive Jets field goal in the third quarter tied the game at 20, and the clubs traded errors the entire second half. Buffalo finally broke through with a late three-pointer, and Gang Green gagged on chances to pull ahead.
“We were terrible in the red zone,” Rodgers said. “We missed two field goals. We didn’t convert on a 2-minute drive. We had plenty of chances.”
The game essentially ended on a Rogers interception following the two-minute warning on a play in which receiver Mike Williams got open but slipped adjusting to the ball, allowing Bills’ Taron Johnson to make a diving pick.
“It’s frustrating,” Rodgers said. “I’m here to win those games, but we’ve got to be on our details. It’s little things every single time.”
The Jets moved the ball under new play-caller Todd Downing, never going three-and-out, putting up 393 yards. Rodgers finished 23 of 35 for 294 yards with two touchdowns and the INT. Breece Hall ran for 113 yards and had 56 receiving. Garrett Wilson had eight catches for 107 yards, and Allen Lazard had six receptions — including the Hail Mary grab — for 114 yards.
The Jets had multiple receivers with 100-plus receiving yards and a rusher with 100-plus rushing yards for the first time since Week 2, 2016, versus the Bills.
“I thought we were going to have a big night on offense,” Rodgers said. “It should’ve been a 30-plus point game on offense and this shouldn’t even be a conversation.”
Instead, the second-half drives stalled, and Greg Zuerlein hit the upright on two kicks, sealing the Jets’ fate.
Rodgers decried the penalty-filled contest, which saw each club generate 11 accepted flags, combining for 204 penalty yards.
“It seemed a little ridiculous,” Rodgers said of the officiating. “Some of [the calls] seemed really bad, including the roughing the passer on me [by AJ Epenesa]. That’s not roughing the passer. You might as well play Sarcastaball [referencing the TV show South Park] if we’re going to call those things.”
With a chance to take over the AFC East lead under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, the Same Ol’ Jets showed up. Gang Green lost their third consecutive game, falling to 2-4.
“We are by no means out of this thing. By no means,” Ulbrich said. “I know the character of that locker room. I know the way we will respond. … We have to start stacking these weeks of exceptional preparation. I promise you it will start to pay off on Sundays.”
With another prime-time game on tap — at Pittsburgh against the 4-2 Steelers — in Week 7, Ulbrich needs his crew to respond quickly before things get darker in N.Y.
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