Jets-Bills: First Half

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Jets-Bills: First Half

Published: Sun, December 14, 2008 - 12:55pm ET
Randy Lange

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.


File Under: Thomas Jones, Laveranues Coles, Buffalo Bills, Brett Favre, Tony Richardson

12/14 — The Jets win the toss and embark on an excellent adventure of an opening drive.

Virtually each play has a little creative twist. The first play of the game: A Brett Favre pumpfake/play action drift left and hit Laveranues Coles with a 22-yarder out against Buffalo S Donte Whitner. Then a third-and-1 play-action keeper by Favre, who gallops 27 yards for the first down at the Bills 14. An inside handoff to FB Tony Richardson, who outruns LB Kawika Mitchell to the left for 12 yards.

And the crowning touch: Thomas Jones barging off his left side for the 2-yard score. And in the game's first 3:09, it's Jets 7, Buffalo 0.

And with that rush, TJ gets his trifecta. He scores his 13th rushing touchdown of the season and his 15th TD overall, and he scores a TD in the eighth consecutive game. All three are franchise records Congratulations, Thomas, and way to get off to a good start, Jets. But there's 56-plus minutes to go. Pedal to the metal.

But the Bills have some tricks in their bag. Seemingly stopped on a three-and-out at their 37 on their first series, special teams coach Bobby April calls for a fake punt. The Jets stopped a Brian Moorman fake in the second half up in Buffalo, but this time the snap is to upback Keith Ellison, who rambles 6 yards on fourth-and-5.

Then Marshawn Lynch, who is having a fine season that has gone overlooked with Buffalo's recent losing skid, squirms and surges his way for 35 yards down the right sideline to the Jets 22.

But the defense stiffens and Rian Lindell comes in for a 34-yard field goal. So does No. 17 David Clowney. I'm touting him for a blocked kick today, and his rush from the Bills' right side almost gets there. But Lindell is true toward the windier West end zone and the Jets' lead is trimmed to 7-3 midway through the opening stanza.

It looks to be LC's day. Coles has come back from his game-opening 22-yarder with two more catches on the second drive, including a beautiful play-action 20-yarder on a deep incut.

Add in a 19-yarder to Chris Baker and it all sets up another touchdown on third-and-6 from the Bills 11. Coles is at SE on the right side and heads straight for the end zone, while Jerricho Cotchery is flanked outside of Coles. J-Co makes an outcut against Whitner, grabs Favre's pinpoint throw against the neutralized Buff blitz and dips inside the right cone to make it Jets 14, Bills 3.

Good to see two double numbers on the field who've been out for a while. No. 88, TE Bubba Franks, has appeared in the double-TE offense as a blocker for his first action in eight games. And No. 33, S Eric Smith, is back after missing six games from his concussion on kickoff coverage.

As the first half runs out, the Bills, who moved across midfield, are facing third-and-8 at the Jets 43.

Second Quarter

The Jets hold nicely as their sub package pressures QB J.P. Losman into an 8-yard sack. David Bowens forces Losman back inside (and misses the sack himself) but Calvin Pace is there to finish it up and prevent a scoring op by the visitors. What's more Moorman launches a touchback punt and the offense is back in business at the 20 in the opening minute of the second period.

Then bad luck hits the Jets offense. Coles, after making his fourth reception for a third-down conversion, is targeted on a slant by Favre. The ball is slightly behind LC but catchable. However, Coles can't catch it, and the ball is accidentally kicked (no penalty) into the air, where LB Paul Posluszny picks it off and returns to midfield.

The Bills capitalize on the takeaway and Losman, starting for the sore-groined Trent Edwards, is the biggest star. He hits Lee Evans and then Josh Reed for third-down conversions. Then, taking advantage of perhaps some tendencies the Bills picked up from the San Francisco, Denver and New England games, Losman scrambles out of the pocket and weaves the final 8 yards and reaches the ball just across the goal line for the visitors' first TD of the game.

Lindell's PAT cuts the Jets' lead to 14-10 with 6:44 left in the first half.

Then on the ensuing kickoff return, Leon Washington loses a strong return to the 40 on James Ihedigbo's illegal block to the back, Ihedigbo's second penalty on a Leon return in two weeks. The Jets start out at their 14.

Thomas Jones bursts for a first down but then RT Damien Woody is whistled for his third false start of the season (second in three games) and Favre can't whistle a third-down pass down the middle to Coles.

Then Reggie Hodges gets off a punt with decent hang time but no Jets are down to rein in Roscoe Parrish and the AFC's leading punt returner rips off a 56-yard runback down the right sideline to the Jets 24.

And in short order Buffalo takes its first lead of the game, 17-14. Losman drops back, spots rookie WR Steve Johnson with inside position on Darrelle Revis, and hits him in the end zone. Not the development welcomed by Jets watchers, especially after their rousing start.

And after Washington can't find a crack and is stopped at his 17, the Jets have 1:59 left to tie or get back on top before hitting the locker room.

The offense faces third-and-2, but Favre finds Leon Washington for the conversion on a diving catch, then in hurryup mode, No. 4 finds No. 87 again open deep down the middle for a 21-yarder to the B-47. The Jets spend their first timeout with 1:05 left.

And then Leon is off to the races with another perfect Xs-and-Os execution for a 47-yard touchdown burst. LG Alan Faneca traps beautifully, then Washington zips past blocks by RG Brandon Moore and RT Damien Woody and, downfield, by WR Jerricho Cotchery. With deft cuts, Washington is headed for the goal line, which he dives across as Buffalo S John Wendling brings him down.

Washington appears shaken up after the score but he gets up and heads to the bench to the green-clad crowd's cheers as Jay Feely's PAT puts the Jets back ahead, 21-17, with 55 seconds left.

A CBS graphic states that Washington leads the NFL with his ninth 40-yards-pluls play. Definitely soom needed Neon at this point.

The Bills end the half trying to lateral after a reception, but Roscoe Parrish muffs the pitch back from RB Fred Jackson and the clock runs out on the first half with the Jets ahead by four.

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Fans Respond

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ROSEMARY Said:

Mon, December 15, 2008 - 5:37pm ET

"I WAS A BIG PACKER FAN TOO BUT WHAT THEY DID TO BRETT FARVE WAS UNEXCUSABLE. AFTER ALL THE YEARS HE GAVE THEM AND THE RECORDS HE BROKE. WELL IM GLAD THE JETS TOOK HIM AND MY FAMILY AND I ARE NOW JETS FANS. AND I AGREE WATCHING BRETT THROW IS A PURE ENJOYMENT. I DONT WHAT WE WILL DO WHEN HE DOES FINALLY QUIT FOOTBALL BECAUSE NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE HIS PLACE. GO JETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Offensive Comment?

JETFOREAL Said:

Tue, December 16, 2008 - 9:41am ET

" i am so tired of these packer fans telling everyone how lucky we are how fortunate and he is pure enjoyment. i cringe every time he throws the ball deep he is 18 yrs too late for the jets and his all time high interception year is also disturbing to see each Sunday. rosemary you said it "after all those years" and you no what he will retire on the jets and then maybe not then maybe he will??"

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Joel Said:

Tue, December 16, 2008 - 9:09pm ET

"Hey JETFOREAL, You are 9 and 5. Last year you were 4 and 12. And this Packer fan knows exactly how lucky you are to have Brett Favre leading your team. He has engineered dozens of beautiful drives this year and often has carried your offense on his back. The deep balls are generally good passes that the receivers don't get separation on. "

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