Wilson returns, Jets end skid with 21-14 win over Texans

HOUSTON (AP) Zach Wilson wasn't satisfied with his game against the Houston Texans in his return from injury Sunday.

The rookie is, however, glad he'll get to work on getting better this week with another win under his belt after his team picked him up to lead the New York Jets to a 21-14 win.

Wilson threw for 145 yards and ran for a touchdown in his return from a sprained right knee, helping the Jets snap a three-game skid.

''I wasn't happy with how I performed, the ups and downs of it all,'' he said. ''But I've got to keep going. This is all part of the process. It feels really good having a win. That's the goal is to win the game. I'm really happy we were able to pull it out.''

Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in April who missed the last four games, was rusty early and threw an interception but put the Jets (3-8) on top with a 4-yard scamper in the third quarter.

''Obviously, there's a little rust there after a month,'' coach Robert Saleh said. ''I thought he managed the game well. The offense was running the heck out of the football. He was doing a good job on third downs. It was just a good day of managing the game.''

Wilson wouldn't use rust as an excuse for his performance, but did say he tweaked his knee a couple of times on runs during the game.

''It's not fully healed, and we understand that, but I feel good to play, so that's why I'm playing,'' he said. ''I understand that sometimes it's going to shift and stretch a little bit, but there's no damage that could come from that. You have to walk it off and move on.''

The Jets converted two fourth-down attempts on a drive that ended with a 37-yard field goal by Matt Ammendola that made it 21-14 with about 3 1/2 minutes to go.

The Texans (2-9) hoped to build on an upset of Tennessee last week that ended an eight-game skid and looked good early. Tyrod Taylor threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to give Houston 14-3 lead, but the Texans couldn't do anything offensively after that.

Houston had a chance to tie it after Ammendola's field goal, but Bryce Hall knocked down a pass intended for Nico Collins on fourth-and-2 to give New York the ball back. The Jets worked the clock down and the Texans didn't get the ball again until there were just 20 seconds left.

''We just didn't play well consistently offensively,'' coach David Culley said.

Taylor threw for 158 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

The Jets took an 18-14 lead with about eight minutes left in the third quarter, thanks in part to a pair of huge penalties by Houston defensive tackle Ross Blacklock.

The first came when he got a leverage penalty on a field goal attempt to give the Jets a first down at the 8. Wilson was sacked for a loss of 6 on the next play, but Blacklock was offside to give the Jets a first down at the 4.

''Very disappointed,'' Culley said, ''We talked about not having critical penalties, but that's part of it. ... He's just got to get better with that.''

Wilson scrambled for the score on the next play to put New York on top.

The Jets had a chance to pad the lead early in the fourth quarter, but Ammendola's 42-yard attempt sailed wide left.

The Texans got great field position on their next drive after the Jets punted out of the end zone. But they couldn't move the ball and came away empty when Ka'imi Fairbairn missed a 55-yard field goal with about 10 minutes to go.

Houston played without top defensive player safety Justin Reid, who was inactive because of a coach's decision related to a violation of team rules.

John Franklin-Myers batted down a pass by Taylor and intercepted it on Houston's first drive. He returned it 32 yards to the Houston 37. Jacob Martin sacked Wilson for a 9-yard loss on third down and the Jets settled for a 31-yard field goal to make it 3-0.

Wilson threw a short pass into Ty Johnson's back and Tavierre Thomas snagged it just before it hit the ground for the first interception of his career later in the first quarter.

Houston took advantage of the miscue when Taylor connected with Brevin Jordan on a 13-yard touchdown pass that made it 7-3 early in the second quarter.

The Texans extended the lead to 14-3 when Brandin Cooks hauled in a 40-yard reception in the end zone with about 10 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter.

Austin Walter scored on a 2-yard run with about a minute left in the first half. Backup quarterback Josh Johnson, who was called up from the practice squad for the game with Mike White and Joe Flacco on the COVID-19 list, took a direct snap and ran for the 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 14-11.

INJURIES

Jets: DL Sheldon Rankins injured his knee in the fourth quarter. ... LB Quincy Williams injured a calf in the fourth. ... TE Trevon Wesco had a knee injury late.

