The New York Jets built a 34-7 advantage en route to a Thursday night victory over the Buffalo Bills, and running back LeSean McCoy provided a simple reason for the loss.
“They beat us down,” he said, per the team’s official site.
“They were running to the ball fast, they were on their gaps (and) their routes to the ball. They communicated. Everything we did, they kind of stopped it. So give them a lot of credit. On a short week, they studied hard on film. The big plays we like to run, they took them out.”
Buffalo put together a decent charge during the fourth quarter, but the pair of touchdowns drives came far too late. And when Jets running back Elijah McGuire converted a 3rd-and-9, it sealed the 34-21 result.
It was a deserved victory for New York, which held the Bills to 63 yards on 22 rushing attempts and collected seven sacks. Constant pressure up front forced unfavorable third-down situations, and Buffalo struggled to convert until the ill-fated charge.
The Jets also recovered three fumbles, stalling a drive that had reached their 40-yard line shortly before halftime and turning the next two takeaways into 10 points.
McCoy — who mustered just 25 yards on the night — and the Bills are still in the playoff hunt, but they cannot afford to let upcoming opponents win the physical battle.
Buffalo, now 5-3 after the loss, takes on the New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots during the next four weeks. This is a pivotal stretch for McCoy and the Bills.
And if they don’t respond, a promising season could become yet another year where the franchise fell short of the playoffs.