The Jets crew hands out grades after Sam Darnold led the Jets to a last-minute comeback drive in Sunday's 27-23 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at New Era Field.

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Fourteen years ago there was a young quarterback in New York who had struggled through an up-and-down rookie season. He showed flashes of his potential, but not nearly enough to convince everyone he would someday be the man to lead his franchise.

Then in Week 17, Eli Manning got the ball with 1:41 remaining and drove the Giants down the field for a game-winning drive capped by a 3-yard Tiki Barber touchdown run. The Giants beat the Cowboys 28-24 that day and it seemed like the moment that Manning arrived.

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When Sam Darnold limped off to the locker room after the Jets' first series, it looked like this season was going to go from bad to much worse. This season had always been about him. But he had already missed three games with a foot injury after three terrible performances.

And now he was going to be out again?

Well, though it wasn't exactly a Willis Reed performance, Darnold returned quickly enough to give some life and hope to what's left of this Jets season. He went 12 of 18 for 139 yards in the second half and led a game-winning touchdown drive in the final two minutes to give the Jets a 27-23 win over the Buffalo Bills.

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THE GAME 

The Jets (3-9) at the Buffalo Bills (4-8) at New Era Field in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. ET.

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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The last time Sam Darnold was under center for the Jets, his rookie season was in a freefall.

In his last three games, he had completed just 47.3 percent of his passes for 588 yards, with two touchdowns and seven interceptions. He had a dismal passer rating of 43.2.

Though Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold practiced in full on Friday, head coach Todd Bowles did not say whether or not Darnold will start Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills.

"We'll decide that on Sunday," Bowles said, according to SNY.tv's Ralph Vacchiano. "Both he and Josh (McCown) had good weeks."

Darnold, who has practiced in full the past two days, is expected to make his return from a foot injury that has kept him out the past three games. But Bowles has played his cards close to his hand and won't name a starter until the day of the game.

The Jets are looking to avenge their embarrassing 41-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills last month, and in Jamal Adams' eyes, "It's personal.

"They came in and they whupped us," Adams continued, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "They don't like us, we don't like them, so it's going to be a tough battle."

So much went wrong for the Jets on Nov. 11 that it was fair to question of the players quit. The heat under head coach Todd Bowles' hot seat was scorching; owner Christopher Johnson did comment on Bowles' job status after the game. 

The Jets crew hands out grades after New York's humiliating 41-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

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The Jets head to the bye week with a 3-7 record after a humiliating 41-10 loss to the Bills. Let's review three of the best and worst performances from Sunday's game.

Losers

QB Josh McCown

In his first start since last December, McCown was disappointingly erratic. He went just 17-for-34 with two interceptions, as he had five passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. Most of his 134 yards came in garbage time, as he averaged just four yards per attempt. Moreover, the majority of those yards came after the catch as the Jets ran an uninspiring horizontal passing offense.

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THE GAME 

The Jets (3-6) vs. Buffalo Bills (2-7) at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m. ET.

THE WEATHER

It'll be a chilly day, with temperatures topping out in the mid-40s and moderate winds. It should be sunny, though.

WHAT IT MEANS

The Jets pretty much took any real meaning out of this game by losing to the Dolphins a week ago. A win only gets them back to 4-6 heading into their bye week, and they'd still need a miracle against a tough schedule after Thanksgiving to even sniff a shot at the playoffs. So all a win does is make them feel a little happier heading into their week off. But a loss? Whoa, would that turn things in a bad way against the Jets. This is an awful Bills team that even the Jets should crush, especially with veteran Josh McCown taking over at quarterback for a suddenly shaky Sam Darnold. If they lose this game, they could be headed to a season worse than last year, and there may be nothing that could save Todd Bowles' job.

The Bills announced QB Matt Barkley will start against the Jets on Sunday.

The 28-year-old former USC product was signed by the Bills on Oct. 30 as insurance and has not played a down in the NFL since 2016.

Terrelle Pryor says he harbors no ill will towards the Jets, but the newly-signed Bills receiver believes his former team could've managed him better during his brief tenure in green and white. 

Pryor, who signed with Buffalo on Tuesday after the Jets cut him earlier this month due to a groin injury, said he felt he was "underused" in Todd Bowles' system. (Sal Capaccio)

The 29-year-old Pryor added, however, that he has "nothing but love" for the Jets and "no resentment" towards them for how his time there ended.

The Buffalo Bills are reportedly unlikely to trade up with the Giants for the No. 2 pick, NFL Network's Ian Rapaport reports.

Giants GM Dave Gettleman has said the team "can't get too cute" with what they will do with the No. 2 pick in Thursday's draft, especially given he feels the team could pick a future Hall of Famer.