Texans: OL Justin McCray left in the third quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. ... DT DeMarcus Walker left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.

THEY SAID IT

Saleh on Franklin-Myers, who was signed to a four-year, $55 million contract extension last month: ''He's worth his weight in gold, JFM is. Much given, much expected, right? He knows the standard that he has.''

UP NEXT

Jets: Host Philadelphia next Sunday.

Minshew steps in, Eagles score on 1st 7 drives to beat Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Gardner Minshew stepped into the huddle for Philadelphia, kept things light - as he always does - and led the clock-eating Eagles on seven straight scoring drives.

No, there's no quarterback controversy. But Minshew Mania was back for a day, and the goofy-mustached backup might have helped save the Eagles' season.

Minshew was 20 of 25 for 242 yards and two touchdowns to Dallas Goedert while starting in place of an injured Jalen Hurts in a 33-18 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

''It felt so good, man,'' said Minshew, who made his first start since Week 14 last season with Jacksonville. ''It's the best time I've had since we won last year. There's nothing like that feeling. Glad to do it with this group of guys. They made it easy for me.''

Kenneth Gainwell ran for a score, Jake Elliott kicked four field goals and the Eagles (6-7) stayed in the NFC playoff mix by improving to 12-0 all-time against the Jets (3-9).

Hurts insisted during the week he would play despite an ankle injury. But coach Nick Sirianni said Hurts simply wasn't healthy enough and instead opted to start Minshew.

''I don't think there was ever a definitive point where I said, `I'm going,''' Minshew said. ''I looked around before that first drive and Jalen didn't dress and I said, `OK, this is it.'''

And he kept going, helping Philadelphia bounce back from a 13-7 loss to the Giants last weekend at MetLife Stadium by slicing through the Jets' defense drive after drive. The only possession on which the Eagles didn't score was their last.

''Very proud of him the way he stepped in confidently,'' Goedert said of Minshew. ''It was everything I expected from him.''

But the win might have come at a cost as Miles Sanders left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury after running for 120 yards on 24 carries. Center Jason Kelce also limped off the field at the 2-minute warning. The Eagles have a bye-week break coming up, though.

Zach Wilson finished 23 of 38 for 226 yards and two touchdowns for the Jets, and also ran for a score. He was intercepted by Marcus Epps in the fourth quarter - and the Eagles scored on their seventh straight drive with Elliott's 46-yarder.

It appeared the Jets and Eagles would be in for a slugfest as they both scored touchdowns on their first three possessions. It was the first game since the Elias Sports Bureau began tracking in 1978 that each team scored TDs on their first three drives.

Things slowed considerably after halftime as the Jets held the ball for only 70 seconds in the third quarter - just three plays for 3 yards. Meanwhile, the Eagles had 24 plays for 81 yards over 13:50 in the period. Philadelphia held the overall edge in time of possession: 35:36 to 24:24.

Five plays after Braxton Berrios returned the opening kickoff 79 yards, Wilson found Elijah Moore for a 3-yard touchdown. It was Wilson's first TD pass since Week 4.

But Alex Kessman - signed Saturday from the practice squad to replace the struggling Matt Ammendola - missed the extra point in his NFL debut.

Minshew and the Eagles answered with a 36-yard TD to Goedert. And Elliott made his extra-point try to give the Eagles a 7-6 lead.

Wilson and the Jets came right back, with the rookie quarterback scoring on a 1-yard run. But Kessman was wide left again on the extra point, prompting boos from frustrated Jets fans.

Minshew connected with a wide-open Goedert for a 25-yard touchdown. And Wilson marched down the field again, getting a 1-yard TD toss to Ryan Griffin on fourth down. The Jets went for 2, but Wilson's throw to Jamison Crowder was incomplete.

And the Eagles kept the scoring going with Gainwell squirting through the defense on an 18-yard touchdown run.

The back-and-forth TD streak ended on the fourth possession by the Jets, who were forced to punt with just over two minutes left before halftime.

The Eagles didn't get a touchdown on their fourth possession, either. But they still got points with Elliott's 31-yarder. Elliott added a 32-yarder on Philadelphia's first drive of the third quarter, pushing the Eagles' lead to 27-18.

''They had the ball to finish the first half,'' Jets coach Robert Saleh said. ''Then they go eight minutes and then it's a quick drive for us and then they had the ball again for however many minutes it was. So you're looking at over an hour of real time where our offense was on the field for just a quick minute.''

SPOTTY

The Jets thought they stopped the Eagles for the first time with 1:18 left in the third quarter when they stuffed Minshew on fourth-and-1. But Sirianni challenged the call, and the play was overturned on video review - giving Minshew a 2-yard gain as Saleh voiced his displeasure on the sideline.

That came four plays after the Eagles went for it on fourth-and-3 from New York's 47 and C.J. Mosley was called for encroachment - a penalty Saleh vehemently argued with officials.

Elliott capped that drive with a 43-yarder that made it 30-18.

''I'm not going to get into all that,'' Saleh said of the questionable calls. ''You guys saw the game.''

INJURIES

Eagles: LB Patrick Johnson (back) and CB Steven Nelson (shoulder) left in the first quarter and didn't return.

Jets: WR Corey Davis (groin), CB Michael Carter II (concussion) and RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (ankle) all left with injuries.

UP NEXT

Eagles: Have their bye-week break and then return home to take on NFC East-rival Washington on Dec. 19.

Jets: Stay at home next Sunday to host the New Orleans Saints.

Saints end 5-game skid with 30-9 victory over skidding Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Five straight losses didn't sit well with the New Orleans Saints. So they took it out on the skidding New York Jets, and things felt just about normal again.

Alvin Kamara ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in his return from a four-game absence, and the Saints snapped their longest skid under Sean Payton with a 30-9 victory Sunday.

''This has been a tough stretch for this team,'' said quarterback Taysom Hill, who had two TD runs. ''It's been a foreign thing, losing so many games. ... It's nice to get this win.''

And having Kamara back in the backfield was key for the Saints (6-7).

''He gave us some real good juice and energy, and he always does,'' Payton said.

After missing four games with a sprained knee, Kamara looked fully healthy again while carrying the ball 27 times in his fifth career 100-yard rushing performance. He also caught four passes for 25 yards.

''Man, just having his presence on the field and having the ability to hand him the ball,'' Hill said, ''he just does so much for this team just being there.''

After injuring his right middle finger in the Saints' previous game, Hill was 15 of 21 for 175 yards, and ran for 73 yards on 11 carries. He got hit on his hand during the game and said the injury affected him at times.

''It was OK,'' he said. ''Overall, I thought we were able to manage it.''

Brett Maher added three field goals and the Saints defense stifled Zach Wilson and New York's short-handed offense as the Jets (3-10) were eliminated from playoff contention. They have missed the postseason 11 straight years, tying the franchise's longest drought set from 1970-80. It is also the longest active skid in the NFL.

''It's going to flip,'' coach Robert Saleh insisted. ''This crappy part is part of the process, but at the same time it's not discouraging by any sense of the imagination because we've got a lot of young guys getting a lot of good playing time.''

New York was missing wide receivers Corey Davis (groin) and Elijah Moore (quadriceps) and running backs Michael Carter (high ankle sprain) and Tevin Coleman (concussion) - and it showed. The Jets went just 3 of 14 on third down and had only 256 yards of offense.

Wilson, coming off his best performance, missed receivers short at times and overthrew them at others. There were also several drops, including three in the first half by running back Ty Johnson.

''Just right from the beginning, I've got to be more accurate,'' said Wilson, who was 19 of 42 for 202 yards.

After not getting a first down on their first three possessions, Wilson got one right away with an 18-yard scramble. He converted another a few minutes later with a 14-yard pass to a sliding Braxton Berrios on fourth-and-7. But the drive stalled and Eddy Pineiro, the Jets' third kicker in as many games, booted a 36-yard field goal to tie it at 3 - prompting some mock cheers from the MetLife Stadium crowd.

A few minutes later, an interference penalty by Justin Hardee on a punt by the Jets put the Saints at their 46 to start.

On his fourth straight carry, Kamara made a pretty juke to slip a tackle attempt by Bryce Hall and then zipped into the end zone for a 16-yard TD that gave New Orleans a 10-3 lead. Kamara had 35 yards on four carries on the drive.

