It seems that for quarterback Mark Sanchez and his New York Jets to succeed, they must do things the hard way.

That trend continued on Sunday as Sanchez, who was largely average at best for most of the day, still threw a career-best four touchdown passes, including a 16-yard game-winner to wide receiver Santonio Holmes, with just 1:01 left, to beat the Buffalo Bills, 28-24, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Sanchez’s ability to find the end zone often left the Bills’ defense seeing red – as in Sanchez’s good performance in the red zone, despite struggling outside of that area of the field.

The Jets’ victory typified the road they’ve traveled over the past two seasons during Sanchez’s first couple of years in the league.

New York backed into the playoffs in Sanchez’s rookie year, but reached the AFC title game as a five- seeded road warriors. Last season, the Jets got just as far as a six seed, again winning away from home in the postseason.

With first-place New England (8-3) holding a two-game lead over New York and the head-to-head tiebreaker by virtue of a regular season two-game sweep, the Jets will seemingly have to again follow the same wild-card route to reach the playoffs this year.

Sunday’s victory might go a long way toward helping the Jets get there, as New York (6-5) snapped a two-game losing streak and moved a game in front of their AFC East rival Bills (5-6), who lost their fourth straight game.

In typical Jets’ fashion, it wasn’t easy for New York to pull out a game that was tied three different times.

Even without its leading rusher (Fred Jackson, who entered the week as the NFL’s third leading rusher) missing his first game if the season with a broken fibula, the Bills dominated the time of possession (controlling the ball for 36:10 to the Jets’ 23:50) and were poised to steal a victory in the fourth quarter.

Sanchez (17-35, 180 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, no sacks) meanwhile, was just 8-for-20, for 66 yards and an interception in the opening half, but he also threw two red zone touchdown passes in each half, and rebounded to go 9-for-15 in the second half, even if he was limited to a pedestrian 114 yards after halftime.

A rough start by Sanchez (as he misfired on his first four pass attempts while the Jets punted twice) led to the Bills taking the game’s first lead on their second possession, when quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (26-39, 264 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks) led Buffalo on the game’s longest drive (90 yards on 13 plays, in 8:47).

Fitzpatrick completed all six of his passes on the trip, which he ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver David Nelson (5 catches, 47 yards, 1 TD), to give the Bills a 7-0 lead with 1:38 left in the first quarter.

New York answered right back, going 78 yards on ten plays in 4½ minutes, tying the game, 7-7, on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to wide open tight end Dustin Keller (4 catches, team-high 62 yards, 2 TD) with 12:02 left in the first half.

The touchdown was set up by two big runs earlier in the drive – a 3rd-and-2 end-around run to the left by wide receiver Santonio Holmes that went for 23 yards on the final play of the first quarter, and an 18-yard rush by running back Shonn Green (13 carries, game-high 78 yards) on the next play.

The Bills then punted twice, and the Jets once, before Sanchez threw behind Holmes (2 catches, 22 yards, 1 TD) for a costly interception.

Cornerback Drayton Florence, who should have also picked off Sanchez one quarter earlier, undercut Holmes’ route and held onto the ball this time, and returned it seven yards to the New York 20-yard line.

Three plays later, Fitzpatrick threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Stevie Johnson (game-high 8 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD), to regain a 14-7 Buffalo lead with 2:06 to go in the half.

Johnson though, took his post-touchdown celebration too far, mocking the Jets’ running, full wing spanned flying motion before pretending to be shot in the leg and falling to the ground, taking a shot (no pun intended) at Jets’ wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who spent more than 20 months in prison after his gun accidentally went off in a New York City night club in 2008, as a member of the New York Giants.

A 15-yard penalty was called on Johnson, pushing the ensuing kickoff back to the Bills’ 20-yard line. Kicker Dave Rayner then miss-hit the ball, trying to kick it deep. The result was what looked like an onside kick that traveled only 16 yards and gave the Jets a short field at the Buffalo 36-yard line.

Another personal foul penalty, on Bills’ defensive end Marcell Dareus, added 15 yards to a seven-yard pass from Sanchez to Greene on the next play. Three plays later, Burress (4 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD) answered Johnson’s antics with a 14-yard touchdown reception from Sanchez to tie the game, 14-14, with 1:03 remaining in the half.

The Bills went nine plays on 39 yards in 6:06 to start the second half, but stalled and punted for a touchback.

Sanchez then completed all three of his passes (for 53 yards) on an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard strike to Keller down the middle for a touchdown that gave New York its first lead, 21-14, with 3:50 left in the third quarter.

The advantage was brief though, as the Jets returned a Bills’ favor with their own miscue in the kicking game when Antonio Cromartie fumbled while filling in on a punt return for Jim Leonhard, who had the wind knocked out of him on an earlier tackle.

What would have been a Bills’ three-and-out ended up with a second chance at ironically, the Jets’ 36-yard line – giving Buffalo exactly the same length to go as New York had after Rayner’s short kickoff return in the second quarter.

Former Jet utility man Brad Smith (4 catches, team-high 77 yards, 1 TD) caught a 36-yard pass from Fitzpatrick on the next play to tie the game for a third time, 21-21, with 2:11 left in the period.

After New York went three-and-out while gaining no yards on three straight incompletions by Sanchez, the Bills went 47 yards on 14 plays in 6:52 to lead 24-21 on a 53-yard field goal by Rayner with 9:46 left in the game.

Each team then went three-and-out before Sanchez started his ninth career game-winning drive, taking the Jets 82 yards on 12 plays in 4:43.

Sanchez, who was just 11-for-27 before the drive started, completed six of eight passes for 61 yards to salvage the game and buoy his team’s playoff hopes.

“We have complete faith in Mark,” said Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan, who let 41-year-old backup Mark Brunell (no passes this year and only 43 over the past three seasons) take a few snaps with the first-team offense in an apparent effort re-focus an inconsistent Sanchez.

New York might have had to settle for a 53-yard game-tying field goal attempt if not for a brilliant catch by Burress, who spun around and made a terrific one-handed grab along the left sideline for an 18-yard gain to the Buffalo 18-yard line.

Two plays after that, Sanchez rolled to his right and threw on the run for a touchdown to a Holmes, who caught the ball along the right side of the end zone to close the scoring.

The Jets, whose previous win was an easy one (27-11) over the same Bills, in Buffalo, three weeks ago, still had to barely hang on after Holmes’ score.

However, perhaps bad karma  was at play in stopping the Bills and Johnson, who couldn’t come up with a few last-minute chances deep in New York territory after Johnson’s earlier end zone distastefulness aimed at Burress.

On the game’s final drive (which started at the Bills’ 27-yard line), Johnson had a clear path to get inside the New York 15-yard line and perhaps just a few yards from scoring. But, even though a Fitzpatrick pass from the Jets’ 47-yard line was right in his hands, Johnson dropped what should have been an easy catch at the Jets’ 22-yard line.

After a couple of Fitzpatrick scrambles moved Buffalo to the New York 24-yard line, Fitzpatrick threw behind Johnson in the end zone. Reaching back, Johnson was able to get both hands on the ball but couldn’t hang on to it.

Two more incompletions – intended for Smith, and then for Johnson in the end zone, as time ran out – sealed the deal for New York.

With five weeks left in their regular season and currently tied with Denver (6-5) and Tennessee (6-5) for the final AFC’s two wild-card spots, the Jets will try to stay on the winning track next week, when they visit Washington (4-7) at 1 pm ET next Sunday.

A mere six quarters of good football has returned the swagger to the New York Jets.

Just two weeks ago, the Jets entered their home locker room at halftime, trailing the San Diego Chargers, 21-10, facing the prospect of having a 3-4 record and a fourth loss in five games.

That’s when New York stormed back with a 17-0 second half to beat the Chargers and inch back over the .500 mark.

