EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- In a game the Jets were so sure throughout that they had won, they lost. In a game where the Bills refused to fold, they won.In a comical, error-filled, misguided dance with futility, both teams often looked a mess.
But the beauty was in the fight.
An eyeball-to-eyeball brand of football surfaced -- as it often does when divisional rivals who long ago grew sick of each other jostle for four quarters, and just for good measure, decide to tangle for an extra one.
Buffalo grabbed the final cookie from the jar, claiming a 16-13 victory that took nearly 12 minutes of the overtime.
For Buffalo (2-4), a three-game losing streak was snapped. For the Jets (3-3), a three-game losing streak was created.
Dick Jauron finally gained a reprieve, a chance to live another week without the sniffing, the digging, the drivel over whether and when he will be fired. Jets coach Rex Ryan, meanwhile, looked bamboozled, much like he did after his team's losses at New Orleans and Miami. His prized defense was pushed around, and his rookie quarterback crashed with a bumbling five interceptions.
It was enough to make a grown man moan.
"This was a rough one,'' Ryan mumbled, adding that he thought about pulling Mark Sanchez.
Actually, what Ryan should have done is tugged the tails of his offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, and reminded him, "Uh, Brian, Thomas Jones is rushing for more yards than any running back in the history of the Jets EVER has. Can we have more of Jones and less of Sanchez?''
The Jets, infatuated with their snappy new quarterback, tried to win this game by dancing into the night with Sanchez, even though his feet kept getting tangled.
It was a horrible decision. Sanchez threw the ball 29 times in the game. Jones rushed 22 times.
Sanchez completed just 10 of those passes for 119 yards, tossed the five picks, was sacked twice and finished with a quarterback rating of 8.3 -- that's right, 8.3. A perfect quarterback rating, folks, is 158.3. And Sanchez played every snap.
Jones rushed for 210 yards. He averaged 9.5 yards a pop. He broke his previous career-best run of 61 yards with a 64-yarder in the second quarter, and then followed that with a 71-yard touchdown run moments later.
There is simply no way that Sanchez should have thrown the ball more times than Jones ran it. But that was what the Jets went with, and it played right into the Bills' hands. Actually, into five different Bills' hands -- five different Bills made interceptions and rookie cornerback Jarius Byrd had two. There was a sixth Jets pick, an extra one thrown by holder Steve Weatherford on a failed field-goal attempt in overtime.
Bills safety George Wilson was one of those that picked Sanchez.
"We decided we would boil this game down to a backyard brawl, the kind you have in your backyard growing up,'' Wilson said. "When you play it like that, there is no quit. We really got after them more and more as the game continued.''
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Chicago Bears Johnny Knox celebrates his touchdown with Devin Hester in the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Sunday, October 16, 2009. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/MCT)
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New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss hands the ball to a fan after catching a touchdown pass against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter of a NFL football game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
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ATLANTA - OCTOBER 18: Running back Jerious Norwood #32 of the Atlanta Falcons tries to out run center back Zack Bowman #35 of the Chicago Bears during the second quarter of the game at the Georgia Dome on October 18, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zack Bowman;Jerious Norwood
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New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez looks to throw in the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday, October 18, 2009. The Bills defeated the Jets 16-13 in overtime. (Kathy Kmonicek/Newsday/MCT)
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The New York Jets defense tackles Buffalo Bills Fred Jackson during second quarter action at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday, October 18, 2009. The Bills defeated the Jets 16-13 in overtime. (Kathy Kmonicek/Newsday/MCT)
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Buffalo Bills Brian Moorman (8) celebrates with teammate Rian Lindell (9) after he hit the game winning field goal during overtime of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bills won the game 16-13. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Buffalo Bills Brian Moorman (8) celebrates with teammate Rian Lindell (9) after Lindell kicked the game winning field goal during overtime of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bills won the game 16-13. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
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Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson (22) leaps over teammate Corey McIntyre (38) during overtime of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bills won the game 16-13. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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ATLANTA - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Mike Smith of the Atlanta Falcons watches the first quarter of the game against the Chicago Bears at the Georgia Dome on October 18, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) ) *** Local Caption *** Mike Smith
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ATLANTA - OCTOBER 18: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons looks to pass the ball in the second quarter of the game against the Chicago Bears at the Georgia Dome on October 18, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Ryan
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He is right. The longer the game went, the better the Bills played -- and the more the Jets outsmarted themselves and began to be outslugged.