Pineiro ended the first half with a 46-yarder to make it 10-6. The Jets got down to the Saints 24, but consecutive penalties on wide receiver Denzel Mims - illegal hands to the face and illegal formation - hindered the drive.

''The penalties were killer, obviously,'' Saleh said.

With the Jets trailing by two scores, they went for it on fourth-and-6 from their 49 and Wilson's pass to Keelan Cole went off the receiver's outstretched hands as Marcus Williams disrupted the play.

That gave the Saints the ball and Hill capped the drive with a 2-yard TD run. He finished his day with a 44-yard touchdown scamper - the longest of his career - with 1:07 remaining. But his teammates razzed him for not sliding so late in the game.

''I knew we needed one more first down, and you get up in the open field and it was third-and-long,'' Hill said with a smile. ''I should have slid. I don't have anything else for you.''

INJURIES

Jets RB Austin Walter was active, but didn't play because of a non-COVID-19 illness, the team announced midway through the second quarter. ... DE Ronnie Blair was promoted from the practice squad Saturday, but inactive for the game also because of a non-COVID-19 illness.

IN MEMORY

The Jets held a moment of silence before the game in honor of former wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who died Thursday night in his suburban Atlanta home at 33.

Thomas played the last of his 10 NFL seasons with the Jets in 2019, catching 36 passes for 433 yards and a touchdown in 11 games. The Jets showed a picture of Thomas in his New York jersey on Sunday with the words: ''In Memory of Demaryius Thomas. 1987-2021.''

UP NEXT

Saints: Take on Tom Brady and the NFC South-rival Buccaneers in Tampa Bay next Sunday night.

Jets: Head to Miami next Sunday to take on the AFC East-rival Dolphins, who won the first meeting last month.

Dolphins extend winning streak to 6, rally past Jets 31-24

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Duke Johnson grew up in the shadow of Hard Rock Stadium, went to high school a couple miles away and played his college football on the Miami Dolphins' field.

He'd waited a long time for a day like Sunday.

Johnson rushed for 107 yards and had a career-best two touchdowns, DeVante Parker caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa with 3:37 left and the Dolphins extended their winning streak to six games by topping the New York Jets 31-24 on Sunday.

''It means a lot,'' Johnson said. ''Growing up in the area, just being able to play football and play well here, it meant a lot but it meant even more because we got the win. That helps.''

Johnson - basically the go-to back for Miami as a last resort because of virus-related issues throughout the week - helped the Dolphins (7-7) rally from an early 10-0 deficit. It was the first 100-yard game from a Miami rusher this season.

His output wasn't the only surprise. Defensive lineman Christian Wilkins caught a touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter for Miami, juggling the ball before controlling it and then letting loose with a wild celebration. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive lineman leaped into the stands, then did ''the worm'' in the end zone as teammates danced around him.

''That was awesome,'' said Tagovailoa, who ran over the Jets' Michael Carter II on a second-half rumble on a day filled with surprising plays by Miami. ''That was cool, cool to see him score.''

Brandin Echols had a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown midway through the fourth for the Jets (3-11). Zach Wilson and Braxton Berrios rushed for scores for New York; Wilson completed 13 of 23 passes for 170 yards for the Jets.

New York had a halftime lead for the first time all season, yet couldn't finish things off.

''We could never get anything rolling in the second half when it comes to sustaining drives,'' Jets coach Robert Saleh said.

Tagovailoa completed 16 of 27 passes for 196 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Miami.

The Dolphins became the second team in NFL history to get to 7-7 after starting a season 1-7. The other team on that list - the Jets, in 1974. The season was only 14 weeks back then, so that's where the Jets' turnaround ended and did so without a playoff berth.

Playoff talk is still a long way from real in Miami this season, but the Dolphins at least remain alive with games left to play against New Orleans, Tennessee and New England.

''It's the game we thought it was going to be,'' Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. ''A 60-minute battle.''

Berrios - back in the stadium where he, like Johnson, played his college football for Miami - opened the scoring by pinballing his way into the end zone from 2 yards out. Tagovailoa was picked off on the next Miami drive, which the Jets turned into a field goal and a 10-0 lead.

