The good, the bad, and the ugly of NY Jets' Week 6 loss to Bills

The NY Jets have hit a three-game skid, suffering a loss to their division rival, the Buffalo Bills. They missed a crucial opportunity to seize first place in the AFC East, instead dropping to 2-4 and finding themselves on the fringes of the playoff picture.

Let's break down the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Week 6 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

Aaron Rodgers and the NY Jets lost their third straight game in Week 6

The Good

Garret Wilson continued to impress after his sluggish start to the season. Hauling in eight receptions on 10 targets for 107 yards and a touchdown, Wilson looked all the part of a WR1 for the Jets. It’ll be interesting to see how his role in the offense is affected by the addition of Davante Adams.

Breece Hall had a standout day, achieving season-highs with 18 carries, 113 rushing yards, and 56 receiving yards. He broke free for a 42-yard run that brought the Jets to the three-yard line, though he couldn’t evade the Bills’ safety to cap it off with a touchdown.

Allen Lazard may have secured his role on this offense moving forward with his performance. Bringing in six receptions on seven targets, Lazard caught a long of 52 on a Hail Mary to end the half.

This massive play shifted the score to 20-17, narrowing the Bills' lead before halftime. With this performance, Lazard is now tied for the most touchdown receptions this season.

Aaron Rodgers delivered some jaw-dropping throws, showcasing his incredible talent on the field. One standout was the Hail Mary; another was a back-shoulder pass to Lazard, who was charging down the middle. It's hard to imagine that another quarterback in the league can make these throws with this type of precision.

Todd Downing's offense showed a significant uptick in pre-snap motion, leaping from 45% over the previous five weeks to over 70% this week. This strategy led to substantial chunk plays, keeping the defense on their toes and proving harder to defend.

On the opening drives of each half, Downing's play-calling propelled the Jets to gains of 54 and 60 yards, culminating in two field goals. While touchdowns are the goal, securing points early in each half is certainly better than coming up empty-handed.

The Bad

The Jets' defense struggled in the first half, allowing 20 points. However, they tightened up significantly in the second half, yielding just three points due to a missed field goal.

With Jeff Ulbrich juggling head coaching responsibilities and play-calling, some growing pains were expected, but the performance surpassed even the most cautious expectations.

Breece Hall's inability to find the end zone his 42-yard run ultimately came back to haunt the Jets. Following that impressive run, the Jets ran three plays from the three-yard line, gaining no yards and settling for a field goal. With the middle of the field open and just one defender to beat, Hall needs to capitalize on those types of opportunities and find a way into the end zone.

Tyron Smith has surrendered four sacks in just six games — a worrying trend given that he hasn't allowed more than four sacks in a season since 2015 when he gave up five sacks over 16 games. Eyes fall on Joe Douglas, as Smith was one of his key offseason acquisitions aimed at strengthening the offensive line.

Aaron Rodgers is taking far too many hits, suffering three sacks and five QB hits. He understandably looked uneasy in the pocket. For Rodgers to survive the full season, the Jets must improve their protection, particularly with T.J. Watt posing a threat this weekend on Sunday Night Football.

The Jets' secondary is banged up, losing safety Chuck Clark in this game. Young players will need to step up in their absence, particularly Ashtyn Davis, Isaiah Oliver, and possibly Jarrick Bernard-Converse and Qwan'Tez Stiggers.

The Ugly

The referees bogged down what should have been an entertaining game, and made it nearly unwatchable. They threw 22 flags, disrupting the pace and flow of the game for both teams. Each team ended up with 11 penalties, suffering from egregious miscalls. The NFL needs to start holding their referees accountable to ensure a better game experience for all those involved.

The Jets' red-zone efficiency was putrid, converting only one out of four attempts (25%) into a touchdown. On the three-yard line following Breece Hall’s long run of the night, the Jets gained zero yards and had to settle for a field goal.

Greg Zuerlein's season has been off to a rough start. In six games, he's made only 8-of-12 field goals (66%), ranking him 34th out of 35 kickers who have attempted a field goal this year.

His performance from longer distances is particularly concerning, converting just 1-of-3 from 40+ yards, and 0 of 1 from 50+ yards. It might be time for the Jets to consider trying out new kickers.

With one last chance to stop the Bills, the Jets' defense fell flat on a read option. Micheal Clemons was assigned to contain the edge and force everything inside.

However, Clemons fell for the run fake — a recurring issue for him — allowing Josh Allen to keep the ball, escape to the edge, and easily secure the first down. This play highlighted Clemons' underwhelming performance this season.

The NY Jets are down but not out

The Jets dropped to 2-4, leaving them 1-1 in the division. With Miami and New England continuing to struggle, the Jets might find themselves competing with the Bills for the division title.

Losing the home matchup is a setback for any division title aspirations, but it's not out of reach yet. The Bills still have to face the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Detroit Lions, none of which are on the Jets' remaining schedule.

For the next 11 games, the Jets' opponents have a combined win-loss record of 28-35 through six weeks. The Houston Texans (5-1) and Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) will be tough matchups, but the rest of the schedule includes teams with a combined 19-32 record.

This weekend, the Jets face a challenging game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. TJ Watt will be looking to make an impact in his second primetime game of the year against a struggling Jets offensive line. Alex Highsmith is also set to return after missing the last three games due to a groin injury.

This matchup has significant playoff implications. The Steelers currently are a game ahead of the Jets and hold a wildcard spot. The winner of this game will also gain the head-to-head tiebreaker.

While it's not technically a must-win for the Jets, a victory would greatly boost their playoff chances if they end up tied for wildcard spots at the end of the season.

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