WATCH: Most glaring Week 1 numbers for New York Jets
The New York Jets lost their season opener to the Buffalo Bills, 17-16, in stunning fashion Sunday afternoon, conceding 17 unanswered points after building a 16-0 lead in the middle of the third quarter. It’s a tough loss to swallow for a Jets team that came into this season with such high expectations, but losses like this one are a true test of resiliency.
Gang Green will look to rebound against the Cleveland Browns next week on Monday Night Football, but before we look ahead, let’s take one last look at the team’s Week 1 game; this time, by the numbers.
2
Le’Veon Bell’s two-point conversion in the third quarter was only the second two-point make in his career. Including Sunday’s successful conversion, the 27-year-old is now a perfect 2-for-2 on two-point attempts in his career.
3
Sunday’s loss marks the third time in franchise history in which the Jets blew a lead of at least 16 points against the Buffalo Bills and lost.
4
Kicker Kaare Vedvik kept four points off the board by missing a point-after attempt and a 45-yard field-goal try. The embattled kicker’s missed opportunities ultimately sealed Gang Green’s fate Sunday afternoon, as the four points he failed to score would have had the difference.
The Jets won the turnover battle against the Bills, 4-to-1, Sunday afternoon, becoming the first team since the 2006 Arizona Cardinals to both force four turnovers and blow a 16-point lead in a loss.
6
Not including the two-point conversion, the Jets scored just six points on offense against the Bills on Sunday, marking the ninth time in Adam Gase’s coaching career in which his offense has scored six points or fewer in a game aside from two-point conversions.
14
Jamison Crowder’s 14 receptions against the Bills set a new career-high for the 26-year-old wideout and tied him with Al Toon for the franchise record for receptions in a single game. Toon, who played for New York for his entire career (1985 to 1992), accomplished the feat during the 1988 season.
17
The Jets conceded all 17 unanswered points after losing C.J. Mosley to injury in the middle of the third quarter.
Sam Darnold targeted Jamison Crowder on 17 of his 41 attempts Sunday afternoon, the highest number of passes he’s thrown to one receiver in a single game. Crowder’s 17 targets were also his career single-game high, obliterating his previous career-high of 13 (Week 8, 2016).
23
Le'Veon Bell got his hands on the ball 23 times against the Bills, which wasn’t far off from his single-game career average. The two-time All-Pro running back has averaged about 25 touches (19.8 rushing attempts, five receptions) per contest throughout his career.
28 and 4.3
Sam Darnold completed a career-high 28 passes against the Bills on Sunday afternoon but averaged just 4.3 yards per attempt. The latter marks a new career low for Darnold and is the lowest single-game game average he’s recorded since Week 7 of the 2018 season.
67
Le'Veon Bell didn’t want Adam Gase to hold him back against the Bills and, to the coach’s credit, he was true to his word. Gang Green ran 67 offensive plays against Buffalo Sunday afternoon and Bell was on the field for every single snap.
97.4
The Jets had a 97.4 percent win probability, according to ESPN, after going up 16-0 with 7:59 left in the third quarter. Said win probability was the highest one-time mark of any team that lost on Sunday.