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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- When the New York Jets traded
Keyshawn Johnson, they figured they'd need several receivers to
fill the void. Little did anyone know that a defensive back would
be in the mix.
|  | | Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde helped his club in the big-play department Sunday in their victory over Buffalo. His 45-yard TD pass to end the first half was key. |
Cornerback Marcus Coleman caught a 45-yard scoring pass from
Vinny Testaverde on the final play of the first half Sunday,
breaking a tie and lifting the Jets to a 27-14 victory over the
Buffalo Bills.
"We work on that play every Friday, so I knew there was a
possibility we would run it," Coleman said of his spot on the
Jets' alley-oop pass unit. "I was surprised that no one was on me
as I ran down the middle. Once the ball was in the air, I don't
care who was around me, I think the ball is mine."
The Jets, 3-0 for the first time since 1966, relied on
Testaverde's fourth-quarter heroics to win their first two games.
This time, along with Kevin Williams' 97-yard kickoff return in the
first quarter, the big plays came in the first half.
Testaverde said he asked the coaches to include the 6-foot-2
Coleman in the alley-oop pass unit when the play wasn't working
with 5-10 Wayne Chrebet and 5-9 Dedric Ward in training camp.
"He would make a great receiver if the coaches allowed him to
play both ways," Testaverde said of Coleman. "He was the guy I
was looking for."
Coleman, a starter on defense, caught his first NFL pass,
outleaping four Bills defenders surrounding him in the back of the
end zone, giving the Jets a 21-14 halftime lead. The play came
after the Bills scored on a 74-yard pass from Rob Johnson to Jeremy
McDaniel that tied the score with 1:07 remaining.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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The Jets won this game -- to start the season an impressive 3-0 -- largely because of improved special-teams play. Meanwhile, Buffalo again had difficulty running the football. This has been a problem for them so far this season.
The Jets didn't run it a whole lot better in this game, but it was good enough to take some pressure off Vinny Testaverde.
The Jets' special-teams play hasn't been especially good up to this point. But that changed in this game, and it helped the Jets gain a victory.
For Buffalo, Rob Johnson had a another strong game with nearly 300 yards, but he did throw a key interception.
This is a big win for Al Groh, who's seeking to establish himself as the Jets head coach. You have to give the Jets credit for an entire team effort -- good enough on offense, very good on defense and much-improved special-teams play.
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Bills coach Wade Phillips said Coleman's catch "turned the game
around completely."
"We had the game going our way," he said. "We had the crowd
out of it going into the half. We should have everybody back on the
goal line. They should be waiting for the ball instead of
jumping."
The victory left the Jets alone in first place in the AFC East,
while the Bills lost for the first time after opening the season
with two victories at home. Next Sunday, New York plays the
Buccaneers -- and Keyshawn Johnson -- in Tampa, Fla.
After Buffalo scored a touchdown on its first possession,
Williams sprinted down the sideline to tie the score 7-7.
"It happened early, but playmaking is contagious, so I was
hoping we would make more," said Williams, who missed most of last
season with a life-threatening throat infection. "But I can't harp
on one play. Just like you do with a bad play, you have to forget a
good play."
The Bills drove 80 yards in 12 plays on their first possession.
Johnson passed to Eric Moulds for the final 3 yards after hitting
tight end Jay Riemersma three times for 48 yards on the drive.
Riemersma later left the game with a jammed knee, and his status
was uncertain.
Williams' kickoff return and Curtis Martin's 5-yard TD run made
it 14-7, and Buffalo's offense fizzled after its quick start,
making just one first down on four possessions.
But late in the half, McDaniel got behind the Jets defense for
the TD pass from Johnson, tying the score 14-14.
The Jets, using short passes and their two remaining timeouts,
reached the Buffalo 45, where Testaverde spiked the ball with four
seconds left. From there, he lofted the ball into the end zone to
Coleman, and the Bills never caught up.
New York scored twice after halftime on field goals by John
Hall, and the Bills were hurt in the second half by a blocked field
goal, two failed referees' challenges and three lost fumbles, two
by punt returner Chris Watson.
"We shot ourselves in the foot too many times," Bills safety
Keion Carpenter said. "Take away the pass and the kickoff return,
and we played a pretty good game."
Game notes
Rob Johnson was 21-for-36 for 291 yards. Testaverde was
16-for-32 for 188 yards. ... Buffalo LB Corey Moore left the game
with a sprained ankle. ... The Jets started 3-0 in 1966, but
finished 6-6-2. ... The last Jets kickoff return for a touchdown
was 101 yards by Leon Johnson against Tampa Bay on Dec. 14, 1997.
... Jets punter Tom Tupa had a 70-yarder, the second-longest of his
career since he had a 73-yarder at Denver for New England in 1997.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Buffalo Clubhouse
NY Jets Clubhouse
Week 3 wrap-ups
Week 3 infirmary report
TJ's Take on Week 3
Week 3 stats leaders
Prime Time Players
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Al Groh says the Jets got a total team effort on Sunday.
wav: 108 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Vinny Testaverde says the Jets hoped to have a chance in the fourth quarter.
wav: 170 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Wade Phillips says the Bills hurt themselves with mistakes on Sunday against the Jets.
wav: 133 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Marcus Coleman says his TD catch fired up the Jets.
wav: 143 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Vinny Testaverde says the TD just before halftime gave the Jets a big lift.
wav: 253 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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