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The Buffalo Bills claimed the top spot in the AFC East with a 23-20 victory over the New York Jets on a penalty filled “Monday Night Football.”
Josh Allen and the Bills held off a Hail Mary touchdown by Aaron Rodgers at the end of the first half, ultimately outlasting the Jets for the win.
That's wild 🤯 pic.twitter.com/twSS8lQT0E
— ESPN Fantasy Sports (@ESPNFantasy) October 15, 2024
The game was a mess for both teams, with missed kicks piling up—New York failed on two field goals, while Buffalo missed a field goal and an extra point. Penalties were just as problematic, with a staggering 22 accepted flags between the two sides, totaling 204 penalty yards, the most in any game this season.
Penalty filled game between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets
The Week 6 finale became a flag-filled spectacle, with the referees' whistles dominating the action. Yellow flags littered the MetLife Stadium field, each penalty call seeming more absurd than the last. A clean tackle? Here's a flag. Barely brush a receiver while the ball soars out of reach? Prepare for a pass interference call. Exchange a few words with a ref? That’s another penalty coming your way.
The contest unraveled almost immediately, and by the end of the Bills' 23-20 win, the bizarre nature of the game stood out even more.
Tyler Bass nailed a 22-yard field goal with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter — Buffalo's only points of the second half — which secured the win. Aaron Rodgers threw a crucial interception on the Jets' last drive, allowing the Bills to run out the clock and seal the victory.
Bills dominating the ground game
Bills quarterback Josh Allen went 19-for-25, throwing for 215 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding a rushing touchdown. The Bills dominated on the ground, accumulating 149 rushing yards on 33 carries.
Aaron Rodgers completed 23 of 35 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns, extending his streak of games without surpassing 300 passing yards, a trend that dates back to his time with the Green Bay Packers. Despite moving the Jets into the red zone four times, they only managed to score one touchdown from those opportunities.
Greg Zuerlein missed two field goals in the second half that could have given the Jets the lead: one from 32 yards and another from 43 yards.
Despite being without their star running back, the Buffalo Bills rushed for 150 yards for the second week in a row. A special acknowledgment goes to fourth-round rookie running back Ray Davis, who recorded 20 carries for 97 yards, marking the heaviest workload for a Buffalo rookie running back since Devin Singletary in 2019.
The Buffalo Bills, now 4-2, sit atop the AFC East, while the New York Jets fell to 2-4, landing in third place behind the Miami Dolphins, who had a Week 6 bye. The game also marked Jeff Ulbrich's first as head coach following Robert Saleh's dismissal on October 8.
Poor officiating was central to Monday night's matchup between the Bills and the Jets, with the game's outcome significantly influenced by the officials' interpretations of relatively minor plays. It remains to be seen how the NFL will react to this situation.