Johnson scored from a yard out to get the Dolphins on the scoreboard, only to have it answered by Wilson doing the same to restore the Jets' 10-point edge.

But Johnson tied it early in the third to cap an eight-play, 76-yard drive, and Wilkins gave Miami a 24-17 lead just 33 seconds into the fourth quarter. Tagovailoa's pick-6 throw cost Miami the lead, but then his pass to Parker ended up as the eventual winner.

''The O-line did a great job today up front with creating those opportunities for Duke to find a hole and hit it and find ways to bounce the ball and have Duke be himself,'' Tagovailoa said. ''That's how he was his entire career and I'm glad we were able to witness that today.''

Jets safety Elijah Riley was taken off the field on a backboard after injuring his neck during the third quarter. Riley's head was stabilized before he was removed from the field on a cart. Thankfully, it all ended up being precautionary: Saleh said Riley would return to New York with the Jets on Sunday night.

''That was tough,'' Jets cornerback Bryce Hall said of seeing Riley injured. ''He's a warrior.''

INJURIES

Jets: DL Quinnen Williams had a shoulder injury, announced in the third quarter.

Dolphins: S Jevon Holland, who spent some time during the week on the COVID-19 reserve list and then was activated in case he could play, was ruled out Sunday morning.

STADIUM TAKEOVER

The Dolphins play their next two games on the road and aren't back home until the season finale Jan. 9 against New England. That gives workers plenty of time to pull off the enormous task of setting up for - and then tearing down from - the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31. It's a College Football Playoff semifinal this year between No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Georgia.

THE SERIES

Miami swept the Jets for the second consecutive season, the first time that has happened since 1996 and 1997. The Dolphins have won eight of the last nine meetings with the Jets; the last 8-1 run by Miami in the series was from 1982 through 1985, including a victory in the AFC championship game on Jan. 23, 1983.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host Jacksonville on Dec. 26.

Dolphins: Visit New Orleans on Dec. 27.

Wilson, Jets hold on to edge Lawrence, Jaguars 26-21

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Zach Wilson ran like no other Jets quarterback in franchise history, tossed a touchdown pass to an offensive lineman, and outdueled Trevor Lawrence.

Then he watched New York's defense use a goal-line stand at the end of the game to hold on and beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-21 on Sunday.

''That's what makes football so fun right there, guys grinding it out,'' Wilson said. ''The D did a good job right there.''

It was the fourth matchup of rookie quarterbacks taken with the first two picks in the draft - and the No. 2 selection came out on top.

Barely.

After Eddy Pineiro's 20-yard field goal gave the Jets (4-11) a five-point lead with 1:47 remaining, Lawrence and the Jaguars (2-13) got the ball back - and had a chance to win.

A 26-yard run by the No. 1 pick got the ball to the 5, and he followed with a 4-yard pass to Marvin Jones. Lawrence spiked the ball and it became fourth-and-the-game.

But Lawrence's pass to Jones fell incomplete - and the Jaguars were called for an illegal shift that the Jets declined.

The Jets had 20 players on the COVID-19 list and played without coach Robert Saleh because he didn't clear protocols after testing positive earlier in the week.

''It was just the culmination of the week, everybody being professional, everybody going about their job with all the adversity,'' said acting head coach Ron Middleton, normally the Jets' tight ends coach who was given a game ball by his team after the victory.

''It was an awesome win.''

Wilson set a Jets record for a quarterback with 91 yards rushing, highlighted by a 52-yard score - the longest run by a QB in franchise history. It's also the third-longest TD run by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.

''It was the longest touchdown run probably in my whole life, too,'' Wilson said.

He was also 14 of 22 for 102 yards passing, including a TD throw to backup offensive lineman Conor McDermott.

''That was probably the highlight of my entire life so far, that touchdown pass,'' a smiling Wilson said.

Braxton Berrios returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown, and Michael Carter ran for 118 yards on 16 carries for New York.

The silver lining for the Jaguars in defeat: They created some space between themselves and the Jets for next year's No. 1 draft pick.

''Even though we lost, I definitely feel the momentum is going in the right direction,'' Jacksonville cornerback Shaquill Griffin said.

