Wilson throws 2 TD passes as Jets beat Packers 23-14

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Zach Wilson provided the New York Jets more reason for optimism while picking apart a Green Bay Packers defense resting nearly all of its starters.

Wilson directed three scoring drives and threw his first two touchdown passes of the preseason in the New York Jets' 23-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.

The Jets have gone through an assembly line of quarterbacks while searching for their first playoff berth since 2010. They're hoping they finally have found a keeper in Wilson, the rookie from BYU who went second overall in this year's draft.

''I thought he had good command,'' Jets coach Robert Saleh said. ''I thought he was under control. I thought he handled pressure well. He was good in and out of the huddle.''

Wilson went 9 of 11 for 128 yards, including a pair of 18-yard scores to Tyler Kroft.

He led the Jets to two TDs and a field goal in his four series against a Packers defense that didn't play Pro Bowl selections Jaire Alexander, Za'Darius Smith and most of their other notable names.

''It was a great look at a lot of our younger players versus some of their starters, and I thought our guys went out there and competed hard,'' Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. ''But we made way too many mistakes to win the football game, and we're always trying to win here.''

The only Wilson-led drive that didn't result in points came when the Jets opted to punt on fourth-and-1 from their own 49-yard line.

Corey Davis caught four passes from Wilson for 70 yards. Davis signed a three-year contract with the Jets worth $37.5 million after spending his first four seasons with Tennessee.

''I just have a lot of trust in him and all his one-on-one routes, that he's going to get open,'' Wilson said. ''I hope he's got trust I'm going to get him the ball.''

The Packers didn't play reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers or backup quarterback Jordan Love, who hurt his throwing shoulder last week while making his pro debut in a 26-7 preseason loss to the Houston Texans.

That left Green Bay relying on Kurt Benkert, who went 18 of 25 for 151 yards with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jace Sternberger and an interception. He engineered a 19-play, 81-yard touchdown drive despite tripping over linemen and falling backward on consecutive plays during that series.

His hopes of making Green Bay's 53-man roster depend on whether the Packers decide to keep three quarterbacks.

''I feel like I've done everything that I could,'' Benkert said. ''I feel like I've put myself in a pretty good position, but at the end of the day, I know it's a numbers game and I could play (poorly) and they need me on the 53, or I could play really well and they don't need me and I'm on the practice squad.''

RESTING PACKERS

The Packers didn't dress 32 players for Saturday's game, including nearly all their regulars. They had sat out 30 players in their preseason opener with Houston a week earlier.

LaFleur noted that they weren't merely resting them all and that some of those players were out due to injury.

COSTLY WEEK FOR JETS

The injuries continue piling for the Jets, who held two joint practices with the Packers here before Saturday's exhibition game.

Defensive end Carl Lawson ruptured his Achilles tendon and backup safety Zane Lewis injured his knee in Thursday's practice, knocking both out for the rest of the season. Backup offensive lineman Conor McDermott was carted off the field Saturday with a knee injury. Linebacker Jarrad Davis hurt his ankle.

Backup quarterback Mike White left with a rib injury late in the third quarter.

Offensive tackle Morgan Moses and cornerback Bless Austin didn't play because of what Saleh termed as personal reasons.

HILL SCORES AGAIN

Green Bay's Kylin Hill, a rookie seventh-round pick from Mississippi State, moved closer to securing a spot on the roster as the Packers' No. 3 running back. One week after turning a short completion into a 22-yard touchdown, Hill reached the end zone again on a 12-yard run.

''Seventh-round pick, that's just my daily grind, my motivation,'' Hill said. ''When I'm tired, that's what I think about, just to prove a lot of people wrong in my life.''

ODDS AND ENDS

Corey Ballentine had a 73-yard kickoff return to set up a Jets touchdown. ... Green Bay's T.J. Slaton and New York's J.T. Hassell recorded sacks. ... New York's Matt Ammendola was 3 of 3 on field-goal attempts with kicks of 30, 46 and 54 yards. .,. New York's Brandin Echols and Lamar Jackson intercepted passes. ... Green Bay's Malik Taylor had four catches for 66 yards.

UP NEXT

Jets: Wrap up the preseason schedule at home Friday against Philadelphia.

Packers: At Buffalo next Saturday.

Hail Morgan! Jets rally to tie Eagles 31-31 as time expires

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) The ball left James Morgan's right hand, zipped through the thick MetLife Stadium air and somehow landed in Kenny Yeboah's hands for a touchdown as time expired.

The New York Jets went wild, celebrating the 49-yard Hail Mary toss. And then Josh Adams ran in the 2-point conversion to secure the 31-31 tie with the Philadelphia Eagles in a preseason finale that was played without most of the teams' starters Friday night.

But that didn't diminish what was a stirring - and entertaining - comeback by the jubilant Jets.

''Oh, it was crazy,'' running back Ty Johnson said. ''Yeboah? Come on, now. That was just crazy.''

The start was delayed 30 minutes because of strong storms that moved through the New York and New Jersey area. Air bubbles formed in spots on the rain-drenched turf a few hours before kickoff, but there appeared to be no issues during the game.

Most of the projected starters for both teams sat out - including quarterbacks Jalen Hurts for Philadelphia and Zach Wilson for New York - after the squads held joint practices at the Jets' facility on Tuesday and Wednesday.

New York was trailing 24-10 when Johnson had a 3-yard run up the middle for a score as time expired in the third quarter.

Morgan, who replaced starter Josh Johnson after halftime, connected with Yeboah for a 21-yard touchdown with 6:59 left to bring New York within a point.

With no overtime in the preseason, coach Robert Saleh opted to go for a go-ahead 2-point conversion. But Zech McPhearson intercepted Morgan's toss in the end zone to keep it a one-point game.

The Jets got the ball back with 1:38 to go and a chance to win. On third-and-7, Morgan completed a pass to Daniel Brown for a first down. But the tight end had the ball ripped out of his hands by Michael Jacquet, who ran it in for what appeared to be a win-sealing 32-yard touchdown.

''It's a turnover and you are supposed to stay down,'' Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said of Jacquet scoring instead of taking a knee. ''We didn't do a good job communicating that to him.''

New York got the ball back with 59 seconds remaining and Morgan, Yeboah and Adams sent the Jets and their fans home happy - with a tie.

''I'm very happy for James and Kenny,'' Josh Johnson said. ''Those two young guys just to have them have that moment, a lot of guys don't get to experience that.''

QUICK STARTS

Joe Flacco started for Philadelphia and threw two touchdown passes in the first half against his former team. Flacco, who spent last season as the backup to Sam Darnold, found Boston Scott down the right sideline for a 49-yard touchdown.

Josh Johnson, who could end up being the backup to Wilson, matched Flacco with an impressive opening series. He found Lawrence Cager on a fade for a 2-yard TD to tie it.

The Eagles came right back on Kenneth Gainwell's 5-yard run to put Philadelphia up 14-7. The 10-play, 78-yard drive was helped by a personal foul penalty on Bryce Hall, projected to be one of New York's starting cornerbacks.

''You know guys livelihoods are at stake, so you want to help them achieve their goal,'' Flacco said.

After Matt Ammendola's 31-yard field goal made it 14-10, Flacco tossed his second touchdown pass in the closing seconds of the half, He found J.J. Arcega-Whiteside for 42 yards, helped by poor tackling attempts by Isaiah Dunn and Elijah Campbell in coverage.

