The Buffalo Bills closed their 53-year chapter at Highmark Stadium with a 35-8 demolition of the New York Jets on January 4, sending backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky into the playoff picture with four touchdown passes and Ray Davis out the door with 151 rushing yards.
Josh Allen took one snap to extend his starting streak to 135 games before heading to the sideline with a sore right foot. Trubisky stepped in and shredded a Jets defense that had already packed it in for the season, finishing 22 of 29 for 259 yards without an interception. Buffalo’s dominant performance in front of 70,944 fans secured the No. 6 seed and set up a wild-card matchup against Jacksonville.
The Jets finished 3-14 in their first year under head coach Aaron Glenn, becoming the first team in NFL history to complete a season without a defensive interception while setting a new record low with just four total takeaways.
Table of Contents
Trubisky’s Complete Performance
The backup signal-caller posted a 142.1 passer rating while spreading the ball to eight different receivers. He found Dawson Knox for a 17-yard touchdown at 8:17 of the first quarter, connected with Ty Johnson on a 6-yard score at 11:43 of the second quarter, then hit Gabe Davis from 2 yards out twice in the second half.
Passing Statistics:
| Quarterback | Team | C/A | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | Y/A | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Trubisky | BUF | 22/29 | 259 | 4 | 0 | 0-0 | 8.9 | 142.1 |
| Brady Cook | NYJ | 11/22 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 1-7 | 2.7 | 71.4 |
Knox’s 17-yard touchdown reception triggered $200,000 in performance bonuses, pushing him over 400 yards receiving for the season and giving him his fourth scoring catch. Davis hauled in five passes for 54 yards to go with his two scores, while Dalton Kincaid paced all receivers with 48 yards on three catches.
Complete Receiving Stats (Buffalo):
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Average | TDs | Long | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton Kincaid | 3 | 48 | 16.0 | 0 | 26 | 3 |
| Gabe Davis | 5 | 54 | 10.8 | 2 | 18 | 7 |
| Keon Coleman | 2 | 49 | 24.5 | 0 | 37 | 4 |
| Dawson Knox | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 1 | 17 | 2 |
| Ray Davis | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Ty Johnson | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 1 | 14 | 2 |
| Reggie Gilliam | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| Keleki Latu | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| Joshua Palmer | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Jackson Hawes | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
For the Jets, undrafted rookie Brady Cook made his fourth consecutive start and struggled badly, completing just 11 of 22 passes for 60 yards. Isaiah Williams led New York’s receivers with 24 yards on five catches.
Complete Receiving Stats (New York):
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Average | TDs | Long | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Williams | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 0 | 13 | 7 |
| John Metchie III | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Quentin Skinner | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Khalil Herbert | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Andrew Beck | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Kene Nwangwu | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Davis Rips Through Jets for 151 Yards
Ray Davis averaged 7.2 yards per carry, turning 21 attempts into 151 yards as Buffalo dominated on the ground. The running back repeatedly gashed New York’s front seven with runs of 17, 15, and 14 yards, helping the Bills pile up 211 total rushing yards.
James Cook carried just twice for 15 yards, but those carries pushed his season total to 1,564 yards to maintain his lead in the NFL rushing race heading into the final week. Ty Johnson added a 6-yard rushing touchdown on a direct snap and chipped in 13 yards on three carries.
Rushing Performance:
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Average | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Davis | BUF | 21 | 151 | 7.2 | 0 | 17 |
| Khalil Herbert | NYJ | 12 | 42 | 3.5 | 0 | 7 |
| James Cook | BUF | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 10 |
| Ty Johnson | BUF | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 1 | 6 |
| Kene Nwangwu | NYJ | 6 | 18 | 3.0 | 0 | 6 |
| Brady Cook | NYJ | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 0 | 5 |
| Reggie Gilliam | BUF | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 0 | 5 |
| Mitchell Trubisky | BUF | 5 | 5 | 1.0 | 0 | 5 |
| Arian Smith | NYJ | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 |
The Jets managed just 69 yards on 23 carries. Khalil Herbert led New York with 42 yards on 12 attempts, but the ground game never threatened Buffalo’s defense.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
Buffalo scored in every quarter except the fourth, when Trubisky’s work was done and the Bills were content to run out the clock.
Scoring Summary:
| Quarter | Time | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 8:17 | Trubisky 17-yard TD pass to Knox (Prater kick) | BUF 7-0 |
| 2nd | 11:43 | Ty Johnson 6-yard TD run (Prater kick) | BUF 14-0 |
| 2nd | 4:58 | Trubisky 2-yard TD pass to Davis (Prater kick) | BUF 21-0 |
| 3rd | 7:46 | Trubisky 2-yard TD pass to Davis (Coleman 2-pt conv) | BUF 29-0 |
| 4th | 12:05 | Trubisky 6-yard TD pass to Johnson (kick failed) | BUF 35-0 |
| 4th | 7:33 | Cook 2-yard TD pass to Beck (Skinner 2-pt conv) | BUF 35-8 |
Score by Quarter:
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Buffalo Bills | 7 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 35 |
The Jets were shut out through three and a half quarters. By the time Brady Cook found Andrew Beck for a 2-yard touchdown with 7:33 remaining, the outcome had been decided for hours.
