It seems like the first of many to come as the New York Jets lost their season opener on Sunday afternoon 21-12 to the Buffalo Bills.
LeSean McCoy rushed for 110 yards on 22 carries to lead Buffalo’s offense, which found plenty of success against an underwhelming Jets defense.
New York was outgained 391-214 in total yards on the afternoon, which isn’t expected to generate much this season. Granted, this season is expected to be one of the worst in franchise history.
In his Jets debut, veteran quarterback Josh McCown completed 26-of-38 passes for 187 yards and two interceptions. His arm was called upon plenty, a surprising development considering running backs Matt Forte and Bilal Powell are two of the bigger talents on the offense.
However, New York was only able to gain a combined 38 yards on the ground, nowhere near the success that McCoy had.
It was apparent that there was plenty of rust to shake off from both sides though as the game remained scoreless through the first quarter.
The Jets defense came up with a big play early when Juston Burris picked off Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the end zone to end an opening Bills drive that meandered down into New York’s red zone.
That would be the Jets’ only notable play of the first quarter though as the offense could generate just 16 total yards and amass 4:15 of possession.
Taylor would end up with 224 yards and two touchdowns
Less than four minutes into the second quarter, the Jets were behind as Buffalo pieced together a 12-play, 77-yard drive that was capped off by a Charles Clay one-yard touchdown reception.
McCown was efficient to start his Jets career though, completing 10 of his first 11 passes. He managed to lead the Jets to their first points of the season, a 48-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro with 6:34 left in the second quarter.
The kicker, who was making his Jets debut on Sunday, brought New York within one with 1:49 left in the half when he nailed home a 52-yard attempt. Catanzaro had hit just five of his first 11 career attempts from 50 yards or more as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
Buffalo would reopen a more comfortable lead when Taylor hit Andre Holmes for another short, one-yard touchdown. The score was set up by a 47-yard catch and run by Jordan Matthews through a sieve-like Jets defense.
McCown found a way to get the Jets back into it with two minutes left in the third. He brought the Jets to within two thanks to a quarterback sneak from the goal line for New York’s first touchdown of the season and the exclamation point on a 75-yard drive. They would go for two but were unable to convert.
Within five minutes though, the Jets defense was broken open again as Buffalo marched 80 yards to open up a 21-12 lead early in the fourth quarter. Mike Tolbert pounded in the touchdown from a yard out after McCoy was forced to leave the game with a wrist injury. He returned to the game on Buffalo’s ensuing drive.
It wouldn’t matter though as a desperate McCown was picked off twice down the stretch in an attempt to get the Jets back into it, allowing Buffalo to ice the game with relative ease.
Surprisingly, the Bills are in first place in the AFC East after an opening week that saw the New England Patriots go down to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.
