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 "It's good to string some games together," New York Jets coach Todd
Bowles said. "Playoffs or not, we have to string some games
together. It's a good time to start playing some good football. It
wasn't pretty today, all of them are not going to be pretty, but
good teams win the ugly games.
"We're on our way to becoming one of those types of teams if we can
keep it up."
The Jets improved to 9-5 after their fourth consecutive win despite
an uneven showing in all three phases of the game. New York are
one-half game up in the AFC wild-card standings over Kansas City and
Pittsburgh, which are both 8-5 and play on Sunday.
Jets kicker Randy Bullock atoned for a missed extra point and field
goal by nailing a 40-yarder with 36 seconds remaining for the win.
"He came back and made the game-winner and that says a lot about the
guy," Bowles said.
The Cowboys had tied the game at 16-16 on Dan Bailey's 50-yard field
goal with 1:55 left.
New York quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick moved the offense 58 yards,
most of it coming on a 43-yard strike to little-used receiver
Kenbrell Thompkins down the sideline. A series of runs set up
Bullock's game-deciding kick.
"When we had to have it at the end there, I thought our guys stepped
up and made some great plays," Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick completed 26 of 39 passes for 299 yards, with one
touchdown and an interception.
Jets receiver Brandon Marshall had 74 yards on four catches. Fellow
receiver Eric Decker had 55 yards on six receptions, including a
three-yard score that put New York up 16-13 earlier in the fourth
quarter.
The Jets have AFC East rival and defending Super Bowl champions New
England next week at home.
"We have to clean up a lot of things before we get to them," Bowles
said.
The Cowboys fell to 4-10 and were officially eliminated from playoff
contention. Dallas' only postseason hope was winning the NFC East.
That is impossible now, despite the other three teams in the NFC
East sporting losing records (6-7) going into Sunday.
The Cowboys began the season with Super Bowl aspirations.
"For us, this year that's not going to happen," coach Jason Garrett
said. "That doesn't diminish the work we put in, the competitive
nature of our football team and the fight that everyone
demonstrated."
Dallas made it a game behind backup quarterback Kellen Moore, who
saw his first live game action since starring at Boise State. The
fourth-year pro nearly overcame three picks by leading the Cowboys
to 13 points after replacing starting quarterback Matt Cassel, who
was ineffective in four series.
Moore finished 15 of 25 for 158 yards. His final interception sealed
the Jets' victory.
"Take the good with the bad," Moore said. "At the end of the day we
didn't do enough good things to win, but we did have some good
things happen out there."
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Garrett did not commit to Moore starting next week at Buffalo.
Dallas running back Darren McFadden ran for 100 yards against the
league's top rushing defense. The Jets came into the game allowing
less than 80 yards rushing per game. Dallas had 133.
Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant (four catches for 50 yards) had the
team's lone touchdown.
Moore had the Cowboys in position to extend their 10-9 halftime lead
midway through the third quarter. Facing a second-and-goal from the
six, Moore locked in on Bryant but was intercepted by safety Calvin
Pryor in the back of the end zone.
Fitzpatrick gave it right back.
Dallas cornerback Terrance Mitchell, signed from the practice squad
Friday, had his first career interception two plays later.
Bailey followed with a 38-yard field goal for a 13-9 advantage.
The Cowboys came out aggressive on the game's opening drive, using
misdirection plays like an end around to receiver Lucky Whitehead
that went for 33 yards.
But once in the red zone, the Jets held firm. A pair of
incompletions by Cassel forced Dallas to settle for Bailey's 27-yard
field goal.
On the next possession, Cassel gave New York a gift. After losing
his balance on a pump fake, Cassel tried to throw the ball away, but
instead lofted it into the waiting hands of cornerback Darrelle
Revis.
The turnover did not end up costing the Cowboys. The Jets drove
inside the five-yard line, but Dallas got the ball back after
stuffing running back Chris Ivory on fourth-and-1.
The Jets did not stall on their next march. They went 60 yards, with
backup running back Bilal Powell going the final 12 yards for the
first touchdown of the night. Bullock missed the extra point.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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