opens up passing gamefor Marty Mornhinweg and Geno Smith


Ron Antonelli/Getty Images Bilal Powell punishes the Buffalo defense for 149 yards in Sunday's win.


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Geno Smith and Gang Green's passing attack were so impressive against the Bills, it practically went unnoticed that the Jets ran the ball so well and often.


Marty Mornhinweg's offense featured 41 runs and 29 passes en route to a 513 total yard performance in the Jets' 27 20 win.


The Jets were particularly impressive when Bilal Powell had the ball. Most imagine Chris Ivory as the bulldozer back for the Jets, but Powell looked every bit as capable of barreling defenders over in his 149 yard performance on 27 carries.


"He is a physical runner," Rex Ryan said. "He might not be the fastest, he might not be the biggest or whatever, but he is just a good back. He runs hard. Powell's 114 yards after contact this season tie him with Seattle's Marshawn Lynch for ninth in the league.


"Honestly, hats off to the running backs," said right tackle Austin Howard. "They really make our job easy. I know Bilal had a lot of yards after contact.


Robert Sabo/New York Daily News


Muhammad Wilkerson sacks EJ Manuel twice in Sunday's win over the Bills.


"It's just a matter of moving their feet and refusing to go down. That type of attitude, it really makes your job easy, helps us out a lot as an offensive line."


Ivory suffered a hamstring injury against the Bills, so Powell could be the main guy for a while. According to Ryan, Ivory injured the same left hamstring he hurt in training camp, but in a different spot. Should Ivory, who was signed by the Jets in the offseason, miss Sunday's game in Tennessee, Alex Green would fill in.


Smith, who completed 16 of 29 passes for 331 yards, said the running game was a large part of the Jets' success through the air.


"It was a bunch. I think we had a balanced effort," the QB said. "It was particularly impressive the way Bilal (Powell) ran and the way the offensive line continued to open holes for him. Once we get Chris back to full strength and get other guys involved, I think this running game is really going to help us out. It's fun to see those guys run like that and it definitely helps me out and eases some pressure."


RED FLAG


Lucky for Ryan, the Jets escaped with a win against the Bills on Sunday. Had they lost, the coach would have come under scrutiny for mismanaging the team's challenges.


Ryan first challenged a spot on a third and 1 run that saw Powell come up short of a first down late in the third quarter. Ja'Wuan James Jersey On the Bills' next possession, Ryan failed on his second attempt, challenging a Stevie Johnson catch.


Simmons, Howard/New York Daily News


Rex Ryan gets a little challenge happy Sunday, burning both of his challenges early on.


The two failed challenges proved costly when Buffalo QB EJ Manuel appeared to fumble with 13:16 left in the game. Manuel was ruled down on the play, but Ryan was out of challenges. The Bills capped the drive with a TD and two point conversion to tie it at 20.


"Obviously, I'm not going to challenge it if I didn't think it," Ryan said of challenging the spot on Powell's run. "I really felt we had a chance to get that first down, to look at it. And then the other deal was the clock was down under 10 seconds and I was going to use a timeout anyway . so it's like, 'Okay, I have two challenges left,' and I thought we made (it). In my line (of sight), I thought we made the first down." . DL Muhammad Wilkerson picked up two sacks against the Bills, even though he hasn't fully recovered from a sprained ankle. "I wouldn't say it's 100%," Wilkerson said on WFAN Tuesday.


X's AND O's


Defensive end Quinton Coples played 57 snaps in his first game back from surgery for a hairline fracture in his ankle. With Coples back, the line rotation should keep players fresher.


HOT SEAT


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