Bills kicker Rian Lindell ended it with a 47-yard field goal after both teams had two overtime possessions. Lindell had missed a 46-yarder as regulation expired that would have won it for the Bills.
"I've had some experience playing on the other side with that team and being in that locker room,'' Jets safety Jim Leonhard said. "That was definitely a crazy game. Those guys have lost their share but they are proud. They are sick of it. They were going to claw back. And we let them.''
The Jets led 13-3 midway through the third quarter, but a Lindell field goal and 37-yard TD pass from backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to Lee Evans tied the game at 13 entering the fourth quarter.
And though the Jets knocked out Bills starting quarterback Trent Edwards early in the second quarter, Fitzpatrick managed to throw for just 3 fewer yards -- and four fewer interceptions -- than Sanchez the rest of the way.
"I've got some serious work to do,'' Sanchez said as he dressed in the Jets locker room, discouraged and disgusted. Despite a side-by-side, seated chat with new Jets receiver Braylon Edwards in the locker room, Sanchez looked demoralized.
"That's about the worst I've played,'' Sanchez said. "I really messed up.''
Embarrassing, he called it.
His coaches did him no favors. The more he struggled, the more they asked him to do.
"He's young, I'm new,'' Edwards said. He added something about the Jets needing to take advantage of what teams give them and not put so much pressure on themselves.
I think I know what he was thinking.
"I know you need balance, and they couldn't just run me all the time; I think they we were trying to be balanced,'' Jones said in one of the most gracious postgame interviews you will ever find. "It was a big day for the rushing yards and all, but in the end, it means nothing because we lost.''
The Jets lost both on the field and in the headsets. They toyed with the Bills, letting them hang around after going up 13-3, then made it worse by throwing it around with a rookie quarterback while their beast of a running back wound up tamed by his own team.
And the Jets are also fretting over a possibly serious knee injury to nose tackle Kris Jenkins. New York, wobbly, seeks a cure at Oakland next Sunday.
The Bills, hoping to build something that lasts, travel to Carolina.
"That sure was a great win for our football team'' Jauron said. "There are no ways around that one and we certainly needed it.''
Jauron certainly needed it -- he bolted away from the heat.
And suddenly, it is feeling awfully warm for the big-talking Jets.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-18-2009 @ 11:51PM
cpainfla said...
but wait a minute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! prior to last monday nights game against the dolphins, all america heard about was this spectacular jets defense ( i thought it was the 85 Bears to be honest) and this amazing new QB who was the next Joe Montana...LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO
J E T S......suck suck suck...
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10-19-2009 @ 3:31AM
Michael said...
The Jets need to remember what first place looked like, because they've seen it for the last time this season. They were so fortunate to get the Patriots in week 2 with a QB who'd been out for a season and was trying to get his feet and timing together and had to suffer the ineptitude of one Joey "Go-Away".
Not sure how many people knew this, but Rex Ryan obtained recently released Pats backup QB Kevin O'Connell from the Lions the week before the week 2 match up. Ryan had the entire Pats playbook in his hands with the arrival of O'Connell.
Armed with the type of information that makes a camcorder as relevant as fart in a tornado, the Jets deluded themselves into thinking they actually won a game on their own merit. They will only continue to tumble down the East and will be bucking for last place by season's end.
Oh...hats off to the Bills who are nowhere as bad as a 2-4 start might lead one to believe. It's a good thing the Jets' Mark Sanchez stepped in for injured Bills QB Tent Edwards and led the Bills to victory... ;-)
What's that you say?? Sanchez plays for the Jets? Could have fooled me.....looked to me like the Bills' DBs were his favorite targets in this game!