Defensive Domination
Buffalo’s defense held New York to just 122 total yards, limiting the Jets to four first downs and 63 yards of offense in the first half. Dorian Williams led all tacklers with eight stops, while T.J. Sanders recorded the Bills’ only sack.
Defensive Leaders (Buffalo):
| Player | Total | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorian Williams | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Joe Andreessen | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Larry Ogunjobi | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keonta Jenkins | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Sanders | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Phidarian Mathis | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AJ Epenesa | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Darnell Savage | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Lewis | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Javon Solomon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defensive Leaders (New York):
| Player | Total | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keidron Smith | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malachi Moore | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre Brown | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamien Sherwood | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Samuel Womack III | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jermaine Johnson | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quincy Williams | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Phillips | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Keidron Smith finished with a game-high 15 tackles for New York, but the Jets’ defense couldn’t generate pressure or turnovers. The unit that became the first in NFL history to finish a season without an interception went quietly in the finale.
Complete Team Statistics
Buffalo outgained New York 470-122 and controlled possession for more than 38 minutes. The Bills converted third downs at a modest rate (6 of 13) but dominated on fourth down (3 of 5) and in the red zone (5 of 6).
Full Team Comparison:
| Category | New York Jets | Buffalo Bills |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 122 | 470 |
| Plays | 46 | 72 |
| Yards per Play | 2.7 | 6.5 |
| First Downs | 9 | 30 |
| Passing First Downs | 5 | 16 |
| Rushing First Downs | 3 | 13 |
| First Downs by Penalty | 1 | 1 |
| Third Down Conversions | 5/13 (38%) | 6/13 (46%) |
| Fourth Down Conversions | 1/3 (33%) | 3/5 (60%) |
| Passing Yards | 53 | 259 |
| Completions/Attempts | 11/22 | 22/29 |
| Yards per Pass | 2.3 | 8.9 |
| Rushing Yards | 69 | 211 |
| Rushing Attempts | 23 | 43 |
| Yards per Rush | 3.0 | 4.9 |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 1/1 (100%) | 5/6 (83%) |
| Penalties | 4-27 | 3-28 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Fumbles Lost | 0 | 0 |
| Interceptions Thrown | 0 | 0 |
| Time of Possession | 21:40 | 38:20 |
| Total Drives | 8 | 9 |
Special Teams:
| Category | New York | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Kickoff Returns | 5-142 (28.4 avg) | 1-22 (22.0 avg) |
| Punt Returns | 0-0 | 1-2 (2.0 avg) |
| Punts | 5-211 (42.2 avg) | 0-0 |
| Field Goals | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Extra Points | 0/0 | 3/3 |
Isaiah Williams handled five kickoff returns for the Jets, averaging 28.4 yards. Ray Davis had Buffalo’s lone kickoff return, bringing it back 22 yards. Keon Coleman fielded one punt for 2 yards.
Austin McNamara punted five times for New York, averaging 42.2 yards with one punt downed inside the 20. Buffalo didn’t punt once.
Historic Lows for Jets
New York’s season ended with historically bad numbers that will define Aaron Glenn’s first year at the helm. The Jets became the first team in NFL history to finish without a defensive interception. Their four total takeaways shattered the previous record low of seven set by San Francisco in 2018.
The five-game losing streak to end the season was marked by unprecedented futility. New York became the first team to lose five consecutive games by 23 or more points in a single season, getting outscored 188-54 over that stretch.
“The only thing I can think about is moving on to next year. I let the players down. I let the organization down, and that burns me,” Glenn said after the loss. “But here’s what I do know: I know the reason why I came here, and I am not gonna waver.”
Fourth-year defensive end Jermaine Johnson didn’t sugarcoat the collective failure. “This has definitely been the worst season I’ve been a part of as a team. Key word, a ‘part.’ I got my hands in it. My hands are bloody. Everybody’s hands are bloody in this.”
Stadium Farewell and Playoff Picture
The 70,944 fans who packed Highmark Stadium stayed long after the final whistle, singing along to “Mr. Brightside” and “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Hall of Famers Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Andre Reed addressed the crowd before kickoff, while 100-year-old coach Marv Levy delivered a video message at halftime.
“It’s only in Buffalo you get that,” cornerback Tre’Davious White said. “That’s why this place is so special, and that’s why people want to come here.”
Buffalo moved across the street to their new $2.1 billion stadium for the 2026 season. The victory against New York gave Highmark the sendoff it deserved after 53 years.
The win, combined with the Los Angeles Chargers’ loss to Denver earlier that day, moved Buffalo from the No. 7 seed to the No. 6 seed. That set up a wild-card round matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, marking the third playoff meeting between the franchises.
Jacksonville won both previous postseason matchups, including a 30-27 victory in Jim Kelly’s final game in 1996 and a 10-3 win in 2017 when Buffalo ended a 17-year playoff drought. The Bills traveled to Jacksonville for the wild-card game on January 12 looking to flip that script.
New York secured the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft with the loss, giving the organization a chance to add elite talent after a season that will go down as one of the worst defensive performances in league history.
