Jeff Ulbrich desperately needed help.
I thought the Bills would take it to the Jets, run Josh Allen to the ground like he was toying with Ulbrich's defense, and go to the locker room with a 20-10 lead at halftime.
they had the wrong idea.
Rodgers, who hit first-and-10 at age 48, hit Hale Ulbrich at age 43. Time was up while the ball was in the air.
When Allen Lazard jumped on the ball, the three Bills surrounding him jumped with him.
Lazard came down with it.
It was Rodgers' fourth Hail Mary TD. Since 2008, no player in the NFL has had more than two Hail Mary touchdowns.
In a 23-20 loss, Ulbrich looked like a genius for calling timeouts twice while the trash-talking Allen was mounting a drive that capped off with an 11-yard TD pass to Dawson Knox with 21 seconds left. Ta. break.
Sadly, it will take more than just Aaron Rodgers completing Hale Ulbrich to defeat Josh Allen.
You can blame Rodgers for not leading his team to a first-and-goal goal at the 3-yard line in the end zone, or you can blame Ulbrich for not giving Rodgers a win in the fourth quarter when he needed it.
Rodgers threw for a season-high 294 yards. This isn't his.
The real blame lies with Ulbrich's coveted defenseman and field kicker, Greg Zuerlein, who thwarted the Jets and stole the lead.
And then there were the 11 penalties that Jets fans muttered to themselves.
Same old Saleh Jets.
And Aaron Rodgers isn't Josh Allen, and the Jets aren't the Bills.
Ulbrich will have to make one final request to the 30-year-old Rodgers with 3:43 left and three timeouts remaining, trailing 23-20.
He took the equivalent of a 3-16 Hale Ulbrich, but Mike Williams slipped and Taron Johnson intercepted it with 1:52 left.
Rodgers was brought here to beat Josh Allen and the Bills at MetLife Stadium on Monday night for a share of the No. 1 spot, regardless of whether Robert Saleh or Jeff Ulbrich is on the sidelines as head coach. I was betting. He was brought here to end the Bills' four-year stranglehold on the AFC East, whether the play-caller is Nathaniel Hackett or Todd Downing.
As the second half began, Ulbrich's defense came alive, along with the MetLife crowd.
It was a fierce match between the rivals from the beginning.
Zerlein missed a 43-yard shot off the left upright. His second mistake in the second half missed the left upright.
A Ruffing the Passer penalty on AJ Espenesa allowed third-and-two Breece Hall to send a 42-yard blast down the left sideline to the Buffalo 3 midway through the third quarter.
MetLife Stadium: “BREEEECE”.
But Rodgers couldn't make it. Ulbrich settled on chippy FG. Jets 20, Bills 20.
The game ended as Tyron Smith's holding call nullified Braylon Allen's 4-yard TD run, Taylor Rapp's hard miss on a 12-yard TD pass to Garrett Wilson, and Zuerlein's missed 32-yard FG. It was still Jets 20, Bills 20.
Ulbrich's defense was planning mayhem in this game. In the early stages, they played as if they were still feeling the shock of Robert Saleh's sacking. Quincy Williams had 42 yards of PI and DJ Reed had 23 yards of PI. A 12-man penalty on the field was denied as the Bills accepted Tony Adams' PI before Allen found Dawson Knox for a 12-yard TD pass.
The offensive line slumped late in the second quarter. Dorian Williams sacked Rodgers on first down, Morgan Moses got a false start, and Epenesa beat Tyron Smith to sack Rodgers for 8 yards. Late in the third quarter, Allen's 4-yard TD run was nullified due to a holding call on Smith.
Downing, the new play-caller, placed Hole wisely in the passing game. Breece the Beast's disappearance was spectacular. Hall had to regain his swagger to prevent Rodgers from attempting 54 passes and losing. And a 21-yard reception. 24 yard gain. Then a 23-yard reception. And that 42-yard leap.
