new coach. Same result.
Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich's debut had some promising signs, but it ended in familiar fashion.
The Jets suffered a flag-filled 23-20 loss to the divisional rival Bills, their third straight loss. The loss puts the Jets at 2-4, two games behind the Bills (4-2) in the AFC East.
The Jets' offense showed more signs of life than it has of late, gaining 393 yards. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns, including one on a Hail Mary before halftime.
But in the end, Rodgers wasn't able to close out the game with an interception with two minutes left, and it didn't help that kicker Greg Zuerlein missed two second-half field goal attempts.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns. The Bills also ran for 149 yards.
The game ended a tumultuous week for the Jets that began when owner Woody Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday, two days after the Jets lost to the Vikings in London. Ulbrich, the team's defensive coordinator, was named interim coach, and his first action was to take play-calling duties away from offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and give them to passing game coordinator Todd Downing.
It was an ugly game with 22 penalties, 11 for each team.
The Jets had a chance to take the lead, but a penalty set them back, and Rodgers' third-down heave to Mike Williams was intercepted by Taron Johnson with 1:52 left.
The Bills took a 23-20 lead on Tyler Bass' 22-yard field goal with 3:43 left. The field goal was set up by a roughing-the-passer penalty on Jets defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw that placed the ball at Buffalo's 9-yard line. Kinlaw was flagged three times in the series. He was given a personal foul for manhandling the passer, diving into the neutral zone once and saying something to the officials after a field goal.
The Bills clinched the game with Allen's 6-yard first down run to end the game.
The Jets started the game with their best drive in weeks, but couldn't convert it into a touchdown. They gained 54 yards in eight plays, but Breece Hall dropped a third-down pass from Rodgers and had to settle for Zuerlein's 34-yard field goal.
The Bills easily penetrated the Jets' defense on their first possession. Allen didn't have to do much on drives, as the Jets struggled to stop giving up runs even though Buffalo's top running back, James Cook, was inactive with a toe injury.
They gained 70 yards in nine plays, eight of which were runs. The Bills didn't even get a third down on the drive. Allen scored a touchdown from the 1-yard line for an early 7-3 lead.
The Jets responded with a beautiful nine-play, 70-yard drive of their own. Hall had a 24-yard run, and the Jets' running game finally showed signs of life. The touchdown was a pretty 5-yard pass from Rodgers to Garrett Wilson in the back of the end zone, who stepped up to extend the play. Wilson was barely in the frame, and the Jets, who have felt like their offense has exploded in recent weeks, led 10-7.
The Bills took a 13-10 lead on Allen's 8-yard touchdown to Mack Hollins with 6:54 left in the second quarter. The 10-play drive began with a ridiculous 42-yard completion to running back Ray Davis. Allen flashed to his right and flicked the ball downfield to Davis, who caught it over Quincy Williams.
Buffalo extended its lead to 20-10 just before halftime when Allen scored on Dawson Knox for a 12-yard touchdown.
This drive was aided by two pass interference penalties by the Jets. DJ Reed's one gave the Bills a 23-yard gain, and Tony Adams' one put the ball on the Jets' 11-yard line.
It looked like the Bills were going to go into halftime with a 10-point lead, but the Jets got the ball back with 21 seconds left at their own 30. After short goals by Tyler Conklin and Wilson, Rodgers showed off his arm strength on a Hail Mary by Allen. Lazard managed to score a touchdown as time expired, cutting the score to 20-17 at the break.
The Jets were able to tie the game at 20-20 with Zerlien's 22-yard field goal with 6:17 left in the third quarter. The Jets got the points, but Breece Hall's 42-yard rush brought them to the Bills' 3-yard line, and unfortunately they couldn't reach the end zone. However, Rodgers threw an incompletion on first down, Hole was stuffed on second down, and Rodgers and Wilson were unable to connect on third down.
It wasn't the last red zone chance. The next one was even worse. The Jets once again advanced to the Bills' 4-yard line and Braylon Allen appeared to score a touchdown, but was called back on a holding call on left tackle Tyron Smith.
Rodgers tried to hit Wilson again in the back of the end zone, but safeties Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin sandwiched him and the ball was free once it got to him.
The Jets still had a chance to take the lead on Tourline's 32-yard field goal, but Tourline hit the left upright.
With 9 minutes, 44 seconds left in the game, Zerlein missed another field goal. This shot was also a 43-yard attempt and missed the left upright.
