The Jets (4-12) struggled to find their footing Sunday in Orchard Park, NY, and fell to the Bills (13-3), 40-14, after allowing 28 second-half points. Buffalo controlled the game wire to wire, taking advantage of 3 Jets turnovers and multiple short fields while clinching the AFC's No. 2 seed for the postseason.
"Give a lot of credit to Buffalo," interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said. "They got after us in every way. Outcoached us, outplayed us from really the second half on. Not good enough.
"I thought the effort wasn't the issue. It was the execution, it was all of it. We'll take a good, hard look at the film and assess what exactly happened, but it we didn't play well enough by any means, in any facet in any of the three phases."
The Green & White's first half, offensively, was similar to its game last week against the Rams. It moved the ball (112 of its 281 total yards) but could not convert in scoring territory.
The Bills received the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards in 12 plays for the game's first score, a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Bills two-time Pro Bowl QB Josh Allen. The drive was aided by 3 penalties (the team was penalized 16 times for 120 yards) by the Jets' secondary including a pass interference call on Sauce Gardner in the end zone that put Buffalo on the 1.
Aaron Rodgers and the offense responded quickly with a 10-play, 53-yard drive that resulted in a turnover on downs on the Buffalo 24-yard line. Rookie RB Braelon Allen was stopped for no gain as Bills DE Gregory Rousseau slipped by LT Max Mitchell, who started for the injured rookie Olu Fashanu, and took down Allen.
Rousseau helped end the Jets' second possession, another promising drive, by tipping Rodgers' pass intended for WR Davante Adams. The ball fell into the hands of DT Jordan Phillips, Rodgers' first interception since Week 13, and Buffalo took over on its 17-yard line.
"The two times we played them [the Bills], we moved the ball pretty well," Rodgers said. "Just hurt ourselves. We scored more points in the first one, obviously [23-20 loss in Week 6], but when you watch the first one back, we had plenty of chances to win the game. Today we moved the ball well our first two drives, no points. Then after that the game got away from us."
See all of the best game photos from the Week 17 game in Buffalo.
The Jets entered halftime trailing, 12-0, and scored their first points midway through the fourth quarter. QB Tyrod Taylor, who replaced Rodgers in the final frame, found Garrett Wilson for a 9-yard score. Wilson, who led the team with 7 receptions and 66 yards, made a highlight-reel one-handed catch to secure the pass.
The 2022 first-round pick became the fifth player in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards and 80 receptions in each of his first three seasons. He also became the first player in franchise history with 1,000 yards of each of his first three seasons.
Taylor, who replaced Rodgers (12 of 18, 112 yards, 2 INT) in the final frame, finished with 83 yards and 2 passing TDs, while lining up primarily against Buffalo's reserves. His second score went to TE Tyler Conklin, a 20-yard strike down the middle.
"Going out and competing, as a competitor, that's what you love to do," Taylor said. "Obviously you never want it to be at the cost of an injury or at a blowout, but when your number is called, you have to go out there and perform. It was good to get out there and put some plays on film. Proud of the way the guys responded. No one lost confidence, no one lost faith in themselves and [everyone] played until there was no time left on the clock. Obviously there's only one game left, but there's always something to build from and we have to continue to keep looking at the positives, grabbing from that and learning from what we didn't do well today."
The Jets will take the field one last time in the 2024 season when they host the Dolphins in Week 18. The start date and time is to be determined.
Jetcetera
Sauce Gardner (hamstring) started but did not finish the game with a hamstring injury. RT Morgan Moses sustained a knee injury and did not return. Carter Warren took his place. ... Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams co-led the defense with 10 tackles. ... Will McDonald had led the team with 2 tackles for loss. ... Isaiah Davis and Xavier Gipson each had a kick return of at least 25 yards. Davis added 2 tackles on special teams. ... UDFA S Jarius Monroe, who received a shoutout from QB Aaron Rodgers earlier this week, downed a Thomas Morstead punt at the Buffalo 1-yard line. Monroe and rookie WR Malachi Corley started at gunner.
