Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets: Top 5 takeaways from Week 9 matchup

In the Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets Week 9 rematch, Gang Green came out on top thanks to a complete team effort. Here are the top five takeaways from the Week 9 contest.

The New York Jets finally broke their three game losing streak and defeated the Buffalo Bills by the score of 34-21. From the first snap of the game to the final whistle, the Jets had complete control the time possession battle and wore out the Bills. The Jets were determined to get the revenge on the Bills from their Week 1 loss.

With the victory, the Jets are now 4-5 and can rest up and get ready to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In this game, there are many improvements from the previous three weeks. They will look to continue to build on this victory with a big game in Week 10 against a Tampa Bay team that is another winnable game.

This is a great opportunity for the Jets to even out their record and be at .500. Let’s take a deeper look at this Week 9 contest.

Next: 5. Josh McCown steps up in a big way

5. Josh McCown steps up in a big way

Quarterback Josh McCown was finally able to lead his team to a victory after two shaky starts. He was very careful with the football and was making excellent decisions.

McCown was able to go 14 for 20 in passing and threw for 140 yards. He ran for one touchdown and threw no interceptions.

He finished with a 106 quarterback rating which continues to his streak of being one of the most accurate passers in the NFL. McCown was able to make the Bills defense frustrated by managing the game well.

McCown looks like he is getting more comfortable with the offense and continues to be the veteran leader this team needs in the huddle. With a lot of young talent around him, he continues to keep this offense in check and against the Bills, was close to perfect.

The offense kept the football for a great amount of time and kept the defense relaxed. They had the football for 33 minutes and 30 seconds which is a 7-minute difference from the Bills which had the ball for 26 minutes and 30 seconds.

Next: 4. Jets defensive line finally delivers

4. Jets defensive line finally delivers

After struggling most of the season, the Jets defense stepped up in a big way. They were able to set the tone from start to finish. They were able to make key defensive stops and above all else, were flat out having fun on the field.

With putting pressure on quarterback Tyrod Taylor all game, the defense kept him in check. The defense only gave up 63 yards in rushing, and 244 total yards in passing.

They improved big time as the game went on and made the correct adjustments which were very impressive. They finally stepped up and delivered a complete performance.

The seven quarterback sacks they had caused the Bills drives to be stalled. They finally showed why they could be an excellent defense by the way they played on Thursday Night Football. The secondary and front line combined for three forced fumbles which is a huge stat in any game.

Next: 3. Wide receivers put on a show

3. Wide receivers put on a show

Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, and Matt Forte all showed up when their numbers were called against the Bills. These three players combined for 105 yards to lead the charge against what was believed to be a stout Bills defense.

Anderson and Kearse were quiet for two weeks and Thursday they came alive. They both had big plays as Anderson had a 25 -yard touchdown pass and Kearse had a big 20-yard reception that helped keep the drive alive.

Kearse’s 20-yard catch kept the momentum going which led them to be scoring drives. If they are able to continue this success, then the passing offense will click even more as the players are getting into a rhythm and playing up to their potential.

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They need to continue to be a physical group next week right before their bye week to go into it on a high note. It is time for the receivers to continue become a legitimate threat on the offensive side of the football.

Next: 2. Committing to the running game proved successful

2. Commitment to the running game proved successful

With the running game not being utilized last week, the Jets went back to it and it was a huge success. Forte and Bilal Powell totaled 23 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns for Forte.

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The both of them were very effective throughout the game and the running holes opened up quickly thanks to the offensive line.

Forte delivered since he questioned the playcalling the week before and when offensive coordinator John Morton put him in a position to thrive, he put on a show. Even Powell joined the party and had some nice long runs to keep those chains moving.

Forte and Powell are two different type of runners which is a great dynamic to have on offense. Forte is an efficient runner and Powell is a cutback and speed runner. If both are able to do this every game, the Jets will continue to surprise the football world.

They need to continue using what works since at the end of the day, the Jets are built to run the football and not rely so heavily on the passing game. This win over the Bills should prove that the Jets need to run the football more often and continue committing to it.

Next: 1. The defensive secondary plays a big role

1. The defensive secondary plays a big role

For the past few weeks of the season, the Jets secondary was getting manhandled and Thursday was a different story. The Jets secondary was able to produce three key fumbles.

They made all the right tackles and kept the Bills offense limited due to swarming to anyone holding onto the football. This was what a complete team effort should look like on defense. They played a lot more bump and run kind of coverage and made it a frustrating night for the Bills receivers.

In the second half, the Jets gave up a few big plays but it didn’t come back to haunt them. They still have some more kinks to work out but overall, they were a big reason why the Jets were able to take control of this game and keep the Bills completely out of it until the final few minutes of the game.

Must Read: 5 Jets that won the game against the Bills

It was good to see that the whole defense was having fun out there and even dancing after getting sacks, big turnovers, and being a force to reckon with. If they can use this win over the Bills as a catalyst from here on out, the Jets are going to make some serious noise.