Flacco was 13 of 16 for 188 yards and the two scores. Johnson finished 7 of 8 for 73 yards and the TD.

STATS

Morgan, trying to make the roster in his second season, finished 13 of 23 for 158 yards and the two TDs to Yeboah, along with an INT. ... Yeboah had four catches for 100 yards. ... Eagles RB Elijah Holyfield, son of former heavyweight boxing champ Evander Holyfield, ran for 60 yards on 16 carries and caught three passes for 22 yards. ... Nick Mullens, who replaced Flacco to start the third quarter, was 10 of 14 for 98 yards.

WILSON SITS

Saleh said Wednesday he expected his starters, including Wilson, to play a series or two but opted to sit them mainly because of injuries to the offensive line.

''It just wasn't worth it to bring him out,'' Saleh said.

Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick, finished his first NFL preseason by going 15 of 20 for 191 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and a 137.7 quarterback rating. He played six series in two games, leading the Jets to scores on four of them.

BARELY HURTS

Hurts' preseason consisted of just two series, going 3 of 7 for 54 yards against Pittsburgh in Week 1.

The second-year QB was set to play last week against New England, but was scratched shortly before the game with a stomach ailment. He returned to practice this week and had two solid days in the sessions with the Jets.

INJURIES

Jets: Rookie CB Brandin Echols injured his right shoulder late in the first half and didn't return.

UP NEXT

Eagles: open regular season at Atlanta on Sept. 12.

Jets: kick off their season at Carolina against former QB Sam Darnold on Sept. 12.

Shaq Lawson traded: Texans send former first-round pick to Jets for late-round pick, per report

The Jets needed a pass rusher, and went to Houston to get one

There's a new pass rusher en route to the New York Jets for 2021. Having lost Carl Lawson for the year after rupturing his Achilles in August, the team was in desperate need of trying to figure out who could potentially replace the production they were hoping to get when they signed Lawson in free agency this offseason. They're now placing that bet on Shaq Lawson, whom they reportedly traded with the Houston Texans to acquire, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

In exchange for Lawson, the Texans will receive a sixth-round pick, and the former 19th-overall pick returns to the AFC East ready to face his former team at least twice in 2021: the Buffalo Bills. Lawson joined the Bills in 2016 and played through his rookie deal with the club before leaving in free agency to the Miami Dolphins in 2020, after the Bills declined to exercise his fifth-year option. It was a three-year deal signed in Miami, but Lawson wouldn't see the back end of it -- traded to the Houston Texans this past spring.

He hasn't taken a single regular season snap for the Texans, because for the second time in only five months, he'll have to pack his bags and head to a new NFL home.

Lawson delivered four sacks for the Dolphins in 2020 and is only one year removed from a career-high season wherein he posted 6.5 sacks for the Bills. The Jets and newly-installed head coach Robert Saleh -- a former defensive coordinator -- is hoping gaining this Lawson will help take some of the sting out of losing the other one.

New York Jets cuts

• RB Austin Walter
• WR Manasseh Bailey
• WR Josh Malone
• WR Lawrence Cager
• OL Tristen Hoge
• C Corey Levin
• DL Michael Dwumfour
• DE Jeremiah Valoaga
• LB Edmond Robinson
• LB Aaron Adeoye
• CB Corey Ballentine
• CB Lamar Jackson
• DB J.T. Hassell
• S Bennett Jackson
• K Chris Naggar

Signed TEs Dan Brown, Ryan Griffin and DB Sharrod Neasman. Signed RB Josh Adams, DL Ronald Blair, OL Grant Hermanns, CB Lamar Jackson, QB Josh Johnson, WR D.J. Montgomery, OL Jimmy Murray, LB Del'Shawn Phillips, DL Hamilcar Rashed, DL Tanzel Smart, WR Vyncint Smith, OL Isaiah Williams and TE Kenny Yeboah to the practice squad. Placed OL Conor McDermott, LB Jarrad Davis and S Ashtyn Davis on injured reserve. Waived CB Bless Austin and DE Jabari Zuniga. Claimed DE Timmy Ward off waivers from Kansas City and LB Quincy Williams off waivers from Jacksonville.

Darnold, defense lead Panthers past Jets 19-14 in opener

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) If beating the team that traded him gave Sam Darnold any vindication, the fourth-year quarterback certainly wasn't sharing it.

''No, not for me,'' Darnold said.

Darnold maintained his even-keeled persona after throwing for 279 yards and a touchdown and running for another score, helping the Carolina Panthers defeat the New York Jets 19-14 on Sunday for their first win in a season opener since 2018.

He connected on a 57-yard touchdown pass with fellow ex-Jet Robby Anderson and took full advantage of a healthy Christian McCaffrey, who piled up 187 yards from scrimmage on 30 touches after missing 13 games last season with injuries.

Darnold said seeing the Jets on the other sideline was ''a little different,'' but said once the game began he pretty much forgot about it.

''I mean, I'm sure later tonight or tomorrow when I'm watching the game I'll start to feel that, but it was just good to get a win,'' Darnold said.

''I thought Sam played excellent,'' Panthers coach Matt Rhule said. ''... We weren't great up front tonight, but he hung in there and slid around the pocket and found guys down the field and made key third-down throws, key first-down throws and protected the football.''

Darnold's replacement, Zach Wilson, suffered through many of the same issues his predecessor did during his three seasons in New York when he was sacked 98 times in 38 starts. Carolina sacked the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft six times and intercepted him once.

Defensive end Brian Burns said the strategy facing the rookie QB was to ''hit him a lot, be in his face a lot, try to confuse and just basically make his first game hell.''

Wilson kept battling, though and finished 20 of 37 for 258 yards with two touchdown passes to Corey Davis in his first career start.

Six different players were in sacks for the Panthers.

''That's the thing with our defense - you never know who is going to make the play,'' said Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson, who had 10 tackles, a sack, an interception and broke up three passes.

''That's part of the job, right?'' Wilson said. ''Part of the quarterback pressure is knowing there's going to be pressure. It's good for me.''

Wilson's final sack came with 2 minutes left when his head hit the turf hard after getting landed on by 320-pound defensive tackle Derrick Brown. But he stayed in the game and connected with Davis for with 1:56 left to cut Carolina's lead to 19-14 and give his team a chance.

''My neck is a little sore. But I'll be all right,'' Wilson said.

The loss also spoiled the head coaching debut of Robert Saleh for the Jets.

Darnold, acquired from the Jets for three draft picks this past offseason, struggled in the red zone early where he turned over the ball on a botched handoff that hit his fullback's arm.

But the momentum changed midway through the second quarter when the Jets went for it on fourth-and-inches near midfield and Panthers defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos tackled Tevin Coleman behind the line of scrimmage.

On the next play, Darnold found Anderson streaking down the middle of the field for a 57-yard score. Darnold then made it 16-0 on the next drive when he scored on a 5-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw as the Panthers outgained the Jets 272-82 in the first half.

Despite the pressure, Wilson had some bright spots including the late TD toss and a 22-yard touchdown pass to Davis late in the third quarter when he rolled out of the pocket to buy time. He also threw an 8-yard TD pass to Davis with 1:56 left that gave the Jets a chance.

''The kid has been hit before,'' Saleh said. ''He took some shots today, obviously. But, he got back up. He showed resolve. And he's fearless. He really is. He's only going to get better.''

NUMBERS GAME

The Panthers announced less than an hour before the game that linebacker Shaq Thompson changed his number from 54 to 7 and linebacker Jermaine Carter changed his number from 56 to 4. An NFL spokesman said there is no rule that clubs are required to make jersey number changes public before the start of the regular season.

MAKING HISTORY

Line judge Maia Chaka was the first Black woman to officiate an NFL game. ''It's a privilege that I've been chosen to represent women and women of color in the most popular sport in America.'' Chaka said on an official NFL Instagram post before the game. She is just the third on-field female NFL official, joining Sarah Thomas and Shannon Eastin.

PUNTING

Jets punter Braden Mann (left knee) left in the first half after a teammate grabbed a Carolina player and fell into him. Kicker Matt Ammendola took over punting duties and did well, including a booming 65-yard punt and two punts inside the 20-yard line. He averaged 48.5 yards per punt.

INJURY UPDATE

Jets: Starting LT Mekhi Becton left in the second half with a knee injury and did not return. Saleh said Becton was still being evaluated and had no word on the extent of the injury. ... Rookie LB Jamien Sherwood (ankle) and S Lamarcus Joyner (elbow) left in the first half and did not return. ... LB Blake Cashman left with a hamstring injury.

Panthers: CB Myles Hartsfield left with a wrist injury and did not return. Rhule said the injury ''could be significant.''

UP NEXT

Jets: Host the New England Patriots next Sunday.

Jones, Patriots breeze past Jets as Wilson throws 4 INTs

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Mac Jones kept his mistakes to a minimum, moved the ball down the field and did enough to earn his first NFL victory with the New England Patriots.

Thanks, also, in large part to a nightmarish outing by Zach Wilson for the New York Jets.

Jones was smart and efficient, Damien Harris and James White had touchdown runs and the Patriots intercepted Wilson four times in a 25-6 victory Sunday.

''It feels good,'' Jones said. ''It's what everyone is saying: It's hard to win in the NFL. You've got to take it for what it's worth. We'll get better. Anyone who watched the game would agree that the offense can play better.''

At least he and the Patriots were better than Wilson and the Jets. And it wasn't close.

Jones, the No. 15 overall pick in the draft, went 22 of 30 for 186 yards for the Patriots (1-1) a week after going 29 for 39 for 281 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Miami.

''He's going to compete for four quarters, no matter what's going on,'' White said. ''He stays motivated. It's tough out there being a rookie quarterback. A lot of things get thrown at you. He stayed locked in throughout the entire game.''

New England topped New York for the 11th straight game, boosted by Wilson throwing the ball to the wrong team in the home opener for the Jets (0-2), who have lost 11 straight in September.

It got so bad early in the fourth quarter when the No. 2 overall draft pick overthrew a receiver, the crowd at MetLife Stadium - boisterous and excited early at their first game since Dec. 22, 2019, because of the pandemic - began booing the young QB.

''They should be booing, right?'' Wilson said. ''We didn't play well on offense. Our defense gave us a good chance to win. We didn't execute, we didn't move the ball well and we didn't score any points. We've got to do a better job there.''

Wilson (19 of 33 for 210 yards and the four INTs) struggled right away.

''It's on my shoulders,'' Wilson said. ''I've got to do better.''

Wilson's struggles might have been expected: Bill Belichick is 22-6 against rookie quarterbacks since taking over as Patriots coach in 2000.

''Bill always talks about winning the turnover margin, and how big an indication that is of who wins the game,'' said Patriots safety Devin McCourty, who had one of the four INTs. ''In order to win the turnover margin, we've got to create turnovers. We did a good job of that early in the game. That had a big impact on the game.''

After Marcus Maye's sack pushed the Patriots out of field goal position on their opening possession, the Jets got the ball at their 8. Wilson threw downfield to Corey Davis in traffic and J.C. Jackson tipped it into the air, McCourty deflected it and the ball landed in Jackson's hands for his first of two interceptions.

The Patriots capitalized with Nick Folk's 46-yard field goal.

''You go out there and set the tone,'' Jackson said, ''and hopefully your teammates feed off that.''

Wilson's second pass was also picked off, this time Adrian Phillips grabbing the ball after the high throw went off Davis' hands. New England got into the end zone, with White running it in for a 10-0 lead.

Wilson made another poor decision on New York's fourth drive with an underthrown pass to Elijah Moore that was easily picked off by Jackson again.

Wilson was the first player since at least 1991 to throw INTs on each of his first two pass attempts in a game, according to NFL Research. He was also the first player since at least '91 to throw three INTs in his first five pass attempts in a game.

''He was off a little bit,'' Jets coach Robert Saleh said.

The fourth interception opened the second half when he floated a pass downfield that was easily picked off by McCourty. Two plays later, Harris shed what appeared to be seven - yes, seven! - tackle attempts by the Jets for a 26-yard touchdown.

FOLK HERO

Folk, a former Jet, made a 32-yarder in the third quarter for his franchise-record 32nd consecutive field goal. He added a 26-yarder to cap his day.

''I've heard, but it doesn't matter to me really,'' Folk said of the mark. ''I've never been one for records.''

BOO!

With Wilson struggling, Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy - inactive with a throat injury - took to Twitter and got social media buzzing.

''Ghosts again?!?'' Van Noy tweeted in the third quarter.

He was referring, of course, to former Jets quarterback Sam Darnold being caught on TV saying he felt as though he was ''seeing ghosts'' in New England's 33-0 rout in Week 7 of the 2019 season.

Wilson was asked if he saw ghosts: ''No,'' he said. ''Definitely not.''

GAME OVER

The Jets trailed only 13-3 at halftime, but history showed the Patriots had it all but wrapped up. New England has won 41 consecutive games when leading by double digits after two quarters, the NFL's longest such active streak.

INJURIES

Patriots: RT Trent Brown sat with a calf injury, and replacement Yasir Durant was benched in the second half after allowing three sacks. Durant was replaced by Dustin Herron.

Jets: WR Jamison Crowder was a surprise scratch after Saleh said his groin injury ''flared up'' a bit Friday.

UP NEXT

Patriots: host the New Orleans Saints next Sunday.

Jets: head to Denver next Sunday.

Broncos throttle Jets 26-0 for first 3-0 start since 2016

DENVER (AP) Vic Fangio has a rejoinder ready for anyone downplaying Denver's first 3-0 start in five years just because the Broncos' opponents are a combined 0-9.

''They're right,'' the Broncos' coach said after Denver's 26-0 shutout of the New York Jets. ''That's a fact.''

Just like there's no denying the Broncos are tied with Las Vegas atop the topsy-turvy AFC West, two games ahead of the two-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs.

A week after holding 2021 top draft pick Trevor Lawrence to 118 passing yards, Denver's defense held the second overall pick, Zach Wilson, to 160 yards Sunday while sacking him five times, intercepting him twice and stopping him twice more on downs.

The Jets (0-3) became the third NFL team to lose a dozen consecutive games in September, joining the 1994-97 Saints and the 2007-10 Rams, who hold the record with 13 consecutive losses in the month.

