Buffalo Bills 24, New York Jets 20: James Cook III hat trick and late TD drive lift Buffalo at MetLife

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - The Buffalo Bills steadied themselves after a defensive gut punch and edged the New York Jets, 24-20, in a tight Week 2 divisional battle. Quarterback Josh Allen threw two first-quarter touchdowns to James Cook III, who later added the game-sealing score on the ground. The Jets surged back behind Justin Fields and a 65-yard pick-six by Michael Carter II, but Buffalo's balance and red-zone execution proved decisive.

Game Recap

Buffalo burst to a 14-0 lead as Allen twice found Cook for identical 6-yard touchdowns. New York halved the deficit when Carter II jumped a route and raced 65 yards for a score, and Nick Folk drilled a 19-yard field goal just before halftime to make it 14-10.

The Jets drew within one on Folk's 34-yard kick in the third before Buffalo answered with a 38-yard field goal from Tyler Bass. Early in the fourth, Fields hit Allen Lazard for a 31-yard touchdown to briefly put New York ahead, 20-17. The Bills responded with a composed march capped by Cook's 3-yard plunge, and their defense closed it out from there.

Key Stats

Allen finished 20-of-30 for 224 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while taking what the defense gave him. Cook produced a complete performance-18 rushes for 102 yards and a touchdown, plus five catches for 33 yards and two scores. Tight end Dalton Kincaid added 83 receiving yards, and Khalil Shakir chipped in 42. Buffalo dominated situational football with four red-zone trips yielding three touchdowns and a field goal, and the Bills posted four sacks.

For the Jets, Fields went 13-for-16 for 134 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 68. Lazard caught five passes for 103 yards and a score; Breece Hall totaled 131 scrimmage yards. New York's defense produced two interceptions (Carter II's pick-six and one by Quinnen Williams), but the offense went 0-for-4 on red-zone touchdowns.

Quotes

"We knew it would be a four-quarter game. The answer drive in the fourth is what we practice for," Allen said. "Coach told me to reset after the fumbles and keep running downhill. The line finished it on that last drive," Cook said. "That pick-six gave us life," Carter II said. "We needed one more takeaway or stop in the red zone to flip it."

Up Next

The Bills return to Orchard Park for a showdown with the Miami Dolphins. The Jets hit the road to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.