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WATCH: Bills CB Taron Johnson makes beautiful game-clinching interception vs. Jets

Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson secured his team's victory by intercepting an Aaron Rodgers pass in the closing moments of Week 6.

Kyle Silagyi

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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Buffalo Bills nickel defender Taron Johnson made a major impact in his heavily anticipated return from injury, securing what would prove to be a game-clinching interception in the closing moments of the team's Week 6 Monday Night Football matchup with the New York Jets.

New York was driving with roughly two minutes remaining in the contest, the scoreboard reading 23-20. Aaron Rodgers dropped back just before the two-minute warning and attempted a deep pass to wide receiver Mike Williams; the veteran fell when attempting to re-adjust to the throw, and Johnson took advantage of the awkwardly placed ball by diving forward to pick up his first interception of the year. The pick gave Buffalo the ball back with two minutes on the clock; the Bills ran out the clock to secure the victory and move to 4-2 on the season.

You can watch the full clip below:

Buffalo’s Week 6 win over the Jets was Johnson’s first appearance since the first quarter of the team’s Week 1 clash against the Arizona Cardinals, a game in which Johnson was injured on just his seventh snap. He left that game and did not return, with the team floating the idea of placing him on injured reserve in the days following the ailment. Placing him on injured reserve would have made him ineligible until Week 6 at the earliest; initially optimistic regarding his timeline, the Bills ultimately decided against placing him on IR, though, in hindsight, the timeline would have been identical.

The length of time it took Johnson to return to the lineup is ultimately irrelevant, as he was uber-impactful in his return. He tallied eight tackles in addition to the game-clinching pick, even making an impressive run stop on running back Breece Hall in the second quarter. The reigning second-team All-Pro’s absence had been felt, particularly over the past few weeks; he’s already making his presence clear, something he’ll only continue to do as he further reacclimates to the lineup.

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Kyle Silagyi
KYLE SILAGYI

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