''It's frustrating,'' Wilson said. ''We're all learning. We're trying to get better every single week. It may be hard for people to see that, but we're learning a lot from those games. People are gonna hate. It is what it is.''

The Broncos know just how Wilson's feeling. They won just 32 of 80 games during the past five seasons, churning through coaches and quarterbacks at a dizzying pace.

Now, they've throttled the Giants, Jaguars and Jets by a combined 76-26.

Von Miller picked up his fourth sack and middle linebacker Alexander Johnson had a pair of sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a pass breakup for Denver, which also got sacks from Shelby Harris and Malik Reed.

A week after throwing four interceptions against the Patriots, Wilson was picked off by Justin Simmons in the waning minutes and also turned it over on downs at the Denver 25-yard line and at his 41. With 30 seconds left, rookie Cacen Sterns picked him off to seal the shutout.

Four of the sacks came in the first half when the Broncos built a 17-0 lead and limited the Jets to just 55 yards, 13 of which came on a run by Ty Johnson just before he and his teammates trudged through the tunnel.

''I think we've got a good team,'' said Fangio, who brought an 0-7 September mark into the season. ''We've been pretty damn solid for three weeks both offensively and defensively. Today, we had to work for everything offensively; they're a good defense. They've got a lot of good players over there and made it hard for us. (But) we were able to get enough drives going, make enough plays to put some points on the board.''

And keep the Jets off the board on a sun-splashed day in front of the first capacity crowd at Empower Field at Mile High since 2019.

Three of the Broncos' past four shutouts have come against the Jets.

With another opponent selling out to stop Denver's ground game, Teddy Bridgewater was efficient once again. He completed 76% of his passes - 19 of 25 - for 235 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in his home debut. He connected with Tim Patrick five times for 98 yards.

The Broncos got 1-yard TD runs from Melvin Gordon III and rookie Javonte Williams, but Williams also fumbled at the 1 and had a mix-up on a handoff from Bridgewater on another play from the Jets 1.

''We should have had two touchdowns each,'' Gordon said. ''Today was not good enough, but it was good enough to get the win.''

The Jets had no such silver lining.

''We play hard but playing hard is not good enough sometimes,'' Jets coach Robert Saleh said.

''Nobody expected it to be easy,'' Jets D-lineman Sheldon Rankins said. ''If it was easy, there would never be any bad teams. If it was easy, every team would be vying for a Super Bowl. Sometimes you have to stumble, sometimes you have to trip in order to start walking and running.''

Don't the Broncos know that.

INJURY EPIDEMIC

Fangio had no update postgame on guards Dalton Risner (foot) and Graham Glasgow (left knee), who left in the second half, or speedy wide receiver K.J. Hamler (left knee).

The Broncos came into the game down four starters already.

FINES COMING

Risner was whistled for taunting the Jets after Gordon bulled his way into the end zone, and Jets cornerback Justin Hardee was flagged for taunting when he jawed at returner Diontae Spencer.

The NFL has emphasized taunting this season and had thrown 11 such flags coming into Sunday.

''Dalton, he swore to me he didn't do anything,'' Fangio said. ''But you know I've harped on this with the players since training camp started that they were going to be calling this super closely, and they have been.''

OTHER INJURIES

Jets: WR Elijah Moore was evaluated for a head injury and TE Tyler Kroft (chest) went out in the second half.

Broncos: ILB Jonas Griffith (hamstring) was hurt in the second half.

UP NEXT

Jets: host the Titans (2-1) on Oct. 3.

Broncos: host the Ravens (2-1) on Oct. 3.

Jets get first win, top Titans 27-24 in OT on Bullock's miss

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Robert Saleh had just gotten soaked from a celebratory Gatorade bath when he turned to Zach Wilson after earning their first NFL victory together.

''You having fun yet?'' the first-year head coach asked the rookie quarterback with a laugh.

The New York Jets can only hope there are plenty more days like this - but maybe without as much drama.

Matt Ammendola kicked a 22-yard field goal in overtime, and then Randy Bullock was wide left on a potential tying 49-yarder with 15 seconds left to give the Jets their first victory, 27-24 over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

''I am (having fun),'' a grinning Wilson said. ''It's an interesting fun, though. It was a roller-coaster game.''

After the Jets took the lead in the extra period but failed to seal it with a touchdown despite getting to the 1-yard line, Ryan Tannehill - playing without injured receivers Julio Jones and A.J. Brown - marched the Titans downfield with the help of two fourth-down conversions.

On second-and-5 from the Jets 26, Anthony Firkser couldn't hold onto a pass from Tannehill and then the Titans took a delay of game penalty. Tannehill threw incomplete to Jeremy McNichols, setting up the tying kick for Bullock - but the ball sailed wide left and sent the Jets (1-3) into a wild celebration.

''We battled back,'' Tannehill said. ''Proud of the way we battled through. Defense made a big stop in overtime. Got us the ball back, gave us a chance. We didn't execute well enough in field goal range.''

The Jets had a chance to win it without giving the ball back to the Titans (2-2) when they got to the 1 on Tevin Coleman's 8-yard catch - on which it was ruled he was out of bounds as he dived just short of the goal line. Wilson took a 3-yard loss on third down, a rookie mistake, setting up Ammendola's 22-yarder.

''I was beating myself up on that last drive,'' Wilson said. ''I've got to take advantage of my opportunities to end that game.''

Wilson was mostly terrific, going 21 of 34 for 297 yards with touchdown passes to Corey Davis and Jamison Crowder and an interception.

He put New York ahead 24-17 with 9:06 left in regulation when he rolled out of the pocket to his right, pointed and waved downfield - urging Davis to keep going.

''He said, `Go deep,''' Davis said. ''So I listened.''

The rookie then launched a perfectly placed ball into Davis' hands for a 53-yard touchdown.

''It was, `No! No! No! No! ... Oh my God!''' Saleh said of his reaction on the sideline.

The Jets tried to run out the clock late in regulation, but had to punt and gave the Titans one more chance with 2:09 left.

It was more than enough time.

After a pass interference call on Jarrod Wilson on fourth-and-10 from the Titans own 26, Tannehill tossed passes of 12 and 11 yards to Josh Reynolds, 6 to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and 6 to Firkser to get to the 2. After an incompletion, Tannehill found a wide-open Cameron Batson in the end zone for a tying 2-yard touchdown with 16 seconds remaining in regulation.

''It wasn't like we didn't move the ball,'' Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. ''We just weren't able to finish drives early in the game and kept them in it.''

ON TOP

The Jets took their first lead of the season - 10-9 with 19 seconds left in the third quarter - on Ammendola's 27-yarder. New York had been the only team in the NFL to not hold a lead in any game.

But it was short-lived as Tennessee leaned heavily on Derrick Henry, who ran for 50 yards on the next drive - including a 1-yard TD. Tannehill passed to MyCole Pruitt for the 2-point conversion and a 17-10 lead with 13:14 left. Henry finished with 157 yards on 33 carries.

Wilson and the Jets came right back, though, when he rolled to his right and zipped a 3-yard pass to Crowder for the tying score with 11:30 left.

SACK ATTACK

The Jets had seven sacks, including two by Quinnen Williams, 1 1/2 by Bryce Huff and one each by Quincy Williams, C.J. Mosley and John Franklin-Myers. Bryce Hall had a half-sack.