Rapaport said he would be "surprised" if the Bills, who have the Nos. 12 and 22 picks in the first round, and the Nos. 53 and 56 picks in the second, traded a bunch of assets to move up to the No. 2 slot.

The New York Jets' dancing defense might have been a turf-cutting viral hit on social media. But Todd Bowles thinks the late Don Cornelius would not have been impressed by all those smooth moves.

"Not one of them could've been a `Soul Train' dancer," the coach said with a chuckle Monday, "but that's all right."

As Lil Uzi Vert's "444+222" blared from the public address system early in the fourth quarter of New York's win over Buffalo last Thursday night, the Jets' defense turned MetLife Stadium into a dance party .

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The Jets put together their most complete performance of the season in an impressive 34-21 win over the Bills on Thursday night, rushing for almost 200 yards and racking up seven sacks and three fumble recoveries in the process.

Let's start this week by breaking down the performances on the offensive side of the ball:

Quarterbacks

With the running game working, Josh McCown didn't need to throw much this week, but he was efficient when he did. He threw just seven passes after halftime, completing five. In the first half, while the game was still in the balance, McCown gave the Jets the lead with a touchdown scramble, completing a drive he'd kept alive himself with another third-down run.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On the Jets' first defensive play, linebacker Jordan Jenkins broke through the line of scrimmage and dragged Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor down at the 4-yard line. For a team that has had an underachieving pass rush for the first half of the season, that was a significant moment.

It also sent a significant message.

"It said, 'We're coming,'" Jenkins said.

They certainly were. And they never stopped.

Jets quarterback Josh McCown threw for 140 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score in Thursday's 34-21 win over the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium.

McCown threw just six passes in the second half, as the Jets forced two of their three turnovers in the third and fourth quarters, as they combined for 194 rushing yards as a team.

Bent, theJetsBlog.com Follow on Twitter: With the running game working, McCown didn't need to throw much this week, but he was efficient when he did. He threw just seven passes after halftime, completing five. In the first half, while the game was still in the balance, McCown gave the Jets the lead with a touchdown scramble, completing a drive he'd kept alive himself with another third-down run. >> Read more about McCown and the rest of the offense in the BGA...

A week after running the ball just 22 times in a 25-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the New York Jets totaled 194 rushing yards on 41 carries in a 34-21 win over the Buffalo Bills on Thursday at MetLife Stadium.

New York's three-headed attack of Matt Forte, Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire combined for 181 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Josh McCown, who was 14-for-20 passing for 140 yards and a throwing touchdown, had a 10-yard scramble for a touchdown in the first quarter.

Bent, theJetsBlog.com Follow on Twitter: The Jets had some constant success in the running game, ending up with 194 yards and three scores on the ground. After griping about only having four carries in the last game, Forte had fresh legs for this one, perhaps by design. He ended up with 96 yards on 18 total touches and scored twice. Many are writing him off for next season, but his salary next year is only $3 million, so if he can still produce like this, perhaps the Jets should consider retaining him.>> Read more about the rushing attack and performance of the rest of the offense in the BGA...

Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne missed Monday's practice due to a "sore foot," and his status for Thursday's game against the Buffalo Bills is up in the air.

Claiborne left Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons due to a foot injury. X-rays came back negative, and the veteran cornerback underwent an MRI on Monday. Head coach Todd Bowles said "it's possible" Claiborne plays on a short week.

Jets rookie safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye impressed head coach Todd Bowles in their NFL debuts in Sunday's 21-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field.

Adams, whom the Jets drafted sixth overall, recorded five tackles and one pass defensed, while the second-round pick Maye recorded seven combined tackles.

"I thought Jamal had an outstanding game," Bowles said, according to NJ.com's Darryl Slater. "His eyes were good. He was physical. He played very smart. Minus one play, Marcus had a good ball game as well."

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There might be a good football rationale explaining why Todd Bowles decided to punt in the fourth quarter on Sunday with the Jets near midfield, down two scores and 4 minutes remaining. His explanation about the field position and the three time outs he had left sounded logical.

But it was still wrong -- because these are the Jets, and nobody should know that better than Bowles.

New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles defended his decision to punt near midfield late in the fourth quarter in a two-possession game in Sunday's 21-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

While the Jets opted to punt on fourth-and-8 from their own 44-yard line with 4 minutes to go in a nine-point game instead of going for it, Bowles said he trusted his defense to get a quick stop so the Jets could get the ball back.

"We thought we could get field position and we had three timeouts," Bowles said, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "We thought we could stop them and get the ball back."

Instead, the Bills got a first down on their next drive, forcing the Jets to burn all three of their timeouts. Buffalo punted with 1:44 remaining, and quarterback Josh McCown threw an interception on his first pass on the ensuing drive.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Bills' Tyrod Taylor threw two touchdown passes and the Jets' Josh McCown threw two fourth-quarter interceptions as Buffalo defeated the Jets 21-12 in the season opener for both teams Sunday.

