Game Recap

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Jets 22, Bills 16 in OT | Game recap, highlights + stats to know

Sep 12, 2023 at 12:17 AM

Patrick Warren

Contributing Correspondent

The Bills lost in overtime 22-16 to the New York Jets on Monday Night Football to open the season.

The highly anticipated quarterback matchup between Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers did not go as planned. On just his fourth play as a New York Jet, Rodgers went down with an ankle injury and did not return to the game after defensive end Leonard Floyd sacked him for a 10-yard loss.

Quarterback Zach Wilson took over for Rodgers and did enough for the Jets to come out on top with 140 passing yards, a passing touchdown and one interception.

The defense was effective at putting pressure on the quarterback throughout the game, with three sacks and six tackles for loss. Matt Milano picked off Wilson late in the second quarter of the game to set up a field goal. Floyd finished with one-and-a-half sacks and two quarterback hits.

The Jets pass rush made their presence felt, as Allen was sacked five times and threw three interceptions. His fourth turnover came from a bobbled snap, which was recovered by Quinnen Williams after Allen attempted to pick it up and run forward.

Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs are the 2nd Bills QB-WR duo to reach 30 regular season TD, along with Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Andre Reed (65) pic.twitter.com/UjYhKzkBC8
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 12, 2023

Allen threw for one score, a five-yard pass to Stefon Diggs for the Bills' only touchdown of the game. Allen scrambled away from the Jets' pass rush and, when it looked like he would try to barrel into impending tacklers to try for a touchdown run, he flipped it to Stefon Diggs for the first touchdown of the season.

Diggs finished with 10 receptions for 102 yards. He played a crucial role in the Bills' final drive of regulation, which ended in a 50-yard field goal from kicker Tyler Bass.

Facing a 16-13 deficit with less than two minutes remaining in the game, Allen led a nine-play, 43-yard drive, finding Diggs three times to set up the field goal. With just 10 seconds on the clock and the game on the line, Bass drilled the field goal — literally. As Bass' kick flew towards the left post, the entirety of MetLife Stadium watched in silence. The ball smacked the post and took a gracious Buffalo bounce, falling through the uprights to force overtime.

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The Bills' defense allowed multiple big plays from the Jets' running backs. Second year running back Breece Hall rushed 10 times for 127 yards, including an 83-yard rush that set up an eventual field goal in the second quarter.

Rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid had his first reception of his NFL career in the second quarter, catching a short pass from Allen for an 8-yard gain. Kincaid finished the game with four receptions for 26 yards.

The Bills started with the ball in overtime but went three-and-out. Spencer Brown committed a false start on first down and Allen threw two incompletions as the Bills were forced to punt.

Jets rookie receiver and returner Xavier Gipson evaded the Bills' punt coverage team and returned Sam Martin's punt 65 yards for a touchdown. Gipsons' walk-off score was only the third overtime punt return for a touchdown in NFL history.

The Bills will return to Orchard Park looking to get right with a short week ahead. They face off against the Las Vegas Raiders at home at 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

Key Stats and Facts:

No team has intercepted Allen more than the Jets, who now have caught 11 interceptions on the quarterback.
James Cook is now 0-2 in his career against his brother Dalvin, who signed with the Jets in the offseason. The two faced off last season when Dalvin and the Minnesota Vikings bested the Bills 33-30 in overtime.
Leonard Floyd made his first sack as a Buffalo Bill in Monday night's win. Floyd has 49 sacks in his eight-year career.
Diggs' first half touchdown reception marked his 30th as a Bill, breaking a tie with Jerry Butler for the sixth-most receiving TDs in team history.
Josh Allen's lone touchdown pass of the night was released just 0.7 yards from the sideline. Since 2016, only four passes released within one yard of the sideline have gone for touchdowns — three of which came from Allen, per Next Gen Stats.

SCORING PLAYS:

3:09 1Q | BUF 3 NYJ 0 | Tyler Bass 40-yard field goal is GOOD

10:35 2Q | BUF 3 NYJ 3 | Greg Zuerlein 26-yard field goal is GOOD

4:43 2Q | BUF 10 NYJ 0 | Josh Allen pass short right to Stefon Diggs for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN

0:17 2Q | BUF 13 NYJ 3 | Tyler Bass 34-yard field goal is GOOD

8:59 3Q | BUF 13 NYJ 6 | Greg Zuerlein 43-yard field goal is GOOD

4:55 3Q | BUF 13 NYJ 13 | Zach Wilson pass short left to Garrett Wilson for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN

1:48 4Q | BUF 13 NYJ 16 | Greg Zuerlein 30-yard field goal is GOOD

0:02 4Q | BUF 16 NYJ 16 | Tyler Bass 50-yard field goal is GOOD

0:00 OT | BUF 16 NYJ 22 | Xavier Gipson returns Sam Martin punt 65 yards, TOUCHDOWN