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McGahee runs wild as Bills trounce Jets

Dec 11, 2006 - 12:19 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Even when he is feeling ill, Willis McGahee still looked perfectly fine against the New York Jets.

McGahee had 16 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown despite missing the second quarter and J.P. Losman outplayed Chad Pennington as the Buffalo Bills posted a 31-13 triumph over the Jets in a battle of AFC East rivals.

In his last five games against the Jets, McGahee has rushed for at least 110 yards in each and is averaging 132.6 yards. He ran for a career-high 150 yards against New York in a 28-20 loss on September 24.

McGahee took charge early in Sunday's contest, breaking off a 57-yard TD run late in the first quarter to open the scoring. He celebrated by vomiting on the sidelines.

"I came in feeling weak and light-headed," said McGahee, who ate a ham and cheese sandwich on the sideline to regain his strength. "It was Quiznos. If you're out there listening, I'll take a sponsorship (deal)."

In the end, it was the Jets who were feeling a bit queasy thanks to McGahee, who has four touchdowns in his last three games after managing just one through November 19. McGahee's status for the game had been in doubt due to an ankle injury.

"Willis is a good football player. He's bigger than he looks," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "He got his work down this year and is quicker and faster than he's been."

McGahee's touchdown run was one in a series of big plays for Buffalo (6-7), which won for the third time in four games.

Losman completed 10-of-15 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He found Lee Evans for a 77-yard TD in the second quarter and tight end Robert Royal for a six-yard score late in the third period to make it 28-13.

Losman took advantage of a mixup in the Jets secondary when he found Evans up the left sideline with 4:47 left in the second quarter to give the Bills a 14-10 lead.

It put Evans over 1,000 yards receiving in a season for the first time in his career.

"It's not that easy when a guy is wide open," Losman said. "All you're thinking is 'don't miss.'"

Meanwhile, Pennington threw an early 10-yard TD to Laveranues Coles but had little else go his way. He committed three turnovers, including a pair of interceptions, and finished with just 182 yards on 22-of-35 passing.

"In the NFL, you can't give an opponent easy opportunities. They're good enough as it is," Pennington said. "I put my team in a bind today."

Cornerback Nate Clements scored on a 58-yard interception return of a tipped pass late in the second quarter to give Buffalo a 21-10 lead.

The Bills turned in a big defensive day despite playing without rookie safety Donte Whitner and cornerback Terrence McGee, both inactive with injuries. In addition, star linebacker Takeo Spikes missed the second quarter while nursing an injury.

Buffalo had four sacks, including three by Aaron Schobel, who feasted on Jets rookie tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

"They've got some good players," Ferguson said. "I wish I could have played better today."

Rookie Leon Washington and Cedric Houston combined to rush for 105 yards on 25 carries for the Jets (7-6), who had won three of their last four games and saw their playoff hopes take a notable hit. They trail Jacksonville and Cincinnati by one game in the wild-card race.

"The focus was there and the effort was there, but we couldn't get it done," said Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma, a college teammate of McGahee at Miami.

Royal's TD catch came after Schobel blew by Ferguson, sacked Pennington and stripped the ball before left end Ryan Denney recovered at the Jets 18.

Any chance of getting back in the game was ended by Buffalo's ball-control offense that took almost seven minutes off the clock in the third quarter on a drive that ended with a 34-yard field goal by Rian Lindell.