Bent, SNY.TV: 

It seems like a lifetime ago, but back in September the Jets went to Buffalo and won 37-31 behind a tremendous performance by Ryan Fitzpatrick. The teams seemed destined to head in opposite directions at that time and that proved to be the case, but it would be the Jets who fell into a slump, while Buffalo unexpectedly moved into postseason contention.

The Bills were ultimately eliminated last week, following an overtime loss to Miami, and the 4-11 Jets are basically going through the motions as the season nears its merciful end. With Rex Ryan having been fired Tuesday, the game offers an opportunity for interim coach Anthony Lynn to make a case for a full-time head coaching job.

After the jump, I break down the positional groupings (BGA-style!) to try and highlight what to watch out for.

The Bills have fired head coach Rex Ryan ahead of Buffalo's Week 17 matchup against the Jets, the team announced Tuesday morning.

Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has also been relieved of his duties.

Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn will serve as interim head coach in the final game of the regular season.

Left guard James Carpenter has been diagnosed with a mild calf strain and an MRI revealed Erin Henderson has a sprain in his foot, reports NJ.com

According to NJ.com, the Jets believe Carpenter and Henderson should be able to play Week 3 against the Chiefs. 

Carpenter, who left Thursday night's game and was to get an MRI on Friday, was replaced by Wesley Johnson, who is also the team's backup center. 

Ralph Vacchiano, NFL Insider | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The storm came early in the second quarter in the form of one long touchdown pass and one fumble return for a touchdown, and just like that the Jets' 10-point lead was gone and they trailed by four. The next offensive series was a penalty-filled disaster. All their momentum was lost.

But as Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick took the field again for the next series midway through the third quarter, he could sense his teammates believed they'd find some way, somehow to win.

The New York Jets fell one point and a few missed opportunities short of opening the season with a victory.

With a quick turnaround and a trip to AFC East-rival Buffalo up next, they're staring at a potential 0-2 start for the first time since 2007. And, they've got plenty to clean up in a hurry.

"It's tough, and it's not what we wanted," quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said of the Jets' 23-22 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Corey Griffin and Brian Bassett are dealing with the darkness after the Jets season ended against the Bills. They answer your calls, comments, and complaints as it's time to pick up the pieces left shattered in Buffalo.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- The game film still frustrates Chan Gailey.

The New York Jets blew opportunity after opportunity on offense against the Buffalo Bills in their first meeting last month. It was a 22-17 loss that the offensive coordinator believes should have been a victory - if his group had simply executed.

"We didn't run the ball as effectively as we needed to, we didn't get third downs, our red zone was atrocious," Gailey said Thursday. "I mean, it has made me upset to my stomach to watch it this week because as bad as we were, we still had a chance to win the ballgame at the end and didn't pull it off.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Brandon Marshall won't let his mind wander there.

No way is he going to imagine what it might be like Sunday night after the New York Jets clinch a playoff spot, sending the wide receiver to his first postseason appearance in 10 NFL seasons.

"Oh, no," Marshall said Wednesday, shaking his head. "I'm just thinking about the first play of Buffalo. You can probably ask me that after (playing the Bills) and I'll probably give you the same answer as far as we're just worried about whoever we're playing in that first playoff game."

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is expected to be fine despite being limited at practice because of a sore thumb, elbow and lower back.

Coach Todd Bowles says Wednesday that the ailments "shouldn't be anything serious" and he had no worries about Fitzpatrick's availability for the game Sunday at Buffalo. The Jets clinch a playoff berth win a victory.

Fitzpatrick had his left (non-throwing) thumb surgically repaired last month after tearing a ligament. He is also dealing with soreness in his right elbow and back, but says it's "nothing really to be concerned about."

All that stands between the New York Jets and the playoffs is Rex Ryan.

Well, how's that for an absolutely juicy story line?

The Jets, in their first season under coach Todd Bowles, are facing a win-and-in scenario against the Buffalo Bills and their former coach, who was fired after failing to lead New York to the postseason in each of the last four of his six seasons.

Ryan is scheduled to play in the Boomer and Cartoon charity softball game next Wednesday at Yankee Stadium?that will benefit the Silver Shield Foundation, the NYC PBA Widows? and Children?s Fund, and the families of fallen NYPD officers Brian Moore, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu.

When asked what kind of reception he expected from the New York City crowd Ryan couldn't resist a jab?targeted at his former team.

After spending 13 seasons coaching various defensive positions with the New England Patriots, he spent last season serving as the Buffalo Bills defensive line coach. Johnson has ties with the Giants organization, he played?linebacker for them from 1986-92 and won two Super Bowls with the team.