One word of advice to the Jets' fans....Don't take off with a rookie QB and then acted surprised when he doesn't know how to fly or land.
10-19-2009 @ 12:05PM
David said...
HAHA That's right! The J-E-T-S SUCK,SUCK,SUCK, went 3-0 and the media was awarding them the Superbowl. Now they have lost 3 straight and have shown themselves for what they are. FRAUDS! The only bigger suck bags than the Jets coaches and players are their fans. Eat another box of doughnuts Ryan. Then you can kiss Bill's rings.
10-19-2009 @ 12:28AM
Glenn20 said...
Now that the Jets have that fat a-hole, loud-mouthed coach they are the most hated team in the NFL. When is that jerk going to learn to keep his mouth shut?
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10-19-2009 @ 12:47AM
Hi Patricia said...
BWAH HAA @ THE JETS!! I hope you gag on that loss .
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10-19-2009 @ 2:41AM
Jetfan said...
I really can't understand why Rex didn't pull
Sanchez after he started out terribly. 5 Picks later and he was still in the game? Why? I guess
because Rex is a rookie coach he felt like keeping
him in. Who knows? I have been a Jet fan since the
Namath days and every year I am hopeful. But every
year like all Jet fans get disappointed big time. The Giants didn't do to much better a least
here in N.Y. we had one winner, the Bills. All I
can say is, "same ol Jets"
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10-19-2009 @ 7:18AM
rjw6683 said...
You Jets fans make me laugh. Two weeks ago you had the second coming of Montana and had traded for the same of Jerry Rice. How many times did I see you thanking Cleveland for your franchise QB and WR? Well thank you for all the players you sent over. The way your defense has been getting dry humped shows you needed them a bit more then you thought. Thanks also for taking that underachieving WR off our hands. I counted 3x this week that a pass sent to him was picked off because he didn't come back to the ball. Thanks for the center we got in the first round, Mack is coming along fine. Since you guys teamed up your franchise WR-QB combo your qb has a rating under 30 with 7 or 8 picks and two horrible losses. That Bills team is worse then last years Lions.
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10-19-2009 @ 7:33AM
toma said...
Sweet! Hold on ...can't wait to turn on ESPN to watch the N.Y homers sulk between their words , Braylon is a punk and Garcia may be ok one day but geez the way Ryans mouth runs and the media tells us what a dynasty is in the making i can't help but {{{SMILE}}}
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10-19-2009 @ 8:27AM
john said...
NEW YORK JETS. The N.Y. GIANTS J.V. team. Hey Rex, you're never gonna win with Vince from Entourage as your QB. Take the Raiders and the points this weekend, GO PATS.
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10-19-2009 @ 8:52AM
Dennis said...
======================================================== TO QUOTE A PASSAGE FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE: "..Thomas Jones is rushing for more yards than any running back in the history of the Jets EVER has. Can we have more of Jones and less of Sanchez?'' NOW SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?? 2 OF JONES RUNNING PLAYS ACCOUNTED FOR 135 OF HIS 210 YARDS. DISCOUNT THOSE AND HIS AVERAGE YARDS PER RUSH WAS ONLY 3.7 SO LET'S JUST FACE IT......THE JETS JUST SUCKED.....ALL OF THEM. ============================================
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10-19-2009 @ 9:55AM
kinkboy1121 said...
I am one of millions of fans that feel we have been robbed of our pride and of our baseball and football, and we all are damn frustrated by this illusion that WE THE PEOPLE OF CLEVELAND do not deserve the same rights to have competent people owning our sports franchises. Our tax dollars paid for state of the art facilities to house respectable, competive teams that bring a sense of community spirit to our city borders... We have received absolutely no returns on our investments with the Dolan family and the Lerner family, infact both families have swindled our community out of more dollars than all the gigh profile scam artists put together. Call me crazy or what you will, but I think a community after investing billions of tax dollars outta have some returns on their investments in the way of championships for this generation of fans that flipped the bill out right. The power of the pen should never be mistaken. Millions of us turn on our televisions and hear the jokes told around the country of how our city is a city of losers. Opposing teams laugh that we give our talent away for nothing and we are living on past dreams of teams who actually fielded players that took pride in wearing a Cleveland Indian or Cleveland Brown uniform, but now a day, we are at the mercy of two men armed with the excuses of the rich, that building winners take time.... championships are hard to grab hold of.... in the case of the Indians it has been since 1948 that we won a championship, the Browns last won a championship in 1964, that is respectfully 61 years and 45 years, combination of 106 years of losing, over a century of losing teams, wiping out generations of fans who never experienced a winner, but paid their hard earned tax dollars to have home teams. Randy Lerner and Larry Dolan have one thing in common as far as a true fans eyes can see, there's no hope that either of these rich little white men care about the games they are so privledged to be part of.... so what can Clevelanders do besides deny themselves the full life of having a local sports team to root for? We have hope with Dan Gilbert cause he gets it. He at least tries to win at all cost. And we reward him with sellouts. It's called ownership pride and having a sense that the owner gives something back to the community he resides in. So though we the fans think we are powerless because we have seen the traitors Art Model and Al Lerner rip our hearts and souls out when they moved our beloved storied franchise to Baltimore, we have become fearful that if we speak up too much, these men will take their balls to another city and leave us without the game we all so treasure. Two greedy rich men have that much power in Cleveland Ohio... they are Larry Dolan and Randy Lerner. It's only two men people. We have powerful numbers because their are millions of us, who simply want a fair, competive ball game, and we have put our money up on the table, and it has been taken year after year by both of these greedy souls. We have been branded losers by two men and the owners they came before them. We should not fear them leaving but in reality these two men staying, for we no in our hearts they are solely responsible for the image of both sports franchises. We the fans packed both the Jake and The Browns Stadium with support, we did our jobs, we built them state of the art facilities, and we entrusted them that they would make good decisions for our hard earned tax dollars, yet we all no they each delivered zero returns for a combination of 106 years of straight losing. Bottom line is there is not one trophy anywhere on display. Both of these men have no honor in their decisions to give back. So my plan is to use the power of words to reach the millions of people who want the same things I want, a competive sportstown with competent gms coaches and players, and a press that uses the power of their voices and pens collectively two pressure these two little rich kids that take us for granted. It is a privledge not a right to own a sports franchise when there are so few... and they do not have the right to just collect money without returns.... so now lets take about bringing it strong, like a radio talk show host claims daily from the wknr radio show at 850am... Tony Rizzo and Goldhammer claim that we are served crap, Michael R. says bring it strong, Kenny Rhoda screams that are teams are pathetic, Tony Grossi, Mary Kay Cabot, Bill Livinston, Terry Pluto, Jeff Schudel, you all cash checks and make a living off these pathetic teams.... Mark Munch Bishop and Bruce Drennan, all of you claim you love Cleveland.... guess what show us get our backs for a change and take your damn voices and pens collectively and start standing up two these lazy athletes and two rich white guys that destroyed baseball and football, bring it strong Michael.... call for them to sell now on your shows and in your papers... bring the heat you can to turn the city you all love around sportswise.... I am calling on you to bring it strong like I did....do it it its your job. How many more damn decades are you all gonna watch safely from your perches, quietly cash your checks and be part of the scam of these two owners... we need you. we do not have the forum you all enjoy... plaster these two faces alongside of their records.... you might think I'm calling you out, but you all say you love Cleveland.... show us the money buddies cause its time to fire up the troops and get our city back from this pitiful trend.... bring it strong.... bring it hard.... and don't stop until they give our teams back.... Our two Cy Young winners are gonna determine the World Series this year because Larry Dolan won't pay them, yet it took billions from the fans.... Pittsburgh hoisrted a trophy, yet Lerner dumps crap on us.... stop telling us fans we need to rebuild for 3/4 years, or wait til next year, or handing them excuses that cupboards are bare..... show us that you can bring it strong with your voices and pens... if my blog don't fire you up, you do not love sports and/or Cleveland.... Im frustrated and you outta be frustrated too. This city deserves winners. Be a winner and get it done. You may not agree with everything I say or do, but I do love my home town, and kids in Cleveland deserve to feel the Browns win and Indians win.