The Jets (5-3) continued that momentum in Orchard Park, New York on Sunday with their third straight win and first road win in four tries this season, in a convincing 27-11 win over their AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills (5-3).

And, just like that, in only a game-and-a-half, the brash Jets are suddenly talking again about taking hold of a division in which they are locked in a three-way tie for first place with Buffalo and arch nemesis New England (5-3), which pays a visit to MetLife Stadium on Sunday night – where the Jets are 4-0.

While New York’s defense shut Buffalo down (just 65 first-half yards allowed), the Jets offense stopped itself with a couple of turnovers and a missed field goal in the opening half.

After a Bills’ three-and-out to start the game, the Jets moved 87 yards on 15 plays, but only to have quarterback Mark Sanchez (20-28, 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack) throw an interception over the middle, in the end zone.

Two New York possessions later, Sanchez drove the Jets 44 yards on ten plays for the only points of the half, on a 49-yard field goal by kicker Nick Folk, with 2:55 left before halftime.

Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (15-31, 1 TD, 2 INT, 0 sacks, season lows of 191 yards and a 51.9 passer rating) was intercepted on each of the Bills’ next two possessions (first, by linebacker Calvin Pace, then by linebacker David Harris), but the Jets wasted good field position each time.

Pace’s pick resulted in a 50-yard missed field goal by Folk, and Sanchez dropped a snap that was recovered by Buffalo on the play after Harris’ interception.

The teams traded punts to start the second half before New York’s offense finally got into gear and scored on its next four possessions to put the game away.

The Bills punted from deep in their own end, setting the Jets up at the Buffalo 40-yard line. Four plays later, Folk kicked a 50-yard field goal to increase the Jets’ lead to 6-0, with 10:16 left in the third quarter.

Safety Jim Leonhard then recovered a fumble by running back Fred Jackson (18 carries, 82 yards) at the Bills’ 19-yard line on the next play from scrimmage.

Two plays later, Sanchez completed a pass to wide receiver Plaxico Burress (5 catches, 79 yards – both were team highs for the game as well as personal season highs), to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by running back LaDainian Tomlinson (5 carries, 18 yards, 1 TD), to extend the Jets’ lead to 13-0 with 8:34 left in the quarter.

Fitzpatrick then connected with wide receiver Stevie Johnson (3 catches, 84 yards) on a 52-yard completion on the third play of an eight-play, 74-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard field goal by kicker Rian Lindell which brought the Bills to within 13-3 with 4:47 left in the period.

Three plays later, after completions by Sanchez of 16 yards to tight end Dustin Keller (4 carries, 64 yards) and 13 yards to Burress, to midfield, cornerback Leodis McKelvin was flagged for a 42-yard pass interference call on wide receiver Santonio Holmes (3 catches, 29 yards, 1 TD).

Sanchez went right back to Holmes, who made a nice 8-yard touchdown grab over the middle, in traffic, on the next play, to give the Jets a 20-3 advantage with 3:27 left in the quarter.

A nine-play, 56-yard drive ended at the Jets’ 16-yard line when New York stopped Jackson on 4th-and-1.

From there, New York used 7:58 to cap a long 14-play, 84-yard drive on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by fullback John Conner (2 carries, 8 yards, 1 TD), his first touchdown of the season and the second of his career, to put give the Jets a commanding 27-3 lead with 6:27 to go in the game.

While he wasn’t featured much on the time-consuming drive, running back Shonn Greene led the Jets with 76 yards on 19 carries to help New York control the ball for 37:22 to Buffalo’s 22:08.

Wide receiver David Nelson (4 catches, 36 yards, 1 TD) caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick with 3:14 remaining, to end a ten-play, 75-yard drive. Fitzpatrick ran the ball in for a two-point conversion, but that’s as close as the Bills would get as the Jets were able to keep the ball on the ground to run out the final 3:09.

The win had New York talking a lot about taking down New England in a first-place showdown, when the Patriots (losers of two straight games after a 5-1 start that included a Week 5 home win over New York) visit the Jets on Sunday night at 8:20 pm ET.

The game will mark the first of two successive prime-time games for the Jets with a quick turnaround in between. After Sunday’s game, New York will head to Denver (3-5) to kick off at the same time on Thursday, November 17th, before the Jets return home to play the Bills again, the following week.

The Jekyll and Hyde New York Jets continue to love playing at home and their brash head coach seems to equally enjoy playing the San Diego Chargers.

While Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan may not have convinced many that he’d have won a pair of Super Bowls with the Chargers in the past, he once again was able to beat the coach who earlier beat him out for a head coaching job on the nation’s other coast.

Scoring the game’s final 17 points to erase a 21-10 halftime deficit against the Chargers (4-2), the Jets (4-3) won a second consecutive game at home for the second time this year (sandwiched around a three-game road losing streak), while cooling off hot San Diego, which entered Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday riding a four-game winning streak.

Storming back in the second half was necessitated by another slow start for New York, as San Diego’s defense accounted for the game’s first score on the fourth play from scrimmage when linebacker Donald Butler (4 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 TD), a California native, scooped up a fumble by Jets’ tight end Dustin Keller (4 catches, 53 yards, 1 lost fumble) after a four-yard reception and raced 37 yards for a touchdown to put San Diego ahead 7-0, just 1:49 into the game.

The Jets immediately answered with a 35-yard field goal by kicker Nick Folk, which capped an eight-play, 64-yard drive and pulled New York to within 7-3 with 8:25 left in the opening quarter.

But, two Chargers’ possessions later, San Diego turned the game’s second turnover into another touchdown after another California-born Charger stopped the Jets’ offense.

Safety Eric Weddle (6 tackles, INT) intercepted quarterback Mark Sanchez (18-33, 173 yards, 3 TD, INT, 2 sacks) at the San Diego 25-yard line, to cut short a New York drive that traveled 42 yards on seven plays.

Weddle’s pick sparked a 14-play, 75-yard trip which used 6:28 and culminated with a two-yard touchdown throw from quarterback Phillip Rivers (16-32, 179 yards, TD, 2 INT, sack) to tight end Antonio Gates (5 catches, 54 yards, TD, playing for the first time after missing three games) to extend San Diego’s lead to 14-3 with 12:11 left in the first half.

Again, the Jets responded with a score on their next possession, but only to have the Chargers counter with one of their own the next time they touched the ball.

New York embarked on its longest drive of the game, going 77 yards on eight plays to cut San Diego’s lead to 14-10 on a three-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to wide receiver Plaxico Burress (4 catches, 25 yards, 3 TD) with 7:18 left in the half.

The Chargers came right back with the game’s longest drive, going 87 yards on 11 plays in 5:56, to increase their lead to 21-10 on a one-yard touchdown plunge by running back Mike Tolbert (11 carries, 58 yards, TD) 1:16 before halftime Tolbert also had a key 29-yard run in the drive.

The second half was a far different story, as New York’s defense harassed and hurried the three-time pro bowler Rivers, who at one point, threw six straight incompletions during the third quarter while finishing the game with 128 passing yards below his season average.

San Diego punted on all three of their third-quarter possessions, during which they ran only 11 plays and gained a total of just 17 yards.

During the fourth quarter, the Chargers’ offense struggled even more, as Rivers was intercepted twice, each time, leading to a Jets’ score, before New York held San Diego on a final last-ditch drive.

New York’s offense meanwhile, took advantage of a short field to score three times in the second half.

A Jets’ drive of 43 yards on seven plays stalled at the Chargers’ 48-yard line, but punter T.J. Conley pinned San Diego at its own six yard line, from which the Chargers could gain nothing and were forced to punt.

A ten-play, 55-yard drive followed, finishing with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to Burress, that brought New York to within 21-17 with 2:57 remaining in the third quarter.