Lawrence, the top selection in April, was 26 of 39 for 280 yards for the Jaguars, who lost top running back James Robinson to a torn Achilles tendon early in the game.

''What was different about this one was ... so close,'' Lawrence said. ''We're 2 yards away. Obviously, we didn't execute cleanly there at the end.''

Both teams lost key defensive players a few hours before kickoff: Jacksonville linebacker Myles Jack and Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams went on the COVID-19 list.

With the Jets leading 16-15 in the fourth quarter, Wilson marched New York downfield with a run-heavy drive to get to the 1 after a 2-yard catch by Carter.

On fourth down, New York went - and Wilson found McDermott, a tackle eligible, for a touchdown to put the Jets up 23-15 with 9:16 left. McDermott reached up and leaped - looking very much like a tight end, which he played in high school - to come down with the ball.

''I thought he caught it one-handed, but he caught it with two,'' a wide-eyed Carter said. ''If he had caught it with one, he probably would've been bigger than Odell (Beckham Jr.).''

Dare Ogunbowale, in for the injured Robinson, answered with a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:25 remaining. But Lawrence's throw on a 2-point try fell incomplete.

After Matthew Wright's 21-yard field goal put Jacksonville up 3-0, Wilson put the Jets ahead with his record-setting run late in the first quarter. He rolled to his right to escape a sack, zipped down the right sideline, stayed inbounds doing a tightrope walk near the Jaguars 25 before diving into the end zone.

Pineiro, in his third game with the Jets after two other kickers struggled, had his extra-point try blocked by Adam Gotsis.

Lawrence marched the Jaguars right back downfield, finding Laquon Treadwell for 20 yards on fourth-and-1. Four plays later, Lawrence ran a keeper from the 3, but had the ball knocked out of his hands by Jason Pinnock. Offensive lineman Will Richardson recovered in the end zone, putting Jacksonville back ahead.

According to Elias Sports Bureau records dating to 1950, it was the first time multiple offensive linemen scored TDs in the same game.

The Jaguars went for 2 after a penalty by the Jets on the extra point, but Ogubowale's run was stopped, making it 9-6.

Berrios fielded the ensuing kickoff in the end zone and ran it all the way back for a 13-9 lead. It was New York's first kickoff return for a touchdown since Andre Roberts against Green Bay in 2018.

INJURIES

Jaguars: Other than Robinson, LB Dakota Allen left with a shoulder injury in the second quarter. ... DE/OLB K'Lavon Chaisson injured an ankle in the fourth quarter.

Jets: C Connor McGovern and TE Trevon Wesco left with knee injuries in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT

Jaguars: at New England, where they are 0-8, next Sunday.

Jets: host Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday.

Brown walks away from Bucs; Brady rallies team past Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Antonio Brown was apparently frustrated and angry. So he walked away.

From the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And possibly his NFL career.

The mercurial wide receiver was kicked off the Buccaneers after a bizarre, shirtless exit from the field before Tom Brady coolly led the Bucs on a 93-yard drive in the final minutes for a 28-24 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

Coach Bruce Arians said after the game Brown was off the team.

''He is no longer a Buc,'' Arians said. ''All right? That's the end of the story. Let's talk about the guys who went out there and won the game.''

Brown's mid-game meltdown came late in the third quarter with Tampa Bay trailing 24-10. He appeared animated while talking to Mike Evans, who tried to calm his teammate. But Brown stripped off his pads, jersey, gloves and T-shirt - tossing the gloves and T-shirt into the stands - and then walked bare-chested down the sideline and into the end zone. He then waved to fans as jogged through the end zone and into the tunnel at MetLife Stadium.

It appeared to be a show of frustration by Brown, who had three catches for 26 yards.

''I'm not talking about it,'' Arians said. ''He's not part of the Bucs.''

Brown was suspended last month for three games for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols. He also has a history of personal conduct issues and bizarre behavior.

''It's a difficult situation,'' Brady said. ''Everybody should do what they can to help him in ways that he really needs it. We all love him. We care about him deeply. We want to see him be at his best. Unfortunately, it won't be with our team. ... I think everyone should be very compassionate and empathetic toward some very difficult things that are happening.''