Quinnen and Quincy Williams became the first brothers to get sacks in the same game as teammates since sacks became an official stat in 1982, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

BREAKING THROUGH

After three field goals by Bullock gave Tennessee a 9-0 lead, New York's offense finally showed signs of life.

After a 6-yard run by Michael Carter got the ball to the 2, the rookie running back bulldozed his way up the middle - with a nice push from his O-linemen - to get into the end zone for his first NFL touchdown to cut the Jets' deficit to 9-7 late in the second quarter.

SHANKED

Tennessee's Tommy Townsend, in for the injured Brett Kern, had a 12-yard punt sail out of bounds late in the first half on his first kick with the Titans.

New York got the ball at Tennessee's 48, but went three-and-out. Townsend's second punt traveled much farther, going 63 yards.

INJURIES

Titans: LG Rodger Saffold suffered a concussion and didn't return.

Jets: CB Brandin Echols left in the first quarter with a concussion and didn't return.

UP NEXT

Titans: Head to Jacksonville to face Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars.

Jets: Travel to London to take on the ''home'' Atlanta Falcons at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Sunday morning.

Ryan, Pitts lead Falcons past Jets 27-20 in London

• AP
• Oct 10, 2021

LONDON (AP) Matt Ryan didn't have his top two wide receivers in London. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback did have Kyle Pitts and Cordarrelle Patterson - and that was enough, especially with the New York Jets stumbling early again.

Ryan threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns, including the first NFL score for Pitts, and the Falcons held on and closed out the Jets in a 27-20 victory Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Falcons (2-3) built a 20-3 halftime lead with Ryan finding wide-open targets despite the absence of receivers Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage. He was ''pleasantly surprised'' by how much separation his receivers had.

''It was an opportunity for a number of our wide receivers to step up and make plays,'' Ryan said. ''They had more playing time than they normally have.''

Atlanta coughed up a late lead last week in a 34-30 loss to Washington, but this time grounded out the win despite allowing the Jets (1-4) to stick around by losing two fumbles.

But Zach Wilson and the Jets had trouble moving the ball, which has been the story of the season for the rookie quarterback. Coming off his best game of the season last week against Tennessee, Wilson finished 19 of 32 for 192 yards and no touchdowns with one interception.

Pitts, taken by Atlanta two spots after Wilson at No. 4 overall in the NFL draft in April, had his best game with nine receptions for 119 yards and his first NFL TD.

Ryan completed 33 of 45 passes with no interceptions. The 14-year veteran became the seventh QB to reach 5,000 completions and surpassed Eli Manning for the eighth-most passing yards in NFL history.

And he did it Sunday without Ridley, who didn't accompany the team to London ''due to a personal matter,'' while Gage is sidelined with an ankle injury.

Patterson continued doing a little of everything for the Falcons, and the Jets had few answers for him. The running back/wide receiver/kick returner had seven receptions for 60 yards and ran for a team-leading 54 yards on 14 carries.

OK, maybe not ''everything'' as he was 0 for 1 passing, when he took a handoff and threw an incompletion.

The Jets struggled mightily again in the first half, gaining just 80 yards and getting five first downs compared to the Falcons' 251 yards and 17 first downs in the first two quarters.

''We weren't able to get going in the first half,'' Jets coach Robert Saleh said. ''A couple three-and-outs. Couldn't get into a rhythm.''

New York battled back in the second half with rushing TDs from Ty Johnson and Michael Carter, but couldn't pull off the comeback.

''We can't keep trying to come-from-behind,'' Wilson said. ''The NFL is too hard to always come from behind. We have to find some way to move the ball from the beginning and get that confidence going.''

Carter's 2-yard run and Jamison Crowder's catch on the 2-point conversion trimmed Atlanta's lead to 20-17 with 6:55 remaining.

The Falcons then finally found the dagger drive they've been missing, driving 75 yards on nine plays, ending with Mike Davis' 3-yard run. On second-and-goal, Davis took the handoff, spun and got a collective push from his offensive linemen to get into the end zone to extend the lead to 27-17 with 2:19 to play. Davis finished with 53 yards on 13 carries.

The scoring drive included Olamide Zaccheaus' 15-yard catch and dive for a first down to the Jets 24 on third-and-13 after Ryan found Pitts for a 39-yard gain.

''Kyle got behind the defense. He's got incredible speed for a tight-end player,'' Ryan said. ''That's not a thing most guys can do. That was a great play by Kyle and a really good call by Arthur Smith.''

Matt Ammendola's 49-yard field goal made it 27-20, but the Jets' onside kick was recovered by Zaccheaus - sealing Atlanta's victory.

PITTS PARTY

After Patterson's 17-yard reception to the Jets 2 in the first quarter, the Falcons got a mismatch with defensive end John Franklin-Myers covering Pitts on first-and-goal. Ryan hit Pitts near the back right corner of the end zone to make it 10-0.

Pitts, whose mother and father made the trip to watch him in person, said the Falcons had seen that coverage in film study of the Jets.

''I've been waiting on that all week - praying that that's how they were going to run it,'' Pitts said.

After another Jets three-and-out that included Wilson throwing behind Corey Davis, the Falcons ended a 77-yard drive with Hayden Hurst's 17-yard TD catch to make it 17-0.

LONDON STALLING

London hasn't been kind to rookie quarterbacks. With Wilson's loss, they are 0-5 in the English capital since the NFL started staging regular-season games here in 2007.

It was the second London game for both teams, but their first at Tottenham. In 2014, the Falcons blew a 21-0 lead to the Detroit Lions, losing 22-21 on Matt Prater's game-winning 48-yard FG at Wembley Stadium. A year later, the Jets beat the Miami Dolphins 27-14 also at Wembley.

The NFL will hold another game at Tottenham next Sunday when the Jacksonville Jaguars face the Miami Dolphins.

UP NEXT

Jets: Bye week, then at the New England Patriots on Sunday, Oct. 24

Falcons: Bye week, then at the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 24.

Jones tosses 2 TDs, Patriots roll 54-13 as Jets lose Wilson

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The Patriots walked off the field Sunday with the type of win that had eluded them. The Jets left with two losses, one that could further complicate an already frustrating year.

Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes in his first 300-yard game, Damien Harris and J.J. Taylor ran for two TDs each and New England won for the first time at home this season, rolling past New York 54-13.

''We finally kind of saw a little bit of a result that was good, and we've just got to stick to the formula and stick to the process,'' Jones said.

The Patriots (3-4) earned their 12th straight victory and sixth consecutive season sweep over the Jets (1-5), who played most of the game without rookie quarterback Zach Wilson after the second overall draft pick left with 12:31 remaining in the second quarter with a right knee injury.

Wilson was hit by Patriots linebacker Matt Judon, who fell on the back of Wilson's legs after he released a pass that fell incomplete for Keelan Cole. Wilson initially was down for several minutes as he was examined by the training staff before eventually being able to walk off the field on his own power. He did not return and was replaced by Mike White - who hadn't previously taken an NFL regular-season snap.

Wilson said the initial diagnosis is an injured posterior cruciate ligament.

''At first, it wasn't necessarily like a painful thing,'' he said. ''I felt a pop. I felt a twist. So you kind of know when it's different than just getting some sort of bruise or getting landed on. I knew something had happened.''