Two Chargers’ possessions later, Rivers’ first interception stopped a San Diego drive at the New York 17-yard line, as cornerback Darrelle Revis (2 tackles, INT) intercepted his third pass in two weeks and returned the ball 64 yards to the Chargers’ 19-yard line. Six plays later, Sanchez threw to Burress for another 3-yard touchdown pass that gave the Jets the lead for good, 24-21, with 8:41 left in the game.

Five plays later, Rivers was intercepted again, this time, by cornerback Kyle Wilson (2 tackles, INT), a New Jersey native playing in his home state, who returned the ball ten yards to the Chargers’ 47-yard line.

With running back LaDainian Tomlinson getting a rare start (and early exit due to flu symptoms) against his ex-team (with whom he was a five-time pro bowler) but struggling (just 5 carries for 14 yards on Sunday), the Jets used 3:47 to go 35 yards on nine plays, staying on the ground for five of those plays with running back Shonn Greene (20 carries, game-high 112 yards).

Folk finished the drive with a 30-yard field goal that pushed New York’s lead to 27-21 with 1:36 remaining.

Starting at the Chargers’ 24-yard line with no time outs left, Rivers desperately tried to rally his team for a last-minute, game-winning score.

He completed three straight passes to take San Diego to its own 49-yard line, but he threw incomplete twice, the second time, on fourth down, with just three seconds left.

Though he was limited and not involved that much in his team’s victory, the win was a memorable one in a couple of ways for Tomlinson, who was facing his former team for the first time since the Chargers let him go after the 2009 season.

“I’d be lying if I said this didn’t add some satisfaction,” he admitted. “Just moving on, you never really get to close that chapter until you face them, and the win makes it even better.”
Tomlinson also added three catches for 37 yards. His first, a six-yard reception prior to Folk’s first field goal, made the 2006 league MVP only the fourth running back in NFL history to reach 600 career receptions.
He was unable to find the end zone however, which prevented him from joining wide receiver Terrell Owens as the only players to score against all of the NFL’s current 32 teams.
Ryan, who can relate to the Chargers not wanting Tomlinson, credited his running back with giving all he could despite being sick. “Before the game, he was ill, it looked like NASCAR coming in,” Ryan said of Tomlinson. “Like getting four tires and gas, they were all working on him.”
Along with Tomlinson, Ryan again got the last laugh on Sunday after causing a media stir earlier in the week. Ryan, who was overlooked for the Chargers’ head coaching job in favor of San Diego’s current head coach Norv Turner in 2007, asserted on Wednesday that he would have pair of Super Bowl rings by now had the Chargers hired him instead of Turner.

While neither coach can claim a Super Bowl title yet, this was the second head-to-head meeting between the two as head coaches, with Ryan’s Jets taking both games, including a big divisional round playoff upset of Turner’s Chargers in San Diego two years ago.

Far from a clinic at times, the game featured 21 penalties (13 by the Chargers) for 155 yards (95 for San Diego), but it was certainly a win that New York, seeking its third straight AFC title game appearance (and more) will gladly take as it searches for more consistency.

The Jets now head into their bye week, presumably to try to figure out how to do on the road this season what they’ve only been able to do at home – win a football game.

New York finishes the season with five of its final nine regular season games away from home, starting with a trip upstate for the first of two meetings within four weeks with AFC East rival Buffalo (4-2) on Sunday, November 6th, at 1 pm ET.

There were several reasons New York Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan was looking forward to Sunday night’s showdown against his old defense on Sunday night.

First, it was Ryan’s first visit back to the place where he made a name for himself as a coordinator while building one of the NFL’s most feared defenses.

Second, Ryan wanted to pay back his former team for locking down his new team during the Baltimore Ravens’ 10-9 victory over the Jets’ in the teams’ season opener at the Meadowlands last year.

And, finally, after starting this season with a pair of home victories before losing in Oakland last week, and with a divisional showdown looming with New England next week, the Jets simply needed a win.

But, in an unconventional, record-setting game, Ryan’s offense couldn’t do much against his old team for a second straight year, during a 34-17 loss at M& T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

While the Jets got two returns for touchdowns and held the Ravens’ offense to just 13 points, 16 first downs, and only 267 total yards, New York’s offense was even more anemic in a game that featured seven turnovers and an NFL record five touchdown returns.

Last year, the Ravens (3-1) held the Jets (2-2) to just six first downs and 176 total yards.

This year, Baltimore was only slightly more generous in allowing eight first downs, but the Ravens were even stingier than a year ago when it came to yardage allowed, giving up just 150 total yards.

Baltimore came after New York quarterback Mark Sanchez (11-35, 119 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2 sacks) early and often.

On the Jets’ first play from scrimmage, Sanchez was hit by veteran pro bowl safety Ed Reed and fumbled. Linebacker Jameel McClain returned the loose ball six yards to give Baltimore a 7-0 lead 3:02 into the game.

Kick returner Joe McKinght however, took the ensuing kickoff back 107 yards to tie the game, 7-7.

The Ravens responded on their next possession, going 70 yards on nine plays for a 38-yard field goal by kicker Billy Cundiff, to take a 10-7 lead with 6:27 left in the opening quarter.

A Jets’ three-and-out on New York’s next drive, led to an eight-play, 59-yard drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown run by running back Ray Rice (25 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 64 yards), to give Baltimore a 17-7 lead with 1:14 left in the period.

In a game that saw over 50 points being scored, that was surprisingly the only touchdown scored from scrimmage.

Sanchez fumbled in New York territory on the Jets’ next possession, leading to another 38-yard field goal by Cundiff, which pushed Baltimore’s lead to 20-7 with 13:19 left in the first half.

The teams then traded punts before Sanchez fumbled again after another hit, as defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (a 2006 first-round pick by the Ravens) sacked the Jets’ battered quarterback, allowing linebacker Jarrett Johnson to race 26 yards with a fumble return that extended Baltimore lead to 27-7, with 8:11 left in the half.

While the Jets’ offense couldn’t score, their defense decided to put some points on the board instead.

Three plays after another New York three-and-out, Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco (10-31, 163 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2 sacks) was intercepted by linebacker David Harris, who returned the ball 35 yards for his first career score to trim Baltimore’s advantage to 27-14, with 6:17 remaining before halftime.

The Jets then forced a Ravens’ three-and-out before New York finally mounted its first scoring drive, going 25 yards on seven plays for a 40-yard field goal by kicker Nick Folk that drew the Jets to within 27-17, with 2:14 left in the half.

Neither team could move the ball much in the second half, as the only scoring of the half came on a 73-yard interception return by cornerback Lardarius Webb off of a Sanchez pass, with 8:49 left in the third quarter.

New York is in the midst of its first three-game road swing since 1982. Although they’ve had a lot of road playoff success each of the past two years, judging by the way the past two weeks have gone, if the Jets don’t turn things around at New England (3-1) next Sunday at 4:15 pm ET, they might hope for at least another 29 years before having to play three straight regular season road games again.

Once the current road stretch is done, the Jets will finally return to play at home (against Miami and San Diego) for two straight weeks before their bye week.

It had been way too long – 16 games, to be exact – since the last time the New York Jets’ offense scored a first-quarter touchdown.

Gang Green (actually clad in its throwback navy blue and gold uniforms in tribute to the franchise’s original New York Titans days) not only put the ball in the end zone in the opening period, but the Jets did so on the game’s initial drive on Sunday.

With New York’s defense allowing just 203 total yards while grabbing four interceptions (two by cornerback Antonio Cromartie), the game-starting score was all the Jets (2-0) needed in a convincing 32-3 throttling of the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

When the Jets win the pre-game coin toss, head coach Rex Ryan normally starts with his team’s strength and puts his defense on the field first.

