Detroit: Overcoming a week that saw snow bury their home region, the Buffalo Bills shook off the disruptions and routed the New York Jets 38-3 Monday at Detroit.
The massive snowstorm killed at least 14 people and trapped thousands of people in their homes for a week while warming weather now threatens flooding for people who endured the equivalent of a year’s amount of snow in only two autumn days.
The Bills missed days of practice as their home stadium was buried in snow and the league elected to move the game from Buffalo to the Detroit Lions’ vacant domed stadium home and push it back one day.
In Monday’s regularly scheduled NFL contest, the Baltimore Ravens defeated host New Orleans 34-27.
The Bills’ game was delayed so the snow-struck squad could have an adequate chance to practice, but it was the Jets who appeared to need extra work.
Buffalo’s Kyle Orton threw for 230 yards and two first-half touchdowns as the Bills grabbed a 14-3 half-time edge. Fred Jackson and Anthony Dixon each ran for second half touchdowns and Manny Lawson recovered a blocked Jets punt in the end zone for another touchdown.
The Bills improved to 6-5 and kept pace with American Conference rivals, one game out of a playoff position with five games remaining.
The Jets slid to 2-9 as Michael Vick managed to complete only 7-of-19 passes for 76 yards before limping off the field after a third-quarter interception. Geno Smith, playing for the first time in a month, completed 10-of-12 passes for 89 yards but like Vick was unable to produce a touchdown.
At New Orleans, the Ravens rallied from a 17-14 half-time deficit to defeat the NFC West-leading Saints.
Ravens defender Will Hill returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown to break a 17-17 deadlock and give Baltimore the lead for good.
Justin Tucker added a 55-yard field goal for the Ravens but Shayne Graham answered with a 34-yarder to pull New Orleans within a touchdown with 6:33 to play.
Baltimore responded with a march downfield capped by Justin Forsett’s 20-yard touchdown run for a 34-20 advantage with 2:53 to play. Forsett, who scored on a 13-yard run in the second quarter, carried 22 times for 182 yards.
Drew Brees answered with his third touchdown pass for New Orleans, a 2-yarder to Jimmy Graham with 40 seconds remaining, but the Ravens recovered an onside kick attempt to gain possession and seal the triumph.
The Ravens improved to 7-4, matching Pittsburgh and Cleveland just behind AFC North division leader Cincinnati’s mark of 7-3 with one drawn.
Despite the Saints falling to 4-7, they remained in a share of the division lead with Atlanta in a four-team cluster where no squad has a winning record but one must advance to the playoffs.
The Saints lost their third home game in three weeks, only the third time in club history after 1967 and 1997 they went winless in so long a homestand.
