Sam Darnold threw for 199 yards and the game's only touchdown, leading the New York Jets to a 13-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park, N.Y.
The Jets finish their season 7-9. The Bills (10-6), who had the No. 5 seed locked up coming into the game, will play in next week's AFC wild-card round against the No. 4 seed Houston Texans.
Buffalo backup quarterback Matt Barkley finished 18-for-35 for 232 yards and two interceptions in place of Josh Allen, who started the game but played just two possessions. The Bills rested a slew of their starters.
With the game tied 3-3 entering the fourth quarter, Darnold hit Jamison Crowder for 1-yard scoring strike to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive and give the Jets a 10-3 lead with 13:31 left in the game.
The teams then traded field goals later in the fourth quarter. Sam Ficken's 47-yarder with 2:05 remaining gave the Jets a 13-3 lead. Stephen Hauschka responded with a 29-yard field goal with 47 seconds left in the game to cut it to 13-6.
The Jets recovered the onside kick to seal the game.
The Bills finally got on the board with 1:29 remaining in the third quarter when Hauschka kicked a 28-yard field goal. The Bills went 77 yards in 16 plays and chewed up 8:11 off the clock but squandered a first-and-10 at the New York 11.
The Jets missed two first-half field goals but took a 3-0 lead into halftime. The Bills amassed just 62 yards in the half while Darnold threw for 122 yards on 15-for-23 passing with an interception in the first 30 minutes.
Ficken connected for a 30-yard field goal with 10:54 left in the second quarter, but missed a 51-yard attempt on the Jets' first possession of the game and a 34-yard attempt as time expired on the first half.
Allen completed 3 of 5 passes for five yards in his brief stint.
The Bills sat their leading rusher Devin Singletary and wide receiver John Brown along with receiver Cole Beasley and tight end Dawson Knox. Cornerback Tre'Davious White also did not play.
--Field Level Media
N.Y. Jets | Buffalo | |
Le'Veon Bell | Player | Isaiah McKenzie |
16 | Attempts | 2 |
41 | Yards | 30 |
2.6 | Avg Yards | 15.0 |
0 | Touchdowns | 0 |
12 | Long | 16 |
N.Y. Jets | Buffalo | |
Jamison Crowder | Player | D'haquille Williams |
8 | Receptions | 6 |
66 | Yards | 108 |
8.2 | Avg Yards | 18.0 |
1 | Touchdowns | 0 |
21 | Long | 41 |
Yards | Scoring | Defense | ||||||
Team | Tot | Rus | Pas | TD | FG | INT | Sck | FF |
N.Y. Jets | 271 | 86 | 185 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 |
Buffalo | 309 | 73 | 236 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2.0 | 0 |