On Sunday however, Ryan changed things up and the Jets’ offense quickly made Ryan look smart, needing just 3:23 to go 64 yards on six plays, taking a 7-0 on a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mark Sanchez (17-24, 182 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1 sack) to wide receiver Santonio Holmes (3 catches, 42 yards, 1 TD), who entered the game as questionable with a slight knee issue

Moments later, a very tough day for Jacksonville starting quarterback Luke McCown (6-19, 59 yards, 0 TD, 4 INT, 1 sack, 1.8 passer rating – a franchise record for the Jets’ defense) was just beginning

Three plays into the Jaguars’ first possession, the first NFL sack for rookie first round pick Muhammad Wilkerson (from Temple) resulted in the Jets’ next score as Wilkerson tackled McCown in the end zone for a safety, giving New York a 9-0 lead 4:27 into the game

Sanchez was then intercepted by New York City native, cornerback William Middleton, but the Jaguars went three-and-out (the first of nine times in 13 possessions that a Jacksonville drive lasted just four plays or less)

The Jets then punted and a 15-yard fair catch interference call gave the Jaguars the ball on their own 44-yard line, a break which Jacksonville used to go 20 yards for a 55-yard field goal by kicker Josh Scobee, to trim the Jaguars’ deficit to 9-3, with 3:02 left in the opening quarter

New York immediately answered, going 39 yards on eight plays, to push its lead to 12-3 on a 38-yard field goal by kicker Nick Folk, 1:32 into the second quarter.

Following another Jacksonville punt, Sanchez was picked off again, looking deep up the left side for Holmes, but on the next possession, Cromartie intercepted McCown.

That pick didn’t lead to any further damage for the Jaguars, but another interception (by safety Eric Smith (4 tackles, 1 INT) on the Jaguars’ next drive, resulted in a 45-yard field goal by Folk, putting the Jets up 15-3, with 26 seconds to go in the half

New York put the game out of reach on its second possession of the third quarter, with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to tight end Dustin Keller (6 catches, game-high 101 yards, 1 TD) that gave the Jets a commanding 22-3 lead with 3:50 left in the third quarter

Cromartie intercepted McCown again on the next drive, returning the ball 26 yards to the Jaguars’ 1-yard line, to set up a one-yard touchdown run by running back Shonn Greene (16 carries, team-high 49 yards, 1 TD) that gave New York a 29-3 advantage with 1:30 left in the third period.

McCown was picked off yet again on the very next play, by undrafted linebacker Josh Mauga, who retuned the ball 11 yards to the Jacksonville 18-yard line. That led to a 23-yard field goal by Folk to close the scoring with 14:03 left in the game, capping a run of 17 Jet points in a span of only 4:47.

While the Jets were of course pleased with the easy victory, there remains some concern over a high ankle sprain suffered in the game by center Nick Mangold, who has made the Pro Bowl each of the past three years. X-rays taken after the game were negative but Mangold will undergo an MRI on Monday

The win was New York’s second straight home victory to start the season, a beginning that was desperately important for the Jets who now embark on their only multiple-game road stretch of the season. A brutal AFC swing will take New York through Oakland next week, followed by trips to a pair of fellow Super Bowl contenders in Baltimore and AFC favorite and hated divisional rival New England.

Sooner or later in the young regime of head coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez, the New York Jets might realize how to put together more than one good half of football in an AFC title game.

And, they might even discover how to reach that game without having to do it the hard way.

For the second straight year however, an end to the Jets’ long Super Bowl drought wasn’t meant to be.

One year after New York surprisingly rode a five seed to the AFC championship game only to get outscored 17-0 in the second half of a 30-17 loss to Indianapolis, the sixth-seeded Jets (13-6) ran out of road miracles in a 24-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (14-4) after falling behind 24-0 late in the first half of this year’s AFC title game at Heinz Field on Sunday.

Several times this season, New York looked like it might be a team of destiny, and for a while, it again appeared that way against the now Super Bowl-bound Steelers.

Six times this year – including five times on the road, once in the playoffs, and once, five weeks ago against Pittsburgh – the Jets had rallied from second-half deficits to pull out unlikely victories.

This time, the hole was just too big for New York to dig out of despite a terrific effort that turned a first-half laugher into a serious situation for the Steelers down the stretch.

The physical Steelers took it to the Jets in the opening half, pushing the New York’s offensive and defensive lines around with ease.

Behind a stout defense and an unstoppable running game, Pittsburgh outgained New York, 231-50 (135-1 on the ground), and held the ball for 21:04 to New York’s 8:56, while getting 16 of the game’s 21 first downs during the first half.

The tone was set early, on the game’s first drive.

Although the Jets began a Week 15 win in Pittsburgh with a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Ryan decided to defer the opening kick, a decision for which New York would pay by subsequently allowing a long, punishing Pittsburgh drive.

The Steelers consumed 9:06 before the Jets touched the ball, going 66 yards on 15 plays to take a 7-0 lead on a first-down, one-yard touchdown plunge by running back Rashard Mendenhall, who rushed for a game-high 121 yards (95 in the first half) on 27 carries.

Pittsburgh then forced a punt on New York’s first possession and moved 55 yards to the Jets’ 32 yard-line, but a 4th-and-1 pass by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (10-19, 133 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT) deflected off of Mendenhall’s hands and was caught by linebacker Bryan Thomas for the first turnover of the game.

The Jets then had their first of three consecutive three-and-outs, the last of which, ended with what proved to be a decisive fumble return for a touchdown.

Before that, the Steelers would score on two straight possessions.

Pittsburgh went 60 yards on eight plays in 3:41, to lead 10-0, on a field goal by kicker Shaun Suisham with 6:54 left in the half, and traveled 66 yards on seven plays in 3:57 to extend its lead to 17-0 on a two-yard touchdown run by Roethlisberger with 2:05 to go in the half.

The backbreaker came three plays later for the Jets, as Sanchez (20-33, 233 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT) fumbled after being hit from behind on a blitz by cornerback Ike Taylor. The only New York turnover was scooped up by cornerback William Gay, who raced 19 yards into the end zone to give the Steelers what eventually became an insurmountable 24-0 lead with 1:13 remaining before halftime.

Sanchez, who left the field after the play, holding his non-throwing left arm in considerable pain, showed some great toughness, immediately directing the Jets on their first scoring drive of the game.

He completed four passes to move New York 44 yards on seven plays in just 1:04, to set up kicker Nick Folk for a 42-yard field goal attempt which hooked left before fading right, just inside the left upright.

The kick trimmed the Steelers’ lead to 24-3, nine seconds before halftime, and just as importantly, gave the Jets a much-needed emotional boost which they carried into the second half.

Taking the second-half kickoff, New York struck quickly, going 90 yards on five plays in just 2:47, with half of the drive coming on a 45-yard touchdown bomb up the right side to wide receiver Santonio Holmes (2 catches, 61 yards). The former Steeler whose game-winning catch as a Super Bowl MVP won Super Bowl XLIII for Pittsburgh, pulled the Jets to within 24-10, just 2:38 into the third quarter.

The play was just the beginning of a second half that flipped around New York’s disastrous first half and gave the Jets some realistic hope late in the game.

New York outscored Pittsburgh 19-0 and outgained the Steelers 239-56 after halftime.

Roethlisberger moved Pittsburgh 35 yards and into Jets’ territory, but he was intercepted by safety Brodney Pool, and New York took over at its own 14 yard-line.

The teams then traded punts, before the Jets embarked on their longest drive of the game, only to come away empty.

The Jets went 80 yards on 17 plays in 8:06, as Sanchez threw incomplete on second and third down before running back LaDainian Tomlinson (9 carries, 16yards) was stopped on 4th-and-goal with 7:44 left in the game.

However, with starting center Maurkice Pouncey lost to an injury earlier in the game, a bad exchange on the next play led to Roethlisberger covering the ball up in the end zone for a safety in the same end zone in which the Jets had a key safety in the fourth quarter that helped them beat the Steelers in Week 15.

