New coach, new look, new faces, same Jets.
Josh Allen’s 38-yard touchdown pass to John Brown with three minutes left in the game lifted the Buffalo Bills to a come-from-behind 17-16 victory over the Jets on Sunday afternoon.
The Jets defense, which was lights out for most of the game, allowed 17 unanswered points as they blew a 16-0 advantage and a 13-point lead entering the final quarter.
The loss is even worse when considering rookie kicker Kaare Vedvik left four points on the table, missing an extra point in the first quarter and a 45-yard field-goal attempt in the second.
It’s a less than auspicious debut for new head coach Adam Gase and second-year quarterback Sam Darnold, who are at the helm of a Jets team that is all-too familiar with late collapses. New York blew four fourth-quarter leads last season under former head coach Todd Bowles.
Even in the difficult loss, Jets fans had every right to feel optimistic about their defense under new coordinator Gregg Williams during the first three quarters.
They accounted for eight points on the day, forcing four turnovers in the Bills’ first six possessions in the first half.
Linebacker CJ Mosley — who made his Jets debut on Sunday after signing in free agency from the Baltimore Ravens — had two of those first four takeaways, including a pick-six to open the scoring before a groin injury forced him out of the game in the second half and turned Gang Green’s fortunes.
Allen’s first pass of Buffalo’s second drive went through the hands of ex-Cowboy receiver Cole Beasley and into the hip of Mosley. The veteran rumbled 17 yards untouched for the game’s first touchdown.
He added a second-quarter fumble recovery after rookie nose tackle Quinnen Williams disrupted a snap that resulted in the ball not even getting to Allen. The Jets’ third turnover of the afternoon stymied another good-looking Buffalo drive that wound inside New York’s 40-yard-line.
The defense continued to make the big plays in the second half, stopping Buffalo running back Frank Gore in the end zone for a safety on the Bills’ first offensive play of the second half.
With their possession stemming off the safety, the Jets offense finally pieced together a scoring drive despite a Ryan Griffin touchdown being overturned by a reviewed offensive pass interference.
They had to run two extra plays, but it was Le’Veon Bell who got his first touchdown as a Jet — a nine-yard reception to put the Jets up by two possessions. He even came down with the ensuing two-point conversion attempt on a jump ball the very next play.
The star running back recorded 92 total yards on the day with that lone score.
Williams’ defense relented, especially when Mosley went down with a game-ending groin injury. The Jets allowed the Bills to score on three-straight possessions, including an Allen three-yard scramble with 10:21 remaining in the game before the young quarterback’s late dagger to Brown down the left sideline.