Brady connected with Cameron Brate for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 4 shortly after Brown's exit, and the QB finished the Bucs' rally with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Cyril Grayson with 15 seconds left.

The Bucs stuffed Jets QB Zach Wilson on fourth-and-2 at the 7 for no gain with New York trying to seal the victory. New York coach Robert Saleh said the play should've been a reverse to wide receiver Braxton Berrios, but Wilson had the option to sneak it based on the look.

''We did a very poor job of communicating that,'' Saleh said, adding that ''it just makes you sick'' because a handoff to Berrios would've likely been a first down.

Instead, it gave Brady and the Bucs the ball back with 2:12 left.

And that was more than enough time.

Brady marched the Buccaneers (12-4) down the field on nine plays, zipping a pass to Grayson - who was elevated from the practice squad - for the go-ahead score. It was Brady's third TD pass of the game and 40th of the season, joining him with Drew Brees as the only players to throw for 40 touchdowns in consecutive seasons.

He finished 34 of 50 for 410 yards, the three TDs and an interception for Tampa Bay, which had Arians back after he tested positive for the coronavirus earlier in the week.

Le'Veon Bell ran in the 2-point conversion against his former team, forcing New York to need a touchdown. But the Jets (4-12) ran out of time.

''We've been in some crazy situations before,'' Arians said, ''but this was a very special one to come back and win that game.''

The game featured the largest age gap between starting quarterbacks since at least 1950, with the 22-year-old Wilson facing the 44-year-old Brady.

The Jets took a two-touchdown lead on Ty Johnson's 1-yard run that capped their opening drive of the second half.

After Brown's exit and Brady's TD to Brate, Ryan Succop kicked a 27-yard field goal to cut New York's lead to 24-20 with 7:36 left.

''It's unfortunate that we're going to be talking about the last sequence of events there,'' Saleh said, ''but I thought our guys were outstanding today. They deserved better.''

JETS FLY EARLY

New York took a 7-0 lead on a razzle-dazzle play to cap an impressive opening drive. Running back Michael Carter lined up in the wildcat - with Wilson behind the right guard - took the direct snap and flipped it to Berrios, who went in untouched.

Carter had a 55-yard run early in the drive to get the Jets to the Buccaneers 12.

Brady and the Bucs marched right down the field on their opening possession with Evans - back after missing last week's game with a hamstring issue and spending time on the COVID-19 list this week - catching a 4-yard touchdown pass to tie it at 7.

Wilson, who was 19 of 33 for 234 yards and a TD, answered right back with a 9-yard TD pass to Berrios for a 14-7 lead.

It was a costly 13-play, 74-yard drive for the Jets, though, as both Carter (concussion) and left tackle George Fant (left knee) were injured and didn't return.

A 39-yarder by Succop made it 14-10.

Brandin Echols intercepted Brady on Tampa Bay's last possession of the first half and returned it 30 yards to the Jets 48. New York turned it into points on Eddy Pineiro's 51-yard field goal with 1 second left.

MORE HISTORY

Brady, who improved to 31-8 against the Jets, also tied Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers as the only players with three seasons of 40 or more TD passes.

INJURIES

Buccaneers: RB Ronald Jones (ankle) and DB Rashard Robinson (groin) didn't come back after leaving in the second half.

Jets: In addition to Carter and Fant, TE Dan Brown left in the second quarter with a hip injury and didn't return.

UP NEXT

Buccaneers: Finish the regular season by hosting the Carolina Panthers next Sunday.

Jets: Wrap up their season at Buffalo next Sunday against AFC East rival Bills.

Bills clinch AFC East title with 27-10 win over Jets

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) Safety Jordan Poyer and the Buffalo Bills persevered through a bumpy season to put themselves in a position to win their second consecutive AFC East title.

Not the gusting winds, the many doubters they've picked up, and especially not the injury depleted New York Jets were going to stand in their way from completing the job of clinching Buffalo's first division title at home since 1995 on blustery Sunday.

Devin Singletary sparked a sputtering offense by scoring twice in the final 8:21, the defense limited the Jets to a franchise-low 53 yards of total offense, and Cam Lewis even blocked a punt in a 27-10 victory.

