2015 Season - Week #10

Buffalo @ New York Jets

                                    1         2         3         4         FINAL

BUFALO                    0         10       7         3         20

NEW YORK              0         3         7         10       23

NEW JERSEY – The AFC East battle for the Empire State went down to the wire as the New York Jets (4-5, 2-1 AFC East) took out the Buffalo Bills (4-5, 1-3) in MetLife Stadium Thursday night.

The Buffalo offense followed the script of most of their first half of the season games with a hot start to the game. Aaron Rodgers led the team to a 17-3 lead that could have easily been more. But missed field goals and turnovers allowed a hungry Jets team to stay in it.

“For us, it’s about being able to finish games the right way,” Rex Ryan said. “We are a good team – we just need to start grinding out the end of games.”

With their offense stymied late in the second quarter, New York coach Todd Bowles made a bold call to allow Cam Newton to take full control of the play-calling at the line of scrimmage in what is now being called the ‘J-Gun’ by some pundits. Newton, with an empty backfield and five receivers at his disposal, began to slowly dissect the Buffalo defense while effectively negating their pressure.

“I’ve been begging for this control all year,” Newton said. “We’re a patient group and then make our move when it’s open downfield.”

Newton ended the day with 378 yards through the air which included a 42-yard strike to tight end Orson Charles that put the team in position to kick the game-winning field goal after running down the clock in Buffalo territory.

Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Todd Gurley had a game to forget on the ground, picking up only 17 yards on 15 carries. The first year sensation from Georgia was visibly upset in the locker room after the game.

“I just want a chance man,” Gurley said. “I want to be able to get us going on the ground and I didn’t do it today.”

Dan Carpenter struggled again for the Bills with a pair of misses, including a crucial push with 5:10 left in the 4^th quarter that would have given his team the lead.

The Jets travel to Houston to take on the Texans next week while the Bills travel to Foxboro to take on the Patriots (8-1, 2-1).

Miami @ Philadelphia

                                    1         2         3         4         FINAL

MIAMI                      7         7         2         8         24

PHILADELPHIA    0         10       0         7         17

PHILADELPHIA – The Miami Dolphins (4-5, 2-2 AFC East) controlled the Philadelphia Eagles in all three phases of the game Sunday with an impressive 24-17 road victory.

The Miami duo of Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael piled up 232 rushing yards and an astounding 36-minute edge in time of possession for the game. Rookie fullback Roosevelt Nix scored twice and picked up two 4^th-and-one conversions for the team.

“When we grind it out and take care of the ball, we can hurt you,” Nix said. “That defense we got puts fear into people. We want to bring that same hitting power to our O (offense) too.”

While on the field, albeit for a short period of time, the Dolphin defense yielded only 177 total yards, sacked Sam Bradford three times, and picked up a safety on the day after a 62 yard punt inside the 5-yard line by rookie special-teamer-of-the-year candidate Matt Darr.

“I love putting our defense in a position to be successful,” Darr said. “I definitely see our unit (punt team) as a potential scoring weapon for that scary group of defenders we have.”
The Dolphins will look to get back to the .500 mark at home against the Dallas Cowboys.