Jets Rumble Past Buffalo on Thursday Night

JETS 34 - BILLS 21

Behind a strong running game and suffocating defense, the Jets finally figured out how to close a game on Thursday against their division foes, the Buffalo Bills by the tune of 34-21.

In all honesty though it really was never that close. Gang Green had a lead as large as 34-7 mid-way through the fourth quarter before Buffalo scored a couple of garbage time touchdowns to make the final score look good.

Still the Jets sit at 4-5, well beyond anyone's expectations for this season, and with the way this team battles and competes every week it is hard not to think that the 2017 Jets could end up 8-8, or dare I say, 9-7. What a miracle that would be considering the talent on this team is not at an elite level.

Quarterback Josh McCown was solid again for the Jets. While his numbers didn't jump off the page, he threw for only 140 yards, he was deadly accurate, completing 70 percent of his passes, and, he continues to show why he is the perfect leader for this ball club. McCown isn't flashy, but the man gets this Jets offense and he has done a fine job making all the pieces come together.

The Jets wanted a quarterback who could help develop some of the young talent on this team, and McCown has done that. Early in the contest when a play wasn't available to him, McCown took off a ran for a 10-yard score to give the Jets a 7-0 lead. Coming out of the half with New York already leading 10-7, McCown dropped a dime to Robby Anderson from 25-yards out for a touchdown to give the Jets a 17-7 lead. The touchdown was the third straight game in which Anderson has hauled in a long touchdown score from McCown. Those two are clicking right now.

But beyond McCown's efforts, Thursday's win was all about the defense and running game. The Jets defense manhandled Tyrod Taylor, sacking him seven times, and forcing two fumbles. One of the fumbles was picked up Demario Davis at the Buffalo 10-yard line, which would turn into a Matt Forte touchdown just a couple of plays later to give New York a 31-7 lead. The seven sacks of Taylor were the most the Jets had on an opposing quarterback all season. The unit had been much maligned for its inability to get to the quarterback all season, that was not an issue on Thursday. The Jets truly exposed the Bills as a complete fraud from the quarterback to the offensive line.

Meanwhile, Forte got his wish. After the Jets disappointing 25-20 loss to the Falcons last week, he told the media, and offensive coordinator John Morton that he wanted the ball. The Jets fed him the damn ball on Thursday, and the former Pro-Bowler had his best game of the season, rushing for 77 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. Even Bilal Powell, who had been M.I.A. over the past number of weeks made an appearance Thursday. He gashed the Bills on a handful of big runs, including one that went for 51 yards. Powell finished with 74 yards on nine carries.

The victory now gives the Jets two wins in the division. With some extra time to prepare for their next game in Tampa Bay next weekend, the remaining schedule for the Jets is indeed daunting, but with the way this team has played of late, nothing is impossible for them. That is just the way Todd Bowles had drawn it up all year. Give the man credit, he said he would change the culture of the team, and the man -- thus far -- has succeeded.