Wilson will have an MRI and further evaluation Monday.

''Initially you feel good. But you never know,'' Jets coach Robert Saleh said.

Jones finished 24 of 36 for 307 yards, and Harris rushed 14 times for 106 yards to lead a Patriots offense that gained a season-high 551 yards. Safety Kyle Dugger and J.C. Jackson both added interceptions.

''We've got to do that every time. It can't be a one-time thing,'' Jones said.

The 54 points are the most allowed by the Jets since losing 55-21 at New England on Oct. 29, 1978. It is the fourth-most points ever allowed by New York.

''They punched us in the mouth and scored points,'' Saleh said. ''Been part of some of those in my life. They don't feel good.''

White eventually finished off the drive following Wilson's injury with a 3-yard TD pass to Corey Davis to pull New York within 17-7. White ended the day 20 of 32 for 202 yards and two interceptions.

The Patriots dominated the rest of the period, scoring twice more to take a 31-7 lead into halftime. The Jets have been outscored in the first half 106-20 this season.

New England went to their bag of trick plays on the game's opening drive to take a 7-0 lead just 2:17 into the game.

Jones threw a pass behind the line of scrimmage to receiver Kendrick Bourne, who faked the run before stopping and tossing a 25-yard touchdown pass over the top to a wide-open Nelson Agholor. It was the first career NFL pass for Bourne. The Patriots covered 65 yards in just four plays.

After a Jets punt, New England moved quickly again, getting into the red zone after just five plays courtesy of a 32-yard run by Harris.

Harris capped it two plays later with a 1-yard touchdown run.

''I think we're finding out who we are, play by play,'' Bourne said. ''The rhythm was right.''

INJURIES

Jets: LB Jamien Sherwood, RB Ty Johnson and LB Quincy Williams were all evaluated for concussions in the third quarter. Johnson and Sherwood returned, but Sherwood left again with a calf injury. ... LB Blake Cashman also left in the third with a groin injury.

Patriots: S Devin McCourty (abdomen), DL Carl Davis (wrist), TE Jonnu Smith (shoulder) and LB Harvey Langi (knee) all left in the second quarter. ... RG Shaq Mason left in the fourth quarter with an injured abdomen.

1ST-QUARTER WOES

The Jets trailed 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and have gone scoreless for each of the first six games (outscored 44-0) this season.

The last team to be held scoreless in the opening period over its first six games was the 2008 Detroit Lions, who went 0-16 that season.

LITTLE MAN SACK

Patriots 5-foot-9 cornerback Myles Bryant brought a quick end to the Jets' first possession, blitzing untouched off the slot and dropping Wilson for an 8-yard sack.

It was the first career sack for the second-year Bryant, who appeared in just his third game of the season.

FOLK HERO

New England's Nick Folk made two field goals, giving him 301 for his career. He's the 35th player to reach 300 and is fifth active kicker to reach the mark, joining San Francisco's Robbie Gould, Green Bay's Mason Crosby, Arizona's Matt Prater and Baltimore's Justin Tucker.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host the Bengals next Sunday.

Patriots: Visit the Chargers next Sunday.

White steps in, leads Jets to wild 34-31 win over Bengals

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Mike White caught himself listening to the crowd for a moment during his first NFL start.

The shouts of New York Jets fans echoed throughout MetLife Stadium, and the quarterback realized they were celebrating him.

''At first, I kind of had to listen again,'' White said with a smile after leading the Jets to a stunning 34-31 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. ''Like, are they chanting my name?''

They sure were, and for good reason.

White threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns, caught a 2-point conversion pass on the go-ahead score and joined Cam Newton (2011) as the only players since at least 1950 to throw for 400 or more yards in their first career start.

''He's a dog. He's an animal. He's a savage,'' running back Ty Johnson said. ''I told him before the game, 'You're a gunslinger, so let's ride.'''

White, starting in place of injured rookie Zach Wilson, pulled off the improbable victory for the Jets (2-5) while going 37 of 45 - setting an NFL record for the most completions in a player's first start.

''Going out and watching film at the beginning of the week and seeing what they do on defense, I knew there would be completions out there,'' White said.

He overcame two early interceptions and also became the Jets' first 400-yard passer since Vinny Testaverde threw for 481 on Christmas Eve 2000, a span of 327 games. And he even left for a few plays to be checked for a neck injury.

All that from a backup who was a fifth-round pick of Dallas in 2018 out of Western Kentucky and hadn't thrown an NFL pass until last week. And with Wilson still out for at least next Thursday night's game Indianapolis, White will get a chance for an encore.

''Mike is fantastic,'' coach Robert Saleh said. ''He's poised, he showed it all throughout camp, all throughout OTAs, that he deserves to be one of those guys and obviously he showed it today.''

With the Bengals (5-3) leading 31-20 in the fourth quarter, the Jets got an acrobatic touchdown by Johnson, who took a short pass from White and tip-toed down the left sideline and reached over the goal line for a 19-yard score. It was initially ruled Johnson stepped out at the 2, but video review overturned the call and confirmed the touchdown.

White's 2-point conversion pass to Keelan Cole was incomplete, and New York trailed 31-26 with 4:36 left.

Shaq Lawson then came up with the Jets' first interception of the season, deflecting Joe Burrow's pass and snagging it to give New York the ball at the Bengals 14.

Two plays later, White found a wide-open Tyler Kroft in the back of the end zone to give New York a one-point lead.

The Jets went for the 2-point conversion and turned to some trickery with the Jets' twist on the Eagles' ''Philly Special.'' Jamison Crowder tossed it to a wide-open White in the end zone to make it 34-31 with 3:45 left.

It all had the fans at a half-filled MetLife Stadium loudly chanting: ''Mike! White!''

''He deserved that!'' running back Michael Carter said. ''You saw what he did out there today.''

The Jets forced the Bengals to punt on fourth-and-19 from the 40. Cincinnati never got the ball back.

''Got outcoached, got outplayed today,'' Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said. ''They're a hungry team. We knew they were capable of this.''

On third-and-11, Johnson was stopped for no gain on a catch but Mike Hilton was called for unnecessary roughness. That gave New York the first down, and White took a knee in victory formation moments later.

''It's a wakeup call, for sure,'' Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard said. ''Any team can beat anybody on any given Sunday. We learned that today. It's a valuable lesson that won't be forgotten.''

BREAKING THROUGH

After becoming the the first team to go scoreless in the opening period in its first six games since the 2008 Detroit Lions, the Jets scored on their first drive on Carter's 8-yard touchdown run.

New York changed up a few things: Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was in the booth instead of on the sideline, and Saleh chose to take the ball for the first time rather than defer after the Jets won the coin toss.

WHAT AN (ALMOST) CATCH

Cole had the most jaw-dropping non-catch of the season late in the first half.

Cole, who stuck out his right hand to catch the ball and pinned it between his legs as he fell backwards for what appeared to be a 12-yard touchdown grab. It was reminiscent of Odell Beckham's now infamous one-handed grab on this same field while with the Giants in 2015.

But a video review overturned the score, with officials saying Cole didn't maintain possession - setting off boos on Halloween from the Jets fans.

