Plays That Defined 2021: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

Was Joe Flacco elite?

Welcome to Plays That Defined 2021! This ain’t your usual game recap. Here’s what to do. Pretend you’ve just written a novel and it’s time to select the cover art. You want a single picture that tells the reader what it’s all about, right? That’s the deal here. Vote for the play that best tells the “story” of this game. Which GIF is the best “cover art” for…

Week 10: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

Buffalo had just played down to an inferior opponent. Like, way down. Way, waaaaaaaay down. They were determined not to let it happen twice in a row and it didn’t happen. The Bills traveled down to New Jersey and tuned up on the Jets in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score suggested. And the final score was 45-17 in case you forgot.

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Stefon Diggs’s 57-yard catch (Q2, 1:53)

Josh Allen had an efficient day, averaging over 13 yards per attempt, and over 17 yards per completion. The Jets allowed 366 passing yards. Stefon Diggs had 162 of them. He wrapped up this drive with a touchdown as well. Not a bad day.

Micah Hyde’s forced fumble (Q2, 0:22)

Buffalo had just scored a touchdown to go up 17-3 with the first half winding down. It wasn’t a blowout yet, and the Jets were clinging onto hope. Nearing midfield, Mike White completed this 28-yard pass, giving the Jets a good shot at a score before the half. Micah Hyde laughed at their hubris.

Tre’Davious White’s interception (Q3, 11:56)

Coming out of the half, Buffalo quickly scored another touchdown to go up 23-3. The Jets needed to act quickly if they wanted to avoid embarrassment. On the first offensive play out of the locker room, Mike White was picked off by Tre’Davious White. Why two turnovers to choose from? Because the Jets turned it over five times. Every time they wanted to try clawing back in, they found themselves in a deeper hole.

Matt Breida’s rushing touchdown (Q3, 10:47)

It was a big day for the running backs, with Matt Breida, Devin Singletary, and Zack Moss all scoring a rushing touchdown. Isaiah McKenzie had one for good measure too. Breida’s represent the group as he also caught a Josh Allen touchdown pass to open the day. It was an efficient day for the backs, at 5.8 yards per carry. Breida was also the highlight there, though he only rushed three times for the record. Also, shout out to Reggie Gilliam on this one.

Joe Flacco’s touchdown throw (Q4, 2:16)

Is there anything that tells the tale of a blowout better than this? The backup quarterback tossing a meaningless touchdown against other backups. If you were outside raking the last of the leaves or taking a nap at this point and missed this, no one would have blamed you as this game was over.

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This vote should be a lot more fun than last time: