Buffalo Bills shake off bad weather to beat Jets

After a week of frightening weather and an abbreviated practice schedule, the Buffalo Bills played one of their best games of the season.

Kyle Orton threw two touchdown passes, Robert Woods pulled off a slick one-handed catch and Scott Chandler added a snow-themed celebration as the Bills shook off a rough week and drubbed the New York Jets 38-3 on Monday night.

Heavy snow in the Buffalo area moved the game to Detroit, but there were plenty of Bills fans in attendance at Ford Field. Buffalo (6-5) couldn’t even practice before arriving in Michigan on Friday, but it was the Jets (2-9) who looked out of sorts all night.

Orton threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Woods in the first quarter, and the second-year receiver’s one-handed catch set up another touchdown in the second. Chandler caught a 19-yard scoring pass from Orton to make it 14-3 late in the half, and then mimicked a shoveling motion in the end zone.

Chandler needed a snowmobile to get out of his neighborhood before the team traveled to the Detroit area, and the Bills faced logistical issues for several days. Tickets to the game were given out for free, and although Ford Field wasn’t quite full, the crowd of 56,044 created a solid atmosphere in prime time.

It was Buffalo’s second victory of the year in Detroit - the Bills beat the Lions in early October. The field was repainted for this game, with Buffalo’s team logo at midfield and “BILLS’’ in both end zones.

And that familiar Bills version of The Isley Brothers’ “Shout’’ was played periodically over the loudspeaker.

Woods made a nice twisting catch in the end zone for the game’s first touchdown, and his one-handed grab was even more impressive. It wasn’t on the same level as Odell Beckham Jr.’s touchdown the previous night for the New York Giants, but Woods was able to secure a 27-yard pass along the sideline with one hand, helping set up Chandler’s touchdown.

Buffalo broke the game open in the third with 17 points. Boobie Dixon blocked a punt and Manny Lawson recovered it in the end zone, and Fred Jackson added a 5-yard touchdown run.

Michael Vick went seven of 19 for 76 yards for the Jets before being replaced by Geno Smith in the third quarter. The Jets missed a great chance at the end of the first half, when the Bills inexplicably let Eric Decker slip behind the defense and Vick’s pass sailed inches beyond the receiver’s grasp. Buffalo is a game out of a wild card in the AFC.

Orton went 24 of 32 for 230 yards. Woods caught nine passes for a career-high 118 yards. Dixon’s 30-yard run in the fourth made it 38-3.

AP