New York Jets do just enough to remain in hunt for wild card

The New York Jets knew what they had to do Saturday night to remain in the AFC wild card race.

With little to no room for error, the Jets won their fourth consecutive game by slogging past the Cowboys 19-16 at AT&T Stadium.

“It’s good to string some games together,” 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 type of teams if we can keep it up.”

New York (9-5) moved a half-game ahead of Kansas City and Pittsburgh, both 8-5, for the time being. The Chiefs and Steelers each play today.

Should all three teams win out, the Jets would be the ones left out of the postseason. That’s why they couldn’t afford a slip-up at the hands of the sputtering Cowboys.

A sputtering Jets offense struggled in short yardage and didn’t take full advantage of Cowboys turnovers.

After the Cowboys had tied the game 16-16 on Dan Bailey’s 50-yard field goal with 1:55 left, New York quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick did take his team 58 yards to on the game-winning march.

Most of it came on Fitzpatrick’s 43-yard strike to receiver Kenbrell Thompkins down the sideline. A series of runs set up Randy 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.

Bullock delivers

The problems that led to Bullock’s departure from Houston popped up again.

Bullock missed his third PAT of the season in the second quarter after New York’s first touchdown.

Bullock missed two extra points in the first three games, becoming the first kicker waived after the NFL went to the longer PAT. The former Texas A&M kicker was signed by the Jets in November.

Bullock, who also missed a field goal at the end of the first half, did have the last laugh. His 40-yarder with 36 seconds was the difference.

“He came back and made the game-winner and that says a lot about the guy,” Bowles said.

Bryant vs. Revis

The matchup between Dez Bryant and Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis didn’t lead to many fireworks.

Bryant was targeted nine times and had four catches for 50 yards. Bryant did score the Cowboys’ lone touchdown. Revis had an interception in the first half against Cowboys starter Matt Cassel, who had lost his balance on the play and tried to throw the ball away.

Jets exploited

Cowboys 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.

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 11:31 PM with the headline "New York Jets do just enough to remain in hunt for wild card."