Trailing 24-12, New York drove for another score to get even closer, going 58 yards on ten plays in 4:32, cutting Pittsburgh’s lead to 24-19, on a four-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (5 catches, 33 yards) with 3:09 remaining.

The Jets had all of the momentum and needed one more stop to give Sanchez and New York’s offense an opportunity to send the Jets back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1969.

But, it never came, as Roethlisberger, who hadn’t completed a pass In over 21 minutes, connected on a pair of 14-yard throws to clinch the win for the Steelers.

A completion to tight end Heath Miller (2 catches, team-high 38 yards) gave the Steelers a first down at the Jets’ 44 yard-line, and facing a 3rd-and-6 from the New York 40 yard-line with two minutes left, Roethlisberger completed to rookie wide receiver Antonio Brown (his only catch) for a first down to the Jets’ 26 yard-line.

Three Roethlisberger kneel-downs ran out the clock and ended the Jets’ dreams of once again defying long odds to reach their elusive Super Bowl.

The Steelers’ win marks the eighth straight year that one of this season’s top three AFC seeds, each with Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks – New England, Pittsburgh, and Indianapolis – has represented the AFC in the Super Bowl.

The Jets were trying to finish off beating that trio of teams on Sunday, after playoff wins over Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, and over Tom Brady in New England, to reach Pittsburgh.

Instead, it’s a fairly safe bet that New York Jet fans, some of whom have been waiting as long as 42 years to finally see their team back in the Super Bowl, might be thinking, “If only the Jets could have put together last year’s first half and this year’s second half over the past two AFC title games, we wouldn’t be waiting anymore.”

But, as Sanchez said after the loss, “You can’t play 30 minutes in a game of this magnitude.”

Next, year, the Jets will again try to win the AFC East and avoid the tough road route to the Super Bowl, especially after starting last season 7-7 and winning two road playoff games each of the past two years only to come a game short of the Super Bowl in each year.

Just after Brown’s catch gave the Steelers the final first down they needed, Ryan ripped the headset off his head and threw it to the ground in disgust.

Reflecting later on, he said “I believe in our football team… We’ve got a lot of heart… Our team is resilient… I’m proud of our guys. We played a good half, we just never played a good game… There’s obviously a huge amount of disappointment… [but] our goal for next year won’t change… we’re going to chase that Super Bowl until we get it, and then we’re going to chase it again.”

When asked if he would have toned down the Jets’ brash, trash-talking nature, he responded defiantly, “I’d change the outcome of this game, that’s the only thing I’d change. We’ll be back and you’ll see… this football team’s going to be good for a number of years.”

Quite possibly, as the future for the Jets appears bright. But, for now, the team that very prematurely boasted of winning the Super Bowl since being filmed on HBO during the preseason, ends its season for a second straight year the way It began – with hard knocks, indeed.

In addition to writing for New York Sports Day, Jon Wagner contributes at Pro Football NYC (www.profootballnyc.com) and Giants Football Blog (www.giantsfootballblog.com

The New York Jets don’t just talk trash like some teams. No, for them, it’s done in such a bold and brash manner, it’s more like “brash-talking.”

And, when you do as much “brash-talking” as the New York Jets have done, it sometimes takes shocking the football world to back it up.

The Jets (13-5) did just that on Sunday, with the biggest turnaround (49 points) from the regular season to the postseason, against the same opponent, in the same year, in NFL history.

Making it much bigger?

The Jets’ redemption came in the their biggest game of the season, against their fiercest rival – the New England Patriots (14-3) – who were nine-point favorites at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, after crushing the Jets on Monday Night Football, 45-3, just six weeks prior.

After a week of spewing their usual bluster in the Patriots’ direction, the sixth-seeded, “brash-talking” Jets returned to the same site where they suffered their most lopsided loss in 24 years to eliminate the Super Bowl favorite, top-seeded Patriots in stunning fashion, 28-21, in an AFC divisional playoff showdown.

It was a huge departure from New York’s last trip to Foxborough, Massachusetts, when Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan said after his team was embarrassed by New England in a Week 13 Monday Night Football battle for first place in the AFC East, “It was the game of the year… and the NFL deserved a better game than that, but we weren’t up to the task.”

This time, the Jets were, and then some, with quarterback Mark Sanchez (16-25, 194 yards) throwing three touchdown passes, while New York avoided a turnover and closely blanketed the same New England receivers who torched the Jets in the teams’ last meeting.

Everything about New York’s game on Sunday was different since that night – even the Jets’ uniforms, which included green pants, for a little psychological ploy to help the Jets (who wore white pants their last time in New England) forget all the 42-point drubbing they took the last time they were on the same field.

New England head coach Bill Belichick tried his own mind trick by trying to immediately put pressure on the Jets’ second-year quarterback, when he deferred the opening kickoff despite the Patriots being the highest scoring team in the NFL with 518 points (79 more than the next highest scoring team) this season and the seventh highest scoring team of all-time.

While the Jets punted on their first possession, the move was the first of several for the New England that would fail to make sense.

New York meanwhile, which confounded the Patriots’ offense by showing mixed coverages and a lot more zone looks than the man-to-man defense the Jets played in Week 13, set the tone early, by forcing the game’s only turnover on New England’s opening possession.

The Patriots drove 53 yards to the Jets’ 31 yard-line, but linebacker Calvin Pace (3 tackles, one sack) pressured Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady (29-45, 299 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) into just his fifth interception of the season, as linebacker David Harris picked Brady’s pass and returned it 58 yards to the New England 12 yard-line.

The Jets failed to capitalize as kicker Nick Folk missed wide left on a 30-yard field goal attempt, but Brady was rattled enough to know that unlike six weeks earlier, the Jets had arrived in New England to compete on Sunday – especially since prior to the interception, the Patriots had set an NFL record with just ten turnovers during the regular season.

New England then moved 63 yards on 11 plays, in 5:44, taking a 3-0 lead in a 34-yards field goal by kicker Shayne Graham, with 1:12 left in the opening quarter.

The Patriots outgained the Jets 104-36 in the period, but only had a slim lead to show for it.

The teams then traded punts before the Jets took their first lead in the second quarter.

After failing to score despite being in New England territory on their first three possessions, the Jets finally broke through on their fourth.

On 3rd-and-6 from the Patriots’ 45 yard-line, Sanchez completed a 37-yard pass to wide receiver Braylon Edwards (2 catches, 52 yards) to the Patriots’ 8 yard-line on the third play of a five-play, 54-yard drive.

That set up a 7-yard touchdown pass to running back LaDainian Tomlinson (10 carries, 43 yards), who on the play, scored his first postseason touchdown of his ten-year career, to put the Jets ahead, 7-3, with 10:24 left in the first half.

Again, the teams traded punts before the usually very composed Belichick gambled and gave New York an absolute gift.

Still trailing just 7-3, with the first half winding down, Belichick opted for a direct snap to Patrick Chung on 4th-and-4 from the Patriots’ 38 yard-line.

Chung fumbled and recovered, but the Jets took over at New England’s 37 yard-line and quickly took advantage of the short field.

Tomlinson ran 16 yards, and then six, to the Patriots’ 15 yard-line. Two plays later, Sanchez completed a short pass to Edwards, who scored on a 15-yard touchdown reception to give the Jets a 14-3 lead with 33 seconds left in the half, causing New England to play catch-up for the remainder of the game.

A Patriots team that finished with NFL’s best record was booed off field at halftime, having failed to score a touchdown in first half for first time since Week 4, when New England trailed 7-6 at the break before using some big special teams plays to win, 41-14, in Miami.

Each team punted twice to begin the third quarter before the Patriots finally scored their first touchdown to get back in the game.

Embarking on the longest drive of the game, New England went 80 yards on eight plays, in 3:51, with Brady throwing a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Algie Crumpler (3 catches, 39 yards, 1 TD), who dropped a pass in the end zone prior to the Patriots’ earlier field goal.

