By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY The Buffalo Bills, protecting a three-point margin, had just run for one first down and were positioned to keep it on the ground for another as they faced second-and-5 at their 27 with 2:06 left. The Jets had burned their first timeout.
"I probably was like most people," Favre said, "thinking they were going to run the clock out and we were going to be saying, 'What if?' "
Instead, the Bills find themselves answering the question all teams dread.
What if coach Dick Jauron had not suddenly abandoned the run for a play-action pass? And what if backup quarterback J.P. Losman had not fumbled?
Defensive end Shaun Ellis snared the loose ball, lumbering 11 yards for a score that gave the Jets an improbable 31-27 victory and kept them tied for the AFC East lead at 9-5.
"All I could say," said Favre, "is 'Wow!' "
BOX SCORE: Jets 31, Bills 27
New York had seemingly stamped itself as the class of the AFC when it obliterated the previously undefeated Tennessee Titans 34-13 on Nov. 23. Then the Jets put themselves in a must-win predicament with consecutive losses against the Denver Broncos (34-17) and the San Francisco 49ers (24-14).
They were far more lucky than good vs. Buffalo (6-8), which lost for the seventh time in eight games.
"One of the things that I've stressed is that it doesn't matter how we get to the final result, which is a win," Jets coach Eric Mangini said, "because it could come a lot of different ways."
In this case, it came as an early Christmas present from the visitors. With Buffalo having already run for 187 yards, that ill-fated second-and-5 pass from the Bills' 27 was all but gift-wrapped.
"It's on my shoulders," Jauron said, adding, "There are a lot of things that can happen, and the worst one did."
Losman failed to do his part, which was to make sure he maintained possession as he rolled to his right, away from blitzing safety Abram Elam.
Jauron chose to blame himself: "It's on my shoulders to protect him and keep him from that situation."
The coach could not be blamed for Darrelle Revis' interception on the next play from scrimmage after the fumble. Losman imploded with four last-quarter turnovers, a fumble and three picks.
"It's kind of like in baseball," Favre said. "When you get a little punch and Judy right over the first baseman's head, the box score doesn't say 'punch and Judy.' It says single. A home run is a home run. A win is a win."
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