It’s hard to deny the New York Jets’ postseason potential now
The New York Jets made their loudest statement of the 2022-23 NFL season yet on Sunday afternoon, topping the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills by a 20-17 final at MetLife Stadium. Michael Carter and James Robinson represented the post-Breece Hall era well with a touchdown each while Greg Zuerlein kicked two field goals, including the short game-winner in the penultimate minute.
Though the Jets got off to a dubious start, as Braden Mann fell on the opening kickoff and gave the Bills field position at their own 45. A 42-yard throw to Stefon Diggs on the first throw of the game, a double move on which he beat Sauce Gardner, gave the game an ominous feel. However, they kept Buffalo off the board in the early going with a Jordan Whitehead interception of Allen.
https://twitter.com/NFLonFOX/status/1589319123942920194
Though Allen was held in check through the air, with the exception of his passes to Stefon Diggs, he accounted for Buffalo’s scoring via two rushing scores, one of which was a 36-yard to daylight in the middle of the second quarter.
Josh Allen HOUSE CALL 💨
(via @BuffaloBills)pic.twitter.com/ORvclQYe8o
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 6, 2022
The Jets officially made their prescience felt with a 13-play, 75-yard drive to close out the opening half, with Michael Carter closing things out with a six-yard score, one that finished a drive that featured a fourth down conversion en route to the end zone. Buffalo got the ball back but Tyler Bass missed a deep field goal that kept the lead at 14-10.
Michael Carter. Untouched. 🙌 @8kMike #TakeFlight
📺: #BUFvsNYJ on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/pSFLuCQneJ pic.twitter.com/mDRPlhpi74— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2022
With CBS’s aerial camera interrupting a promising Jets drive that ended with a Wilson fumble forced by Von Miller, the Jets immediately fought back with a Sauce Gardner interception that up a go-ahead score.
SAAAUUUUCCEEEE#BUFvsNYJ on CBS | @iamSauceGardner pic.twitter.com/cWkcIGtF3I
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 6, 2022
TURNOVER: Von Miller strip sack of Zach Wilson, fumble recovered by AJ Epenesa at BUF 29#Bills 14 #Jets 10 3rd pic.twitter.com/av3B9V4s84
— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) November 6, 2022
That score was a seven-yard hook-up between Zach Wilson and James Robinson, the latter earning his first tally in green.
First TD as a Jet for @robinson_jamess!!!#BUFvsNYJ on CBS pic.twitter.com/6bwhqEYXMq
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 6, 2022
Buffalo fought back with a field goal later on before the teams exchanged punts, though the Jets embarked on a victorious 13-play, 86-yard drive that ended with Zuerlein’s 28-yard triple. Though rushers accounted for all but 12 yards on the drive, the outlier turrned out to be major, with Wilson’s gain of a dozen to Denzel Mims forcing Buffalo to start using its timeouts early. The Jets’ defense then forced the Bills into a four-and-out to clinch the upset, highlighted by Bryce Huff‘s 19-yard strip-sack and Sauce Gardner’s pass breakup on 4th and 21.
The Jets will now embark upon their bye week before facing another divisional match in New England on Nov. 20.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
