FOURTH QUARTER
Third-and-wrong
The Bills entered the game ranked fourth in the NFL on third down. They weren’t good enough on the pivotal drive of the game. The Jets converted three third-and-short situations on their 14-play drive to a field goal. It put them ahead, 26-17, and iced the victory.
Brett Favre hit Jerricho Cotchery for a 6- yard gain on third-and-3 from the Jets’ 29. On third-and-1 from the Jets’ 44, Favre threw a swing pass to the right to Thomas Jones for 1 yard. On third-and-1 from the Bills’ 23, fullback Tony Richardson ran up the middle for 3 yards. Overall the Jets were 5 of 11 on third downs (45 percent).
Key play: Jabari Greer’s 42-yard interception return for a TD got the Bills back in the game.
Second-guess: The game should not have been this close. The Jets had a 13-point lead, 23-10, entering the quarter. After Rian Lindell’s 43-yard field-goal try sailed wide left they were in control. But instead of running clock with the ground game, Favre lobbed up a pass down the left sideline that Greer turned into a “Pick Six” for the Bills. Why?
