The Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars entered Sunday with a mathematical chance at making the playoffs. A see-sawing game left Buffalo with the win, 27-20, but both teams were eliminated.
Bills vs. Jaguars 2013 final score: E.J. Manuel comes alive in Buffalo’s 27-20 win
A series of rough starts were erased when E.J. Manuel played very well to stop the Bills’ losing streak.
Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
E.J. Manuel didn't start well, but it was about how he finished. The rookie quarterback passed for 193 yards, throwing two touchdowns and running in a third.
Sloppy play mired the first half with Chad Henne and Manuel opening the game with a pair of interceptions. Henne found defensive back Aaron Williams on his second pass of the day, only to have his effort matched by Manuel, who turned the ball over on an attempted screen pass. The result was a pair of field goals, and a tied game to close the first quarter.
The Bills came alive in the second quarter. They allowed an early touchdown to Ace Sanders on a screen pass, but quickly asserted themselves with back-to-back touchdowns by Robert Woods and Manuel, who ran in a touchdown. A field goal as time expired set up a 10-point lead at halftime, and it appeared Buffalo was in the driver's seat.
This feeling lasted 15 minutes. Josh Scobee kicked a 55-yard field goal to shrink the lead, followed by a 13-yard touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis early in the fourth quarter to tie the game. There was an opportunity for the Jaguars to take the lead, but rookie Denard Robinson fumbled on an attempted touchdown, resulting in a touchback.
An up-and-down affair continued to hang in the balance, but Manuel once again found a way to separate his team with a short touchdown pass after leading an 80-yard drive.
It proved to be enough. Henne threw a late interception to seal the Bills win.
Jacksonville’s three-game win streak was snapped on Sunday, while the Bills managed to win their first game in December. Both teams will miss the playoffs in 2013, but their first-year head coaches have laid the groundwork for these organizations to develop a winning culture in the future. It was a game with little to play for other than pride, and both teams showed a much-needed willingness to play hard, regardless of the season’s outcome.
Fantasy studs and duds
Jaguars running back Jordan Todman was sensational filling in for Maurice Jones-Drew, totaling 109 yards.
Woods played an excellent game for Buffalo, with the rookie receiver finishing with 82 yards and a touchdown.
Injury report
Neither team sustained any serious injuries on Sunday.
Did they cover?
The Buffalo Bills were 3-point favorites, according to OddsShark. Their seven-point lead means they covered.
What’s next?
Buffalo hosts the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. next Sunday, while the Jaguars host the Tennessee Titans at the same time.
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