Fullback Sammy Morris then rushed to convert a two-point conversion to pull New England to within 14-11, with 13 seconds left in the third quarter.

But, the Jets quickly came right back on their longest drive the game, going 75 yards on five plays, in just 2:13, helped by a short pass over the middle that wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (game highs of 5 catches and 96 yards) took up the right sideline for 58 yards to the Patriots’ 13 yard-line.

Three plays later, Sanchez lofted a ball to the far left side of the end zone, where wide receiver Santonio Holmes (3 catches, 20 yards, 1 TD) made a brilliant catch that was reminiscent of his tip-toeing end zone grab to win Super Bowl XLIII for the Pittsburgh Steelers – ironically the last AFC team in the Jets’ path toward reaching Super Bowl XLV.

Outstretched, Holmes got his right knee down before dragging his left toe in the end zone while falling of bounds, to give the Jets a 21-11 lead with 13 minutes left in the game.

Sanchez, who has taken New York to the AFC title game in each of his first two years in the league, showed remarkable poise and patience for a 24-year-old quarterback who had eight turnovers for a team that was outscored by a combined 76-17 in Sanchez’s previous two visits to New England.

“I needed to be smart and take what [New England] gave me,” Sanchez said. He also added, that he couldn’t worry about hearing that he couldn’t win at Gillette Stadium, saying “When someone says you can’t [accomplish something], you want to do everything you can to prove them wrong.”

New York’s defense felt the same way.

While Sanchez avoided a sack, the Jets’ tight coverage created five sacks of Brady, two by defensive end Shaun Ellis and one each by Pace, defensive tackle Sione Pouha, and cornerback Drew Coleman (who was doubtful earlier in the week).

Shutting New England down was something not many had done this season, although the Jets did beat the Patriots at home, 28-14, in Week 2.

During an eight-game winning streak which the Patriots rode into Sunday’s game, New England allowed just 1.5 sacks per game and scored 37.4 points per game, while scoring no fewer than 31 points during that span.

After Sanchez’s third touchdown pass, the Patriots moved into Jets territory, but puzzlingly took their time doing so with a methodical lack of urgency.

New England went 48 yards on 14 plays, but ran the ball eight times, chewing up 7:45, perhaps in part, in deference to the fact that Brady had trouble finding open receivers all game. The Patriots ended the drive by foregoing a long field goal and instead, failing to convert on a 4th-and-13 pass from the Jets’ 34 yard-line.

The Patriots forced a three-and-out though, and moved 26 yards on seven plays, in just 1:32, for a Graham 35-yard field goal that brought New England to within 21-14, with 1:57 left.

However, once again bad decision making hurt the Patriots at the end of that drive. With just two time outs left, New England needed to kick the field goal prior to the two-minute warning, so the Patriots could use the official time out as a third time out and kick the ball deep on the ensuing kickoff.

Instead, the Patriots completed for one yard, to the right, to wide receiver Wes Welker (7 catches, 57 yards) on third down, on a route that didn’t give Welker a chance to get out of bounds and stop the clock.

New England appeared confused and unorganized in trying to get the kicking team on the field and boot the field goal prior to the two-minute warning.

As a result, the Patriots were forced to try an onside kick, and they paid dearly for it.

Fittingly, Antonio Cromartie, who had some heated, profanity-laced words through the media for Brady and the Patriots earlier in the week, made the play that sealed New England’s fate, by picking up the onside kick and returning it 23 yards to the Patriots’ 25 yard-line.

Just two plays later, running back Shonn Greene (17 carries, game-high 76 yards, 1 TD) scored on a 16-yard run to give the Jets an insurmountable 28-14 advantage, with 1:41 remaining.

Brady quickly drove New England 59 yards n seven plays, in just 1:17, cutting New York’s lead in half, to 28-21, on a 13-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver Deion Branch, with 24 seconds left, but the New Eric Smith recovered the ensuing onside kick and Sanchez took a knee to finish off one the greatest upsets in Jets’ franchise history.

Just after the clock expired, Edwards, who was arrested on a Driving While Intoxicated charge in New York City prior to the Jets’ Week 3 win in Miami, did celebratory back flips on the field.

All that was left then, was for the Jets to do some more talking. But then, after upsetting the NFL’s best to advance to with a game of the Super Bowl, they earned that right.

With a sarcastic dig at those who still compare his team to the Jets of old, Ryan said “So, we’re moving on, same old Jets, moving on to the AFC championship game two years in a row. The only difference is, we plan on winning this one.”

Not that the Jets didn’t try to win when they lost last year’s AFC title game in Indianapolis.

“I’m proud of the way the team played,” Ryan added. “Outstanding effort… we believed… we worked too hard to get back here, and we came here for a reason. We thought we were the better team. Clearly, that Monday night game, they were clearly head and shoulders better than we were. But, I knew that if we applied ourselves and we played the way we were capable of playing, we could beat ‘em, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Ryan, who limped down the sideline to congratulate Greene on his game-icing touchdown run, later added, “We’re trying to win a Super Bowl… we’ve still got a long way to go… but, maybe I’m not always wrong on everything I say.”

Linebacker Bart Scott, who came to the Jets with Ryan from Baltimore last year, angrily said, “Anybody could be beat! We know we’re a much better team than we came up [to New England] and represented ourselves [as in Week 13] and we were pissed off… people gave us no chance… we’re a good football team!”

He added, that the Jets played with anger for “All [of the] non-believers [who] disrespect us… [but] we’re the third best defense in the league! All we hear about is [the Patriots’] defense, 25th in the league, can’t stop a nose bleed, and we get disrespected!”

Looking ahead, the Jets’ link to the second-seeded Steelers (13-4) this season is as ironic as Holmes’ connection to his former team.

New York won in Pittsburgh, 22-17, in a Week 15 game that came down to a Steeler incompletion in the end zone on the game’s final play. It was the Jets’ only win during a four-game stretch that began with the Jets’ aforementioned loss in New England.

Without that win in Pittsburgh, all other results being the same, the Jets would have missed the playoffs.

Now, they get to return to the Steel City with the AFC title on the line.

Holmes warns that the Jets shouldn’t be taken lightly again, saying about his team’s upset over the Patriots, “All week long, we heard, ‘The Jets are going to lose.’ Guess what? We’re moving on to the AFC championship. See you in Pittsburgh.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30pm ET next Sunday, at Heinz Field.

Notes: The loss was the Patriots’ third straight in the postseason… New England became only the fourth team in NFL history to win at least 14 games and lose its first playoff game of the season… The Jets are trying to become the fourth team in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl with three straight playoff road wins in the same season… the last to do it was another New York team – the Giants, who ironically ended the Patriots’ attempt at a achieving a perfect 19-0 season three years ago… A bit more irony: the 2005 Steelers last accomplished the feat prior to the Giants, as a six seed (like the Jets are now)… if the Jets win Super Bowl XLV, they’ll have to beat history: the Steelers have won the most Super Bowls (6) of all time, while the NFC title game features the two teams with the most NFL titles in league history (Green Bay has 12, and Chicago 9).

In addition to writing for New York Sports Day, Jon Wagner contributes at Pro Football NYC (www.profootballnyc.com) and Giants Football Blog (www.giantsfootballblog.com).

Rest or rust?

The playoff-bound New York Jets (11-5) faced that age-old question in their 100th all-time meeting with the last-place Buffalo Bills (4-12) at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday.

Some teams opt for rest and avoiding potential injuries. Others prefer to throw that caution to the wind, in favor of playing their regulars and remaining sharp for the postseason. History suggests either option can be right.

With only a slim chance of moving up from a six seed to a five seed in the AFC playoffs, the Jets chose to rest many of their regulars.