New York came right back two plays later on Braxton Berrios' TD catch that cut the Jets' deficit to 17-14 with 15 seconds left in the first half.

INJURIES

Bengals: Rookie RG Jackson Carman was carted off in the fourth quarter with a back injury.

Jets: LT George Fant was carted off with an ankle injury late in the second quarter and didn't return. He was replaced by Chuma Edoga.

UP NEXT

Bengals: Host the AFC North-rival Cleveland Browns next Sunday.

Jets: Have a quick turnaround and play the Colts in Indianapolis on Thursday night.

Taylor, ground game help Colts find easy path past Jets

• AP
• Nov 05, 2021

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Jonathan Taylor ran with power, ran with burst, and even caught a few passes. He did it all - making life easier for his Indianapolis Colts teammates against the New York Jets.

And he became a national star Thursday night in the process.

Taylor rushed for 172 yards and two scores, Carson Wentz threw three touchdown passes and the Colts pulled away for a badly needed 45-30 victory.

Taylor, who had a game-sealing 78-yard TD run, also had two catches for 28 yards. Nyheim Hines ran for 74 yards and a score on six carries as sliced through the Jets' defense for 260 yards on the ground.

''We had a one-play drive for 75 yards or something like that and that's the best drive you can have,'' Wentz said. ''He and Nyheim, those guys played unbelievable. Those guys up front, they did a tremendous job.''

After suffering a stunning overtime loss against Tennessee on Sunday, the Colts spent their short week searching for answers.

Taylor provided most of them.

His shifty, 21-yard TD run broke a 7-7 tie in the early in the second quarter. And with Jets quarterback Mike White already out with an injured arm, the Colts (4-5) were off to the races in their first prime-time home game since December 2017.

Taylor's longest run of the night made it 42-10 midway through the third quarter and helped Indy finish with the highest single-game rushing total in the NFL this season.

''It takes the pressure off the passing game when you run like that,'' coach Frank Reich. ''But you could feel it early, you could feel us really dominating the line early.''

Nothing went right for the Jets, who have lost seven straight night games.

White left in the first quarter after he said two fingers on his right hand went numb - just four days after he threw for 405 yards and three TDs in his first NFL start.

White said he couldn't grip the ball and watched the final three quarters from the sideline after throwing a 19-yard TD pass to Elijah Moore that made it 7-7. Jets coach Robert Saleh said he was optimistic White and Zach Wilson (knee) could both practice next week.

But after White departed in this one, it was all Colts.

Jets running back Ty Johnson lost a fumble near midfield and Wentz capitalized quickly with a 1-yard shovel pass to Jack Doyle for a 21-7 lead.

The Jets answered with a short field goal late in the first half, but Wentz countered with an 11-yard TD pass to Michael Pittman to make it 28-10. Wentz followed that with a 2-yard scoring pass to offensive lineman Danny Pinter in the third quarter before Taylor struck again.

At least Josh Johnson, White's replacement, played well. He threw for a career-high 317 yards and had a career-best three touchdown passes in the final 18 minutes - his first TD throws since Dec. 22, 2018.

''Josh, thought he did an awesome job coming in, running the offense exactly the way it's supposed to be played - hitting the open receiver, just moving the chains,'' Saleh said. ''We just need to be able to match their defensive intensity.''

Wentz was 22 of 30 with 272 yards. Pittman had five receptions for 64 yards, while Hines caught four passes for 34 yards.

Johnson finished 27 of 41 with an interception that sealed the win for the Colts. Moore caught seven passes for 84 yards and two scores.

STAT PACK

Jets: White was 7 of 11 with 95 yards and one score before leaving. ... Michael Carter's streak of two straight games with 100 yards from scrimmage ended. He had 13 carries for 49 yards and seven receptions for 37 yards. ... New York allowed Indy to average 8.7 yards per carry.

Colts: Wentz has thrown multiple TD passes in six straight games and is 2-0 all-time against the Jets. ... Taylor has 2,082 yards from scrimmage in his career. He also passed Alan Ameche (1,819 yards ) for the fourth-highest rushing total by an Indy player in his first two seasons.

INJURY REPORT

Jets: TE Tyler Kroft (chest) and S Marcus Maye (Achilles tendon) left and didn't return. Saleh said it ''wasn't looking good'' on Maye. ... Wilson (knee) and WR Corey Davis (hamstring) each sat out for a second straight game.

Colts: Four-time Pro Bowl WR T.Y. Hilton missed the game four days after hitting his head hard on the ground and entering the concussion protocol. ... Starting S Khari Willis went on injured reserve with an injured calf earlier Thursday. ... RT Braden Smith left with a triceps injury and CB Xavier Rhodes left with a calf injury.

UP NEXT

Jets: Begin a two-game homestand against Buffalo on Nov. 14.

Allen, Bills D dominate White, Jets in 45-17 rout

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills heard it all after an embarrassing loss last week to Jacksonville.

Maybe they're not as good as everyone thought. Maybe they're overrated. Maybe they're pretenders.

And then they reminded everyone of why that was probably just an ugly bump in the road with a dominant and thorough thrashing of the New York Jets in a 45-17 victory Sunday.

''That's one thing we're not going to do: ride the roller coaster of we're the worst team to ever play, and now we're the best team to ever play,'' Allen said. ''We're going to stay consistent and steady.''

That's exactly what they were against the Jets.

Allen threw two touchdown passes, Buffalo ran for four scores and the Bills' top-ranked defense intercepted Mike White four times. It was an impressive showing for the Bills (6-3), who rebounded nicely from that 9-6 dud at Jacksonville.

''Having that bad taste in our mouth from last week, not performing to our standard, it kind of put a little more urgency in our preparation,'' said cornerback Levi Wallace, who had one of the Bills' four INTs. ''We didn't get enough turnovers last week to give the offense more opportunities.

''I think that was one of our main focus, trying to make the other team one-dimensional - make them throw the ball, which creates turnovers.''

It sure worked.

Taron Johnson, Tre'Davious White and Jordan Poyer also picked off White, who made his third straight start for the injured Zach Wilson. It was a big day for the secondary, which had all five starters with a turnover, including Micah Hyde's forced fumble and recovery.

''You saw last week we left some opportunities out there,'' Hyde said. ''We went back to the lab this week. We knew what type of things would be said about this football team. We put the work in like we do - win, lose or draw.''

Meanwhile, Allen was 21 of 28 for 366 yards with TD passes to Matt Breida and Stefon Diggs with an interception. Breida added a scoring run, as did Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie as Buffalo's offense looked alive and well.

A week after failing to get into the end zone at Jacksonville, Allen and the Bills wasted no time against the Jets (2-7).

After White and the Jets went three-and-out to start the game, Allen marched Buffalo down the field. He avoided a sack and found Breida - in his first game active since Week 2 - streaking downfield for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Johnson easily picked off White on the Jets' next drive, and the Bills added to their lead on Tyler Bass' 29-yard field goal.

Matt Ammendola put New York on the scoreboard with a 48-yarder late in the first half. But the Bills came right back to take a 17-3 halftime lead on Diggs' 12-yard TD catch.

Buffalo picked up right where it left off to start the second half, driving down the field 75 yards on five plays, capped by McKenzie's 8-yard TD run following a 24-yard gain by Emmanuel Sanders on an end-around.

