The New York Jets battled Sunday in Buffalo, giving themselves a chance to level the score late, but came up short in a 20-12 loss to the AFC-leading Bills.
Gang Green had a chance to sweep the season series, but two fumbles stymied its bid on the road. Jets head coach Robert Saleh said after the loss that his club missed an opportunity for a win but he believes there will be a third round of the fight to come in January.
"Obviously, I love our guys. They fight their tails off," Saleh said. "I think I speak for everyone in that we missed an opp. We're going to see these guys again. I just think we are."
That's about as close to a playoff guarantee as Saleh can get. A third matchup this season would mean the 7-6 Jets make the postseason. They currently sit in the No. 8 seed following the Chargers' Sunday night victory over Miami and could be leapfrogged by New England if the Patriots win Monday night.
"I think our team is good enough," Saleh said of why he's confident in the Jets' chances. "Obviously, it's week to week. But we've got a good football team."
The Jets defense stymied Buffalo much of the game, holding a potent Bills offense to just 232 total yards and 4.3 yards per play Sunday. The defensive line flustered Josh Allen, holding him to just 147 passing yards at 5.4 yards per attempt. But the star QB made enough plays, finding Dawson Knox for a TD late in the first half and rumbling for the deciding score in the third quarter.
New York's offense actually moved the ball better than Buffalo for stretches, particularly in the fourth quarter, but couldn't punch it into the end zone. A Michael Carter fumble late hurt the Jets' chances to complete the comeback.
Quarterback Mike White displayed his toughness, returning twice after getting injured on bone-crushing hits. The QB went to the hospital after the game for a precautionary checkup but traveled home with the team. White, playing through heavy pressure, showed mettle, standing in and taking shot after shot, throwing for 268 yards on 27-of-44 passing.
White returning in the fourth quarter after taking a massive shot from Bills linebacker Matt Milano stunned his teammates.
"He's an f------ soldier," Carter told the New York Post. "No disrespect to Zach (Wilson) or Joe (Flacco), but it's really cool to play with him. I love him."
The locker room comments about the quarterback stand in stark contrast to the talk about Wilson before the second-year signal-caller's benching.
"I told him I love him, and I appreciate him," offensive lineman Conner McGovern said of White, per the Post. "The epitome of what hopefully everyone in this locker room is willing to do to win."
White's insertion into the lineup has jumpstarted the Jets offense and, with a stellar defense, gives Gang Green a chance to make a playoff push. But New York needs to do more than battle for close losses down the stretch against Detroit, Jacksonville, Seattle and Miami to make Saleh's prediction of a rematch against Buffalo a reality.