Landry Jones fine in Steelers’ loss
Ajayi suddenly a star for Dolphins
PITTSBURGH — Landry Jones did just as he promised. He didn’t panic .
The Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback moved the ball. He stood in the pocket. He put together a handful of throws that made him look like the full-time starter somewhere he believes he can become.
The Artesia grad also didn’t win. And that — more than his respectable numbers — is what he’ll take away from Pittsburgh’s 27-16 loss to New England on Sunday.
“I thought for the most part I played decisive,” Jones said. “Were there plays that I wanted to have back? Absolutely.”
Namely a first-quarter interception in the end zone that wiped out a chance for the Steelers (4-3) to seize momentum. Jones saw wide receiver Antonio Brown in single coverage, but his lob was poorly underthrown.
“That was just a bad ball,” Jones said. “AB ran a good route. I threw a (poor) ball.”
One of the few during three hours in which Jones filled in capably for the injured Ben Roethlisberger.
Jones completed 29 of 47 passes for 281 yards with a touchdown and the one pick.
AJAYI: Jay Ajayi tied a league record by surpassing 200 yards rushing for the second game in a row, helping Miami rally past Buffalo 28-25 Sunday.
Ajayi rushed for 214 yards in 29 carries after totaling 204 yards a week earlier in a win over Pittsburgh. He scored on a 4-yard run , and busted a 53-yarder when the Dolphins were pinned at their 3 and trailing in the fourth quarter.
The Dolphins (3-4) used an extra lineman much of the time to clear big holes for Ajayi, who tied the record for consecutive 200-yard games held by O.J. Simpson, Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams.
“It’s surreal to me,” Ajayi said. “The backs I’m in company with — that’s huge. Those are Hall of Fame guys, guys I look up to.”
Two weeks ago the Dolphins appeared strong contenders for the No. 1 draft pick in 2017, and the discovery of a ground game has revived their season under first-year coach Adam Gase.
“I know this — every time No. 23 kept getting the ball, he was popping a run,” Gase said. “I was leaning on him.”
DOLPHINS-BILLS: Miami’s Jarvis Landry sent Buffalo’s Aaron Williams to the hospital Sunday.
Landry’s vicious, illegal high hit not only knocked Williams from the game with neck and head injuries, it caused damage so severe that Williams was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, according to Bills center Eric Wood.
Landry, speaking after the game, was visibly upset about hurting a fellow player.
“If I could take that hit back, I would,” Landry said. “The guy has a family to feed and this is his livelihood.”
JETS: Ryan Fitzpatrick had an emotional week in which he got a vote of confidence Monday, got benched Wednesday, then subbed for injured Geno Smith and beat the Ravens, 24-16, Sunday.
“The biggest thing in this game in order to last is to have belief in yourself, because when the owner stops believing in you and the GM stops believing in you and the coaches stop believing in you, sometimes all you have is yourself.”
LIONS: Detroit (4-3) has won three straight thanks in large part to Matt Stafford making clutch throws in the final minutes, giving him 24 career wins with game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime.
“He does not back down from tough situations,” Detroit coach Jim Caldwell said. “He relishes in them.”