White, trying to get the Jets' offense going, threw deep into double coverage on first down and Tre'Davious White intercepted him to give the Bills the ball right back.

And Buffalo kept going.

Allen connected with Gabriel Davis for 49 yards, and Breida followed with a 15-yard scamper to make it 31-3. Moss ran it in from 1 yard on Buffalo's next possession, and Singletary had a 2-yard TD run in the fourth quarter to complete the rout.

QB DECISION

Wilson is getting closer to a return from a sprained knee ligament and there was some speculation the Jets could continue with White even when the rookie is healthy. His performance against the Bills might have ended all that. White was 24 of 44 for 251 yards and the four INTs before leaving late with an injury and being replaced by Joe Flacco.

Jets coach Robert Saleh said White was cleared to come back, but Flacco stayed in to finish the drive. The Jets are uncertain who'll start next week against Miami.

''He's getting better every day,'' Saleh said of Wilson. ''So we'll see where he's at from an injury standpoint before we make any decisions.''

SLICED AND DICED

It was another brutally bad performance for the Jets' defense, which has allowed 175 points in its past four games.

That includes a 54-13 loss to New England on Oct. 24, a 34-31 win over Cincinnati, a 45-30 loss at Indianapolis and then Sunday's blowout.

''Every man should be embarrassed,'' defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said. ''Every man should be angry.''

JOE COOL

Flacco, making his first appearance for the Jets since being acquired from Philadelphia on Oct. 25, threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Moore for the game's final score with 2:08 left. It was the 225th TD pass of the 36-year-old veteran's career.

INJURIES

Bills: DT Star Lotulelei was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list a few hours before kickoff. ... McKenzie appeared to injure his right ankle late in the fourth quarter, but was expected to be OK.

Jets: Rookie CB Brandin Echols didn't return after leaving in the second quarter with a thigh injury.

UP NEXT

Bills: Host the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday.

Jets: Play host next Sunday to the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins, who have won their past two.

Dolphins win third straight, top Jets 24-17

AST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Tua Tagovailoa showed up to his postgame news conference decked out in pajama pants speckled with dogs sporting Christmas hats.

Yep, the Miami Dolphins quarterback is already in the holiday spirit. And the team's third straight victory had him feeling pretty jolly.

''We had some mishaps, but it didn't matter,'' Tagovailoa said after a 24-17 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. ''We just kept going.''

Tagovailoa, who threw a go-ahead 5-yard touchdown pass to Myles Gaskin early in the fourth quarter, finished 27 of 33 for 273 yards and touchdown passes to Gaskin and Mack Hollins with one interception.

''I love Christmas and I have three dogs, so I have dogs with Christmas hats on,'' a smiling Tagovailoa said of his postgame bottoms four days before Thanksgiving. ''I'm thankful for a lot of things, I really am.''

Add this win to the list.

A week after an impressive victory over Baltimore, the Dolphins (4-7) overcame some penalties - and the Jets had some sloppy plays of their own - to get their first three-game winning streak since winning five in a row in the middle of last season.

''It's been a long season and we didn't start out like we wanted to,'' Gaskin said. ''I just think we're getting more hungry.''

With the game tied at 14, Tagovailoa was facing heavy pressure when he got a throw off to Gaskin, who held onto the ball to put the Dolphins ahead 21-14 with 10:15 left despite getting hit by both C.J. Mosley and Elijah Riley in the end zone.

The drive was helped by a roughing the passer penalty on John Franklin-Myers on third down from the 6, when Tagovailoa's pass to Gaskin fell incomplete.

''That was unacceptable,'' Jets coach Robert Saleh said.

A penalty hurt the Jets (2-8) again on Miami's next possession, when Tagovailoa was sacked on third down - but it was wiped out by a holding call on Jason Pinnock. The Dolphins milked the clock and took a 24-14 lead with 1:57 remaining on Jason Sanders' 24-yard field goal.

Matt Ammendola, who missed two field goals, made a 35-yarder in the closing seconds to cap the scoring.

Receiver Jaylen Waddle had a 1-yard TD run for Miami, which took the all-time series lead for the first time since 2000 by going up 56-55-1 in the head-to-head matchup.

The Jets, who rebounded defensively after allowing at least 45 points in three of their past four games, couldn't make key stops late. And they couldn't get much going consistently on offense.

Joe Flacco made his first start in place of the injured Zach Wilson, who missed his fourth straight game. New York opted to go with the 36-year-old Flacco over Mike White, saying the veteran would give them a better chance against Miami's aggressive defense.

Flacco was 24 of 39 for 291 yards and touchdowns to Elijah Moore and Jamison Crowder. Moore finished with eight catches for a career-best 141 yards.

''We did some good things,'' Flacco said. ''But we made too many mistakes to win the football game.''

CHANGE OF HEART

Ammendola lined up to attempt a 56-yarder on the Jets' first possession after halftime, but Saleh said he changed his mind. New York was called for delay of game and then punted.

Tagovailoa launched a deep pass down the left sideline to a wide-open and waiting Hollins. The Dolphins receiver turned upfield and raced into the end zone for a 65-yard TD to give the Dolphins a 14-7 lead with 9:06 left in the third quarter.

Ammendola was wide left on a 40-yarder, but the Jets sent the Dolphins on a three-and-out - and got some help from Miami on an interference call on the punt.

On third-and-8, Flacco zipped a pass across the middle to Moore, who caught the ball ahead of a diving Byron Jones and took off for a 62-yard TD to tie it at 14 late in the third quarter.

QUICK START

The Dolphins opened the game by going 83 yards on 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead on Waddle's 1-yard run off a handoff from Gaskin in the wildcat.

Tagovailoa was picked off by Ashtyn Davis on Miami's next possession, and Michael Carter had a 39-yard run on first down to give New York first-and-goal at the 1. Three plays later, the Jets went for it on fourth down - and Flacco found Crowder in the end zone to tie it.

DOUBLE DOINKS

The Jets had a chance to take the lead just before halftime, but Ammendola hit the left upright on a 55-yarder.

That gave the Dolphins the ball at their 45 with just over a minute left. But after they got down to the Jets 14, Sanders clanked a 32-yarder off the top of the right upright as time expired to keep it tied at 7.

SPECIAL MEANING

While Tagovailoa was festive with his P.J. bottoms, Dolphins coach Brian Flores paid tribute to his retired firefighter uncle Darrell Patterson during his postgame news conference.

Flores wore an FDNY T-shirt honoring Ladder 118 in Brooklyn, one of the first firehouses on the scene at the World Trade Center on 9/11. Patterson was on sick leave that day, and none of his colleagues on the scene survived.

''He's been very instrumental, he introduced me to football,'' Flores said. ''He gave me this shirt and I figured this would be a good time to wear it.''

INJURIES

Dolphins: LB Brennan Scarlett went out with a knee injury in the second quarter and didn't return. ... S Brandon Jones left with an elbow injury. ... CB Jamal Perry was carted from the sideline with an injured right knee.

Jets: Mosley took a helmet-to-helmet hit from teammate Dunn on Miami's go-ahead TD and left to be checked for a head injury. ... Carter left early in the third quarter with an ankle injury and didn't return.

UP NEXT

Dolphins: Host Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers next Sunday.

Jets: Travel to Houston to take on the Texans next Sunday.