The Jets (2-4) lost to the Bills (4-2), 23-20, at MetLife Stadium in Week 6 on Monday night. Here are three takeaways from the game.
Late-Game Execution
The Jets have dropped three straight games by a combined 10 points and have nearly pulled off a game-winning drive in all three contests.
Greg Zuerlein's field-goal attempt in the final minute against the Broncos in Week 4 sailed wide right, Aaron Rodgers' pass last week against the Vikings was picked off on Minnesota's 9-yard line with under a minute left and Monday night, Rodgers was picked on Buffalo's 18-yard line at the two-minute warning.
"This was a golden opportunity," said Rodgers, who completed 65.7% of his passes for 294 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. "Some games you win in the NFL and some you give away. This was a giveaway. We were terrible in the red zone, missed two field goals, didn't convert on a two-minute drive. We had plenty of chances. We had the momentum, had good drives, moved the ball up and down the field. Disappointing."
He added: "It's frustrating. I'm here to win those games, but we've got to be on our details. It's little things every single time."
Red Zone Woes
The Jets struggled in the red zone and were went 1 of 4 while the Bills converted on 3 of 4 trips inside the 20.
Twice the Green & White had the ball inside within the 5-yard line and came away with 3 total points. Midway through the third quarter, RB Breece Hall put the Jets on the Bills' 3 with a 42-yard run down the home sideline. Two passes and one run later, the Jets settled for a 22-yard field goal that tied the game, 20-20.
On the offense's next possession, Braelon Allen scored on third-and-2 from the Buffalo 4 where the rookie running back lined up at fullback. The touchdown, however, was nullified when LT Tyron Smith was flagged for holding.
Then set up with third-and-12, Rodgers fired a rope to the middle of the end zone and perfectly threaded the needle to Garrett Wilson, who could not secure the pass when Bills S Taylor Rapp knocked it out of Wilson's hands. Wilson remained on the turf after the hard hit. Greg Zuerlein's 32-yard try that would've given the Jets a 23-20 lead kissed the left upright, but did not go over the crossbar.
"All of us have to be at our best when our best is required, when it matters most, me included," Wilson said. "I have to finish that play in the red zone. We have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. We really just have to be more detailed and that'll take care of all those things I'm speaking of. We have a good team, we have guys that can make plays, but when you have these little mess-ups here and there, especially when you get to that part of the field, it only gets harder. It's already hard enough down there, so we have to find a way to get points and score touchdowns."
Running Game Both Sides
The Jets, after totaling 100 rushing yards over Weeks 4-5, ran for 121 yards and 5.8 yards per carry behind Breece Hall's 113 yards on 18 rushes (6.3 avg).
The rushing defense, however, yielded 149 yards on 33 carries (4.5 avg). Bills rookie RB Ray Davis, selected in the fourth round out of Kentucky, started in place of the injured James Cook. Davis ran the ball 20 times for 97 yards for an average of 4.9 yards per carry.
"We made a huge emphasis on stopping the run knowing that they'd be committed to it," interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said. "It's kind of been the signature of the Bills offense this season and we did not do that. One hundred fifty yards, 4.5 per carry, 4 explosive [runs], that's not winning football from a defensive perspective and that's on me, that's on every player, every coach. That's on all of us. It's a collective thing and we'll get that fixed."
