Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills implode in terrible overtime loss to New York Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - On a night when the New York Jets were delivered a massive, deflating, perhaps season-altering gut punch that would have crippled many teams, they found a way to recover and defeated the Buffalo Bills 22-16 in overtime.

This is the NFL where oftentimes nothing makes sense, and there was absolutely nothing that made sense on this Monday night and the result was a truly awful loss for the Bills in a game that was seemingly set up for them on a silver platter when Aaron Rodgers was knocked out just four plays into the night.

The final indignation for the Bills, on a night when they were simply terrible in every phase, came when Xavier Gipson returned a punt 65 yards for a walk-off touchdown after the Bills had won the coin toss and gone three and out.

Wow.

Folks, we've all lived through some gruesome losses with the Bills, and there's another to add to the ignominious list.

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“Obviously didn’t play our best game tonight,” coach Sean McDermott said. “We made it honestly pretty hard on ourselves. When you turn the ball over four times it’s hard to win in this league and you’re playing two opponents - the one on the other sideline and yourself and that’s what we did tonight.”

The loss was inexcusable when you consider that on the fourth offensive play of his Jets career, future Hall of Famer Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles on a sack by Leonard Floyd and was done for the night, and almost certainly the season which is simply incredible when you consider all the hype that had surrounded his coming to New York.

Bills report card: Josh Allen was horrendous with four turnovers, handed game to Jets

There was probably no one at sold-out MetLife Stadium who could have envisioned the Jets staying in this game, let alone winning it, but that’s what happened, and Josh Allen was the primary reason why the unthinkable happened.

Much-maligned Zack Wilson entered when Rodgers went out and for the second year in a row at MetLife Stadium, he beat Allen. Let me say that again: Zack Wilson defeated Josh Allen once again.

“Trying to force the ball, same (crap), same place, different day,” a clearly aggravated, downright mortified Allen said in what was one of the more terse press conferences he has had.

No one in the locker room would say that this loss was on Allen, and while it’s true that you win or lose as a team, sorry, but this one was mostly on Allen’s shoulders. He looked like the Allen circa 2018 and 2019 as he threw three interceptions, all to safety Jordan Whitehead, and then lost a fumble on the first play after the Jets had tied the game at 13-13 in the fourth quarter.

“It’s not like I’m going out there and trying to throw interceptions,” he said. “Yeah, I guess we’ll find out on tape and try to correct it and we’ve got to correct it fast. We got a short week and we can’t let this game turn into two.”

The Jets have Allen’s number like no other team, and there are several games of evidence. He was under pressure much of the night as he was sacked five times, and even when he had time, he made stupefying decisions with the ball, plays that simply can’t happen.

“He knows he can play better, I know he’s capable of playing better,” McDermott said. “He’s capable of playing smarter as well. And he’s got to do that for us to No. 1, stay healthy and then No. 2, to take care of the football and he’s more than capable of doing that.”

Rodgers was hurt when Buffalo edge rusher Leonard Floyd blew into the backfield and sacked Rodgers and fell on his ankle. Rodgers hasn’t missed a game since the 2017 season, but this did not look good for him. After the play he got up, took a couple steps and immediately went back to the turf. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer was helped off the field, went into the blue medical tent, and after about five minutes a cart came out to wheel him into the locker room.

How much damage was done is unknown, but Rodgers was wearing a walking boot and it certainly seems like he’s going to miss at least some time. The Jets will have to find a way to cope without him, but with their defense, they could certainly ride out the storm and be highly competitive.

After the Rodgers injury the Bills drove 55 yards to a 40-yard field goal by Tyler Bass, but after a Jets punt, Allen threw his first pick when he just threw one up for grabs on a third-and-8 from his own 31. It did pin the Jets back at their 4, but that became a moot point when Breece Hall ripped off an 83-yard run.

That woke the somnolent crowd back up, but the Jets wound up settling for a tying Greg Zuerlein field goal.

Allen responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive, as good as he has looked against the Jets since 2021. He made some smart decisions and sharp throws, none better than a 26-yard laser over the middle to Gabe Davis before his five-yard TD pass to Stefon Diggs.

Wilson then threw a bad interception to Matt Milano, though after returning it to the Jets 35, Milano stupidly taunted Wilson and the Bills lost 15 yards of field position. That may have cost them four points as their drive died at the 16 so Bass kicked a 34-yard field goal for a 13-3 halftime lead.

With Rodgers out, McDermott knew all the Bills needed to do was play clean and smart in the second half and they’d likely close out the game. Instead, they played the opposite.

“With all due respect to Zack, they’re two different quarterbacks just from experience alone, right,” McDermott said. “And that’s when you’re saying, ‘Hey, we’re up 13-3 three.’ You’re saying ‘take care of the football, be smart’ and we weren’t smart. And again, you shoot yourself in the foot, it’s hard to win games.”

New York came out and cut the gap to seven points on the opening possession of the third quarter as Garrett Wilson made a big play to convert a third-and-10, and Hall ripped off another big gain, a 20-yarder on a short pass. But again, the Jets stalled and Zuerlein kicked a 43-yard field goal.

The Bills had a chance to put the game away early in the fourth as they moved from their 15 to the 43, but again, Allen threw his third pick and the Jets were set up to tie the game, and they did as Wilson made a tremendous catch over Tre’Davious White with 4:58 remaining.

In so many games, Allen would have shrugged it off and responded. Instead, on the first play after the kickoff he bobbled a shotgun snap, couldn’t regain control and Quinnen Williams recovered at the Bills 27. Zuerlein then put the Jets ahead 16-13 with 1:48 to go.

Allen did get off the deck to drive the Bills 43 yards in nine plays to set up Bass’ 50-yard field goal that clanged off the left upright and luckily fell on the proper side of the cross bar with two seconds remaining.

But in the end, this game went to the Jets and they deserved it so much more than the Bills.

Sal Maiorana can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana and on Threads @salmaiorana1. To subscribe to Sal's newsletter, Bills Blast, which will come out every Friday during training camp, please follow this link: https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills implode in terrible overtime loss to New York Jets