Jets Defeat Bills in Last 57 Seconds : O’Brien’s 36-Yard Pass to Shuler for Touchdown Gives N.Y. 14-13 Victory

Mickey Shuler wasn’t the primary receiver, and he didn’t run the exact pattern called for.

What he did was get open behind the Buffalo defense with 57 seconds remaining Sunday, and quarterback Ken O’Brien found him with a pass for a 36-yard touchdown.

Pat Leahy kicked the decisive extra point, and the Jets had a 14-13 victory over the Bills, who have lost 19 straight road games.

“I did the same thing the play before,” Shuler said. “I didn’t know if Kenny saw it, but (linebacker Darryl) Talley went with me for five yards and let me go.”

The same thing happened on the next play.

“I saw an opening to the outside and I knew there was a center fielder (free safety),” Shuler said. “I faded away and the next thing I saw was the ball coming.

It was coming over the wrong shoulder.

“I was only thinking of finding the ball, and I didn’t know if I could catch up to it.” Shuler said. “When you take your eye off it to turn and look (over the other shoulder), you lose it for a minute.”

The Bills defense, particularly strong safety Martin Bayless, completely lost Shuler. Ironically, they were flagged for having 12 men on the field on the play.

“We blew the coverage and we lost the game,” said Coach Hank Bullough, whose team has lost four of five games by a total of 11 points. “We’re getting better, no matter what anybody thinks.”

No team is better at rallying in the final moments than the Jets. In their last home game, they tied Miami on the final play of regulation, then won in overtime. The players credited O’Brien, who hurt his left knee in the fourth period and will undergo an arthrogram today.

O’Brien completed 29 of 39 attempts for 288 yards and tied a Jet record with 15 straight completions.

Johnny Hector had an outstanding all-round game for the Jets with 18 carries for 117 yards and 9 receptions for 160 yards. The Jets (4-1) went 80 yards in 5 plays for the winning score, keeping them one game ahead of second-place New England in the AFC East. Those teams meet next week in Foxboro, Mass.

Buffalo (1-4) has led in the fourth quarter in all five of its games.

Buffalo’s Jim Kelly completed 17 of 34 passes for 207 yards.