Whether or not that was the right move remains to be seen in next week’s wild-card playoff round, but it certainly didn’t matter against Buffalo, as Gang Green Lite scored the first 17 points, and the final 21 points, to bury the Bills, 38-7, at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday.

Ironically, it was the Indianapolis Colts – the Jets’ playoff opponent next week – who rested players with a perfect season on the line last year, allowing the Jets to win their way into the playoffs, before eventually losing in Indianapolis in last season’s AFC title game.

The Colts’ last-second win over Tennessee, coupled with Kansas City’s loss to Oakland on Sunday, moved Indianapolis (10-6) up to the three seed, and into a playoff rematch with New York.

Benching several key starters for most or all of Sunday’s game against the Bills, the Jets dominated on both sides of the ball to win for just the second time in five games, while reaching eleven regular season wins for the first time in a dozen years.

New York’s offense got three touchdowns from backup quarterbacks Mark Brunell and Kellen Clemens, and a career-high 158 rushing yards from backup, rookie running back Joe McKnight.

Meanwhile, the Bills couldn’t score against the Jets’ defense, which forced six turnovers while allowing just six first downs and 162 total yards.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez played only the Jets’ first possession, without throwing a pass, to protect a slightly injured right throwing shoulder, and key Jet inactives included New York’s top two rushers, running backs Shonn Green and LaDainian Tomlinson, starting cornerback Darrelle Revis, and starting safety Eric Smith (who was previously a second-stringer, replacing the injured, usual starter Jim Leonhard, in recent weeks).

But, the Jets’ backups picked up the slack.

Veteran backup Mark Brunell (6-12, 110 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack) threw touchdown passes right before, and just after, throwing an interception that was returned for the Bills’ only score.

Later, Brunell’s backup, Kellen Clemens, one of three Jets (along with utility man Brad Smith) to play quarterback on Sunday, added a 10-yard touchdown run.

And, usual reserve, second-year cornerback Marquis Cole, who entered the game with just 17 tackles and no career interceptions or scores, led the Jets with six tackles and two interceptions, the first of which was returned for the game’s initial touchdown.

It was clear early, that it wouldn’t be Buffalo’s day, as the Jets caught a break on the opening drive of the game, when Buffalo wide receiver Stevie Johnson (5 catches, 72 yards) fumbled while trying to add extra yards to the end of a 33-yard reception to the Jets’ 18 yard-line.

The Jets recovered at their own 11 yard-line and keeping the ball solely on the ground, traveled 79 yards on 12 plays, using up exactly half of the first quarter, to take a 3-0 lead on a 28-yard field goal by Nick Folk, with 4:58 left in the first quarter. Utility man Brad Smith carried three times for 62 yards on the drive, including a nice 40-yard gain on an option run.

After the Bills’ first drive (which went for 55 yards, but which ended with Johnson’s fumble), Buffalo could get nothing going offensively for the rest of the game, with their own backups, Brian Brohm (whose only prior NFL start came last year, as a rookie) and rookie Levi Brown at quarterback.

Brohm, who was held to ten completions in 23 attempts, for 106 yards, was sacked three times, and threw three interceptions, while Brown went 2-for-3, for 24 yards, with an interception.

The Jets held the Bills to no more than 23 yards on any of Buffalo’s final twelve possessions, including eight single-yardage drives and five possessions that ended without positive yardage.

Early in the second quarter, linebacker Calvin Pace got in the face of Brohm, who sailed a weak pass that was intercepted by Cole and returned up the left sideline for 35-yard touchdown, to give the Jets a 10-0 lead with 9:07 left in the opening half.

Having completed just one pass (late in the first quarter) by the two-minute warning of the first half, the Jets finally moved the ball through the air with Brunell completing four of five passes during an 8-play, 59-yard drive that culminated with Brunell finding wide receiver Santonio Holmes (his only catch) on a 17-yard touchdown pass to the left, that extended the Jets’ lead to 17-0, with 15 seconds left in the half.

Three plays after halftime, safety Jarius Byrd intercepted a bad pass to the right flat by Brunell, and returned it 37 yards, to pull the Bills to within 17-7, just 1:44 into the second half.

But, Brunell rebounded two possessions later, with a 52-yard strike to wide receiver Braylon Edwards (his only catch), to put the Jets up, 24-7, with 6:41 left in the third quarter.

The Jets added two more scores in the final period, taking advantage of Bills’ interceptions each time (the first of those two picks was the second career interception for Pace).

A short, 5-play 27-yard drive ended with a 10-yard touchdown run by Clemens, and on the next possession, rookie fullback John Conner (8 rushes, 44 yards, 1 TD) closed the scoring by capping a 5-play, 34-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown run.

Giving McKnight 32 attempts, the Jets rushed 50 times in 66 plays and held a tremendous ground advantage of 276-37 yards.

With their full compliment of starters returning next week, the Jets, who rode a five seed to Indianapolis last year, will seek revenge against the Colts while trying to begin another playoff run as the AFC’s lowest seed at the same venue where New York’s playoff run ended last year.

The Jets will battle the Colts on Saturday night, at 8 pm, in Lucas Oil Stadium, on NBC-TV.

Rest or rust?

The playoff-bound New York Jets (11-5) faced that age-old question in their 100th all-time meeting with the last-place Buffalo Bills (4-12) at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday.

Some teams opt for rest and avoiding potential injuries. Others prefer to throw that caution to the wind, in favor of playing their regulars and remaining sharp for the postseason. History suggests either option can be right.

With only a slim chance of moving up from a six seed to a five seed in the AFC playoffs, the Jets chose to rest many of their regulars.

Whether or not that was the right move remains to be seen in next week’s wild-card playoff round, but it certainly didn’t matter against Buffalo, as Gang Green Lite scored the first 17 points, and the final 21 points, to bury the Bills, 38-7, at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday.

Ironically, it was the Indianapolis Colts – the Jets’ playoff opponent next week – who rested players with a perfect season on the line last year, allowing the Jets to win their way into the playoffs, before eventually losing in Indianapolis in last season’s AFC title game.

The Colts’ last-second win over Tennessee, coupled with Kansas City’s loss to Oakland on Sunday, moved Indianapolis (10-6) up to the three seed, and into a playoff rematch with New York.

Benching several key starters for most or all of Sunday’s game against the Bills, the Jets dominated on both sides of the ball to win for just the second time in five games, while reaching eleven regular season wins for the first time in a dozen years.

New York’s offense got three touchdowns from backup quarterbacks Mark Brunell and Kellen Clemens, and a career-high 158 rushing yards from backup, rookie running back Joe McKnight.

Meanwhile, the Bills couldn’t score against the Jets’ defense, which forced six turnovers while allowing just six first downs and 162 total yards.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez played only the Jets’ first possession, without throwing a pass, to protect a slightly injured right throwing shoulder, and key Jet inactives included New York’s top two rushers, running backs Shonn Green and LaDainian Tomlinson, starting cornerback Darrelle Revis, and starting safety Eric Smith (who was previously a second-stringer, replacing the injured, usual starter Jim Leonhard, in recent weeks).

But, the Jets’ backups picked up the slack.

Veteran backup Mark Brunell (6-12, 110 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack) threw touchdown passes right before, and just after, throwing an interception that was returned for the Bills’ only score.

Later, Brunell’s backup, Kellen Clemens, one of three Jets (along with utility man Brad Smith) to play quarterback on Sunday, added a 10-yard touchdown run.

And, usual reserve, second-year cornerback Marquis Cole, who entered the game with just 17 tackles and no career interceptions or scores, led the Jets with six tackles and two interceptions, the first of which was returned for the game’s initial touchdown.

It was clear early, that it wouldn’t be Buffalo’s day, as the Jets caught a break on the opening drive of the game, when Buffalo wide receiver Stevie Johnson (5 catches, 72 yards) fumbled while trying to add extra yards to the end of a 33-yard reception to the Jets’ 18 yard-line.