''We bounced back from losses and tough losses where everybody counted us out,'' Poyer said. ''Everybody said our defense couldn't do this, couldn't do that. The offense couldn't do this and couldn't do that. But nobody panicked and nobody read into it. Everybody just came into work every day and just worked.''

In essentially bookending their season with a four-game winning streak to match their 4-0 run from Weeks 2-5, the Bills (11-6) enter the playoffs as the conference's third seed and will host division-rival New England in a wild-card playoff on Saturday night. It will mark their third meeting in seven weeks and after the teams split the regular-season series by each winning on the road.

With their opponent not decided until the Las Vegas Raiders defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 35-32 in overtime, quarterback Josh Allen was already looking forward no matter which team Buffalo faced. In making their third consecutive playoff appearance, the Bills have unfinished business a year after their deepest playoff run in 27 years ended with a loss to Kansas City in the conference championship game.

''Nobody at the end of their career looks back and really figures out how many times you won your division. I think the main goal is the Super Bowl,'' Allen said. ''It's great, it's fine, hats and shirts are cool. But at the end of the day, we've got a lot more work to do.''

Buffalo's defense led the way by setting a franchise record in limiting New York to generating four first downs and sacking rookie Zach Wilson nine times, the most by Buffalo since getting 10 in a 23-0 win over Washington on Oct. 20, 2011.

The outcome, however, wasn't decided until the final quarter on an afternoon in which wind gusts of up to 30 mph played havoc with the passing and kicking games.

In a game the Bills never trailed, Singletary broke things open by scoring on consecutive drives 4:28 apart.

Singletary put the Bills up 20-10 by scoring on a 1-yard run to cap a seven-play 51-yard drive with 8:21 remaining. He followed that by catching a 5-yard TD pass.

The Jets (4-13), under first-time head coach Robert Saleh, completed their sixth consecutive losing season - and fifth with five or fewer wins in extending their playoff drought to a franchise record-matching 11th consecutive year. It's also the longest active streak in the NFL.

Credit the Jets for not running for the bus in having long ago been eliminated from playoff contention. While their offense sputtered, the Jets defense held Buffalo to 13 points and forced five three-and-outs through three quarters.

''I'm not discouraged at all, just because of this performance from our offense. I think our offense has done a lot of great things. Obviously just ran into a little bit of a buzz saw with this Buffalo defense,'' Saleh said, noting two of New York's wins came against division champions in Tennessee and Cincinnati.

''While the four-win season is not good enough, it's very encouraging to go into next year, and something that I feel like we can build on,'' he added.

While the Bills celebrated with the fans following the final whistle, security officials dismantled the goalposts in the west end, while guarding the goalposts on the other side of the field.

Allen was 24 of 45 for 239 yards and two touchdowns, including a 10-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs on Buffalo's game-opening drive.

The Jets' two scores came off of Bills special team miscues.

Keelan Cole cut Buffalo's lead to 10-7 on a 40-yard touchdown catch, which came after Buffalo's Matt Haack managed a 21-yard punt into the wind. Eddy Pineiro then hit a 49-yard field goal after Haack bobbled a snap that nearly sailed wide, and the punter managed to get a piece of the ball to advance it only 7 yards.

Except for allowing the TD, the Bills defense was locked in.

''We'll defend a blade of grass,'' defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said. ''Put the ball on the 1-yard line and we're anxious and excited to go out there champing at the bit to go get out on the field.''

The Jets' offense was depleted by injuries in missing receivers Elijah Moore (quadriceps), Corey Davis (core muscle) and Braxton Berrios (quadriceps), and then lost Jamison Crowder in the second quarter to a calf injury.

Wilson finished 7 of 20 for 87 yards. The No. 2 draft pick finished the season not throwing an interception over his final five games.

FINALLY, A PUNT

Haack's 42-yard punt midway through the second quarter was his first kick since a 40-yarder with 10 minutes remaining in a 31-14 win over Carolina on Dec. 19.

The Bills went the next two games not attempting a punt and were in position to become the NFL's first team since at least 1945 to go three consecutive games without attempting a punt. Haack's next two punts, following consecutive three-and-outs, went 21 and 23 yards into winds gusting at between 20 and 30 mph.

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