DETROIT (AP) – Robert Woods caught a 7-yard touchdown pass and set up another score with a spectacular grab, leading the Buffalo Bills to a 14-3 halftime lead over the New York Jets on Monday night.
The game was moved from Buffalo to Ford Field after parts of western New York received about 7 feet of snow. It attracted a sold-out crowd that had filled much of the stadium by the end of the first quarter. The field was marked with Bills logos and the scoreboard used Buffalo’s graphics.
The Bills started their first drive at the New York 44 after a 27-yard punt by Ryan Quigley, and Kyle Orton’s TD pass to Woods stopped Buffalo’s streak of six straight red-zone drives without getting into the end zone.
The Jets went three-and-out on their first two drives, but Jeremy Kerley’s 41-yard punt return gave them the ball at the Buffalo 37 for their third possession. Corey Graham dropped an interception in the end zone, and Nick Folk kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it 7-3.
Buffalo’s defense got off to a strong start, holding Michael Vick to 42 yards passing and sacking him three times, and the offense added to the lead near the end of the half.
Woods made a great play to earn his fifth reception. He appeared to get his left arm tangled a bit with a defender, so he reached up with his right, gently bobbling the ball at first before controlling it with that one hand for a 27-yard gain.
That put Buffalo in New York territory, and Orton hit Scott Chandler for a 19-yard TD pass to make it 14-3. Chandler celebrated the touchdown by pretending to shovel snow.
Vick missed what should have been a 69-yard TD pass with 6 seconds left in the half, overthrowing Eric Decker on a blown coverage.
Both teams have coordinators who are used to coaching at Ford Field – Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was the Lions’ head coach in 2001-2002, including the team’s first season in downtown Detroit, and Buffalo defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz coached the Lions from 2009-2013.
Schwartz, who had his players carry him off the field when Buffalo won 17-14 in Detroit on Oct. 5, was booed when he came onto the field before the game.
Monday was the second time that Ford Field had been used as a replacement venue. On Dec. 13, 2010, the Vikings hosted the Giants in Detroit after the Metrodome roof collapsed during a snowstorm.
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