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10-19-2009 @ 10:31AM
mesamark said...
why anyone COACH would be surprised that Sanchez could get picked that many times in a game is a surprise to ME
Watching him last week, admiring his rookie enthusiasm, I also saw him throw into defensive crowds that made no sense
His QB coach needs to sit him and tell him THINKING is a QB's best offensive tool
The athletic ability doesn't compensate for stupid
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10-19-2009 @ 11:03AM
Thee IRISHMAN said...
Hate to says this but it ture SAME OLD JETS! Jets always manage to lose to a team that they should beat. Just look back at last year there was 4 teans that they was to supposed win. 49ers Seattle Oakland and San Diego lost all 4. Its happening again and they some how manage to beat New England. Defense played well and only lost by 7 in New Orleans. Problem with the Play Calling again. Jets was 4-2 from the in zone they called timeout and did nothing thought they could have Bills jump with the hard nap counts. Hello you play the game to win. Thomas Jones has his best day ever in the NFL Leon Washington ran over 100 yrds. Jets was running all over the bills pretty much all day. Why would not go for it you knew they were running real well. Fans was all yelling GO FOR IT!. Ryan even said he thoughts about putting Sanchez out of the game why would he 5 IN. If Jets go to Oakland and lose there Ryan better pull out Sanchez with out a doubt. What up with the Offensive of line 14 Penalty for 97 yrds you will never win games that way. SAME OLD JETS!!!
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10-19-2009 @ 11:28AM
brilynnel said...
What happened to the Jets defense??? Also, everyone seems to forget the missed field goal and the botched field goal. Yes, Sanchez had a bad game, but so did the rest of the team, like Keller, what was he doing, dropping passes and standing there like he was on another planet.
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10-19-2009 @ 11:29AM
brilynnel said...
Where has Jones beem the rest of the year???
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10-19-2009 @ 12:12PM
HSOL said...
Good. I was so sick of the media's love affair with Matt Sanchez. He has an average game and people start calling him the next Montana. Jets suck big time.
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10-19-2009 @ 12:27PM
lfunchesc21 said...
What is wrong with you "perfection" demanding people; how any of you could strap on the pads and a play perfect at any position in your first year of Pro Fooball? Mark Sanchez is a ROOKIE and he is playing without a doubt the most difficult position in football. Since he is ROOKIE he should be allowed to make rookie mistakes, it is part of his or any one else's development process. Only a COMPLETE DUMMY would expect a ROOKIE quarterback to go through his FIRST YEAR without making rookie errors. Experience in the complexities of modern pro football is just not there yet. In the games he has won Sanchez has most certainly displayed his talent; real thinking people understand that he is the "future" of the Jets, not the immediate, demanding and unforgiving "right now". Get a grip and give the kid time to develop. The jets are a good young team that will most definitely be heard from in the not to distant future.
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10-19-2009 @ 12:50PM
bozallan said...
I am a big USC fan; watching sanchez play at SC I never thought he was a Carson Palmer. Watching him yesterday confirms my belief that this guy is just about average. Oh by the way, he will take a shot or two. Watch how he reacts when he gets a bit gimpy. I'm glad he went to the NFL before he should have because Matt Barkley gets to shine. Sanchez cashed in for money and probably heard Barkley's footsteps a coming.
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10-19-2009 @ 12:52PM
bobbren1 said...
I for one am sooooo glad to see the Jets go down!!!!
I can't stand that Fat faced Rex Ryan and his big mouth.....and many of you are right the media and the NFL want teams that will sell and a NY team will.
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10-19-2009 @ 12:54PM
CPezz said...
LMFAO.....CHOKE CHOKE CHOKE.....LMFAO, eeeeewwwwweee that's embarrassing, Tick Tock, Tick Tock, do you feel the time slipping away from you, Jets you are in trouble, your future QB is starting to crumble like the crust in your underwear. See you in New England, Payback's a bitch and then you DIE!
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