If this was a ‘vanilla’ look from the Jets, the league should be afraid of when they really mix things up.
Despite New York winning 48-28, the Bills felt that as if the Jets did not come out with any overwhelming or complex packages and did not catch them off guard.
“They were probably more vanilla than they have been in the past,” Buffalo QB Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “They weren’t running crazy schemes, they were out there just playing us.”
The Jets defense picked Fitzpatrick off three times, including a Darrelle Revis interception on the Bills’ first drive and a Antonio Cromartie pick that was returned 40 yards for a touchdown.
“Versus great players, especially someone of Revis’ caliber, you can’t make late throws,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s a tough team.”
The Bills were not caught off guard by the Jets’ unveiling of the Wildcat package with Tim Tebow. Buffalo held Tebow to 11 yards on five carries. Tebow was on the field for 12 plays, taking eight snaps from the quarterback position, one as a slot receiver and three on special teams.
“I can’t say that we were surprised because I think that we worked on everything we could possibly have worked on in the last two weeks to get ready for their stuff,” Bills head coach Chan Gailey said. “When [Tebow] came out as an H-back, as a quarterback, when Sanchez was out and he was in there, we had seen it all and I thought that we contained that package pretty well.”
Even rookie cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who was burned for two TDs by fellow rookie Stephen Hill, wasn’t at all shocked by the looks the Jets came out with.
“We weren’t surprised, most of what we watched on film, they did,” Gilmore said. “We just have to capitalize on the plays and the calls.”
The most confusing formation the Jets came out of against the Bills was when they brought in recently acquired tackle Jason Smith in as an extra tight end to help protect Mark Sanchez.
“They put in a tackle as a tight end, they even blocked with him on play-action passes, which we didn’t think they would do, but it’s something you have to adjust to,” Bills defensive end Mario Williams said.
The Jets’ offensive line gave Sanchez plenty of time in the pocket, allowing for him to throw for 266 yards and three touchdowns in what was probably the biggest surprise of the day for Buffalo.
“It’s probably the best I’ve seen him look personally,” linebacker Nick Barnett said. “On the field the threw the ball on time, threw some back shoulders and threw some good passes. I’m not saying he’s John Elway or nothing, but he had a good game.”
asulla-heffinger@nypost.com