Jets 38, Bills 7
Reserves Joe McKnight rushed for 158 yards and Mark Brunell threw a pair of touchdown passes as the New York Jets walloped the Buffalo Bills 38-7 at the New Meadowland Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Mark Sanchez started for the Jets at quarterback but played just one series and didn’t throw a pass. The Jets also played without running backs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson. But their replacements more than did the job.
Brunell finished 6 for 12 for 110 yards and McKnight carried the ball 32 times. Brunell threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 15 seconds left in the first half to give New York a 17-0 lead. He also connected with Braylon Edwards on a 52-yard scoring pass in the third quarter.
The Jets are the No. 6 seed and will play at third-seeded Indianapolis next Saturday night.
New York led from the start, taking a 3-0 lead scoring on a 28-yard field goal by Nick Folk on their first series.
New York (11-5) then made it 10-0 early in the second quarter when Marquice Cole intercepted a pass from Brian Brohm and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. Brohm threw three interceptions on the day.
Jairus Byrd intercepted a Brunell pass early in the third quarter and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to cut the Jets’ advantage to 17-7.
Jets third-string quarterback Kellen Clemens and John Conner both rushed for touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick sat out for the Bills (4-12) with a knee injury.