The Jets recovered at their own 11 yard-line and keeping the ball solely on the ground, traveled 79 yards on 12 plays, using up exactly half of the first quarter, to take a 3-0 lead on a 28-yard field goal by Nick Folk, with 4:58 left in the first quarter. Utility man Brad Smith carried three times for 62 yards on the drive, including a nice 40-yard gain on an option run.

After the Bills’ first drive (which went for 55 yards, but which ended with Johnson’s fumble), Buffalo could get nothing going offensively for the rest of the game, with their own backups, Brian Brohm (whose only prior NFL start came last year, as a rookie) and rookie Levi Brown at quarterback.

Brohm, who was held to ten completions in 23 attempts, for 106 yards, was sacked three times, and threw three interceptions, while Brown went 2-for-3, for 24 yards, with an interception.

The Jets held the Bills to no more than 23 yards on any of Buffalo’s final twelve possessions, including eight single-yardage drives and five possessions that ended without positive yardage.

Early in the second quarter, linebacker Calvin Pace got in the face of Brohm, who sailed a weak pass that was intercepted by Cole and returned up the left sideline for 35-yard touchdown, to give the Jets a 10-0 lead with 9:07 left in the opening half.

Having completed just one pass (late in the first quarter) by the two-minute warning of the first half, the Jets finally moved the ball through the air with Brunell completing four of five passes during an 8-play, 59-yard drive that culminated with Brunell finding wide receiver Santonio Holmes (his only catch) on a 17-yard touchdown pass to the left, that extended the Jets’ lead to 17-0, with 15 seconds left in the half.

Three plays after halftime, safety Jarius Byrd intercepted a bad pass to the right flat by Brunell, and returned it 37 yards, to pull the Bills to within 17-7, just 1:44 into the second half.

But, Brunell rebounded two possessions later, with a 52-yard strike to wide receiver Braylon Edwards (his only catch), to put the Jets up, 24-7, with 6:41 left in the third quarter.

The Jets added two more scores in the final period, taking advantage of Bills’ interceptions each time (the first of those two picks was the second career interception for Pace).

A short, 5-play 27-yard drive ended with a 10-yard touchdown run by Clemens, and on the next possession, rookie fullback John Conner (8 rushes, 44 yards, 1 TD) closed the scoring by capping a 5-play, 34-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown run.

Giving McKnight 32 attempts, the Jets rushed 50 times in 66 plays and held a tremendous ground advantage of 276-37 yards.

With their full compliment of starters returning next week, the Jets, who rode a five seed to Indianapolis last year, will seek revenge against the Colts while trying to begin another playoff run as the AFC’s lowest seed at the same venue where New York’s playoff run ended last year.

The Jets will battle the Colts on Saturday night, at 8 pm, in Lucas Oil Stadium, on NBC-TV.

It ironically took a visit to a tough place to play, against a first-place team with a good defense, for the New York Jets to finally make a couple of return trips to a place they hadn’t been in a while.

That place was the end zone, which the Jets hadn’t visited since Thanksgiving.

And, it was the same place the Jets had to keep the Pittsburgh Steelers out of, in the final seconds at Heinz Field on Sunday.

Just going to a site where they had never won (0-7 all-time) seemed like one of the last road trips the Jets would want to take while trying to right their season, coming off two bad losses, and a week of dealing with an NFL investigation (over last week’s Sal Alosi “Tripgate” scandal).

But, the Jets (10-4) were able to put a rough couple of weeks behind them, and rallied from a seven-point third-quarter deficit in light snow, to upset the Steelers (10-4), 22-17, at Heinz Field on Sunday, and get back on track toward their playoff push.

Shaking off a 17-for-44 performance in a home loss to Miami last week, Jets’ quarterback Mark Sanchez (19-29, 170 yards, 0TS, 0 INT, 1 sack) led two second-half scoring drives – one to tie the game, and another to put New York ahead to stay – before the Jets’ defense held on to keep the Steelers out of the end zone on the game’s final play.

New York got off to a great start thanks to Brad “Swiss Army Knife” Smith, whose nickname represents the utility player’s ability to do a little bit of everything on the field.

This time, the big-play Smith returned the game’s opening kickoff 97 yards, to put the Jets ahead, 7-0, just twelve seconds into the game.

The score broke a string of 122 minutes and 42 seconds since the Jets’ previous touchdown, also on a kickoff return by Smith, three games ago, during a Thanksgiving night win over Cincinnati.

It would stay that way until the Steelers tied the game, 7-7, with 7:29 left in the first half, on a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (23-44, 264 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks – two by cornerback Drew Coleman), to tight end Matt Spaeth (3 catches, 27 yards, 1 TD), who was filling in for injured star tight end Heath Miller. The play capped a long, 16-play, 96-yard drive that consumed 8:12.

The Jets answered, traveling 56 yards, on 9 plays, to take a 10-7 lead on a 25-yard field goal by kicker Nick Folk, with 2:48 left in the half.

The Steelers though, went 53 yards, on 10 plays, to tie the game again, 10-10, on a 42-yard field goal by kicker Shaun Suisham, 33 seconds before halftime.

Pittsburgh then took the opening kickoff of the second half and took its only lead of the game, going 9 plays and 74 yards, in 5:55, to go ahead, 17-10, on two-yard touchdown run by running back Rashard Mendenhall (17 carries for a game-high 100 yards).

The Jets though, scored on each of their next two possessions, to lead for good.

Sanchez capped a 66-yard, 8-play drive with a brilliant fake. Sanchez got the whole Steeler defense to bite on a fake hand-off up the middle. With the defense distracted, Sanchez rolled out to his left, and walked untouched, into the end zone, to tie the game, 17-17, with 5:14 to go in the third quarter.

The trickery pulled off nicely by Sanchez, ended a streak of 185 minutes and 37 seconds since the Jets’ last offensive touchdown, also in the win over Cincinnati.

Then, after the Jets’ defense forced a punt, Sanchez marched New York 50 yards on 13 plays, in 6:47, for a Folk field goal that put the Jets ahead, 20-17, with 10:07 left in the game.

Jets’ punter Steve Weatherford, who had three punts downed inside the Steelers’ 20 yard-line, set up the final points of the game, with a punt to the Pittsburgh 1 yard-line.

On the next play, running back Mewelde Moore was tackled before he could get out of the end zone, by linebacker Jason Taylor, for the Jets’ second safety in four games, to put New York ahead, 22-17, with 2:38 remaining.

The Jets then took the ensuing free kick and went three-and-out, taking just 28 seconds off the clock before punting.

Pittsburgh drove 82 yards to the New York 10 yard-line, with nine seconds left.

But, Roethlisberger threw incomplete over the middle with two seconds left, and then, under pressure, rolled left, and threw incomplete, looking for Spaeth in the left side of the end zone on the game’s final play.

Answering critics who started talk of another late-season Jet collapse after two straight losses, the Jets’ always outspoken head coach, Rex Ryan, sarcastically said after the game, “Same old Jets, we come to Pittsburgh and get a win.”

With emboldened playoff hopes, the Jets will travel to Chicago next week, to face the Bears (9-4), who will first play the Vikings, on Monday night, in the first outdoor game in Minnesota since 1981, after the Vikings’ Metrodome roof imploded under heavy snow and ice last week.

New York would clinch a playoff berth next week under any of the following scenarios: a win or tie in Chicago, a loss or tie by Indianapolis, a loss or tie by Jacksonville, or a Kansas City loss coupled with a San Diego win or tie.

The Jets also remain a longshot for the AFC’s top playoff seed. To earn that, the Jets need to win twice and see two losses by New England along with either a Baltimore loss or two Pittsburgh wins.

In addition to writing for New York Sports Day, Jon Wagner contributes at Pro Football NYC (www.profootballnyc.com) and Giants Football Blog (www.giantsfootballblog.com).