"I would have to calm down my emotions, but I would love that opportunity," Johnson said regarding a potential return to the Giants.

What you need to know this morning....

The starters....

Tonight, it?s back to football with the first game of the year when the Giants meet the Buffalo Bills in the annual NFL/Hall of Fame Game.

Kickoff: 8:00pm Eastern

The Giants have been have having some heated practices the past two weeks in preparation for tonight's preseason debut vs Buffalo in the Hall of Fame game.

As a Giant fan, you should be watching for the following...

For all their dominance, the Broncos are buoyed by a 38-year-old quarterback with failing legs. Their chief rival for the No. 1 seed, undefeated Kansas City, is not nearly as imposing as their record, despite a No. 1 scoring defense and Jamaal Charles? MVP campaign. The Patriots, when healthy, look like the AFC?s best team, but they won?t be 100 percent any time this season. Meanwhile, the Colts were just worked in their own building by a Brian Schottenheimer and Kellen Clemens-led offense and the Bengals continue to ebb and flow on Andy Dalton?s schizophrenic arm (and head).

Bills' GM Buddy Nix and Marrone both agreed the Bills needed to start over at QB and made the decision to take Manuel over Ryan Nassib, Marrone's QB at Syracuse, to lead their club into the future. Many felt that player would be Nassib, but the Bills needed to start this new chapter in their history with the right player under center.

"I don?t think I was very conflicted," Marrone said when asked about taking Manuel over Nassib. "I think that at the end of the day there are a lot of good quarterbacks in the draft and we were able to take the best quarterback that we felt fit us here in our situation in Buffalo."

Prepare for some Wildcateering this weekend when the Jets face off against the Buffalo Bills this weekend at MetLife Stadium! ?Yesterday Rex Ryan told reporters that the Jets will plan to use the plays in their Week One matchup against the Bills.

"I think if we don't," Ryan said, "everybody's going to be like, 'Wait a second. You guys have been saying about this Wildcat, and we haven't even seen one snap of it.' But, sure, we're going to run some Wildcat. There's no doubt."

Kickoff: 8:00pm

Surface: FieldTurf

Buffalo Bills: The free agent signings of DE Mario Williams and DE Mark Anderson caused so much excitement in Buffalo that you could hear their cheers in New York City. Expectations are high in Buffalo?due to these additions, along with the re-signing of both Steve Johnson and Fred Jackson. Even with the defensive additions, the Bills have to be ready to make the adjustment to a 4-3 defense under new defensive coordinator Dave Wandstedt. Linebackers were a major part of the Bill's collapse last year and it seems that they will continue to be a question mark this year. That's not what the coaches think. Both Wandstedt and head coach Chan Gailey are so confident in the ability of second-year linebacker Kelvin Sheppard that they named him their starting middle linebacker in January. The rookie graded out better than fellow MLB's Lawrence Timmons, Rey Mauluga and Pat Angerer last year, and he should find more success with his size and speed in the new defense.?

Miami Dolphins: The only question of concern for the Miami Dolphins is judging whether "earning" the chance to be broadcast for Hard Knocks or judging a QB competition of Ryan Tannehill, David Garrard, and Matt Moore is more exciting. The more entertaining answer may be their attempt to finally connect to a fan base that has seemed non-existent over the years. The celebrity factor seemed to be trashing the tradition of the franchise so the owners have changed the direction of the franchise by?incorporating?more fan friendly?events and advertisements that focus on football. That might not be a bad idea, considering that they still have the best cornerback tandem in the league.?

Offense

Watching the Jets offense is like experiencing bipolar disorder. When they?re hot, they seem unstoppable, with Shonn Greene cutting through defenders and Sanchez able to find receivers anywhere on the field.

While the defense was gashed on a couple of big plays, the Giants made enough plays to get by the Bills and win a very important game as they head into the bye.

So, let?s tackle the good, the bad and the ugly.

That's not to take anything away from Bradshaw, who did a great job carrying the load and punching in three touchdowns from one yard out. It was certainly an improvement on the ground from last week, but the Bills are terrible against the run. The offensive line still has a long way to go in terms of opening up holes, as Bradshaw was averaging under three yards per carry before he broke off his late thirty yard run. Still, it was a great performance by Bradshaw, who battled all day for his first 100 yard performance of the year, and I think the offensive line will continue to improve as they get healthy.

- For me, Corey Webster was the player of the game.? He did allow the late touchdown pass to Stevie Johnson, but the Bills would have won this game if not for Webster?s two interceptions.? Fitzpatrick under-threw Johnson on both occasions, but Webster still had to make adjustments mid-air to come down with the ball, the second time with Johnson hanging off of his facemask.? They were both fantastic, athletic plays.