EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Chad Pennington scored on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter Sunday and Curtis Martin rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown in helping the New York Jets extend their winning streak to four games with a 31-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
The Jets (6-5) completed a sweep of their AFC East rivals and remained in second place, one game behind the Miami Dolphins (7-4). The loss was the second in a row for the Bills (5-6), who fell into last place in the division and host Miami next week.
"It was a game in which we felt we wanted to control the football and not turn it over," Jets Coach Herman Edwards said. "I thought we established our running game and we made sure to keep their offense off the field."
New York's turnaround from a 1-3 start can be primarily attributed to Pennington, who replaced Vinny Testaverde as the starting quarterback in Week 5. The Jets have also displayed an improved defense, which allowed 14 points or less for the fifth time in six games after yielding an average of 32.4 points in the first five.
Martin, who had just two previous 100-yard rushing games this season, was in Pro Bowl form on Sunday, carrying the ball 21 times and scoring on a nine-yard run in the second quarter.
It was his 27th career 100-yard game as a Jet, eclipsing Freeman McNeil's club record of 26. Martin has 41 career 100-yard games in his career.
"I'm certainly feeling better and I have been working a lot better with the offensive line," said Martin, who had been hampered by a sprained ankle. "You really have to give credit today to our line. All week they (Bills) said they were going to dominate our front and they didn't."
Pennington threw for just 178 yards, but again was mistake-free. He even displayed a dazzling move on his one-yard scoring run.
On fourth and goal, Pennington faked a handoff to his right and ran left back to the 10-yard line. While looking for a receiver, Pennington ran toward the goal line.
Bills linebacker Eddie Robinson was waiting at the four, but Pennington faked out Robinson with a stutter step and made it to the end zone, giving the Jets a 31-13 lead with 9:44 left in the fourth quarter.
"I did not know that he had that many moves, he looked like Elvis Presley," Edwards said of his quarterback's touchdown run. "It was a good call by (offensive coordinator) Paul Hackett. Chad executed it perfectly and got in for the score."
"I was just trying to do something and I'm not going to lie to you and say that I was trying to do this or that," Pennington said. "The play was a reflection upon our team right now. Whatever it takes to get the job done is how we have to do it regardless if its pretty or ugly."
Buffalo's Drew Bledsoe was intercepted twice -- both of which led to touchdowns -- and fumbled once. He was 21 of 33 for 181 yards.
"It was a tough day for us," Bledsoe said. "Offensively, we just did not get the job done. You can't turn the ball over and expect to win."
Along with the two interceptions, the Jets' secondary effectively contained Buffalo's top receivers Eric Moulds and Peerless Price.
Moulds, who entered with 66 catches for 889 yards, including eight receptions for 112 yards in a season-opening 37-31 loss to the Jets, had just two catches for 24 yards. Price caught six passes for 49 yards.
Travis Henry, who rushed for 149 yards and three touchdowns in the season-opening loss to the Jets, had 83 yards on 17 carries and caught seven passes for 43 yards.
"We didn't put ourselves in position to utilize our talent today," Henry said. "It was certainly frustrating at times because as a team we put ourselves in bad situations. We got down quite a bit and needed quick scores and we didn't get them."
Buffalo's special teams were able to keep Chad Morton out of the end zone after he scored on two kickoff returns in the season opener, but he averaged 35.3 yards on three returns.
With the game tied at 3-3, Jets safety Sam Garnes made a diving interception at midfield of a pass that deflected off the right arm of tight end Jay Riemersma. It was the first interception of the season for Garnes, who signed with the Jets as a free agent.
"I saw the ball going wide (to Riemersma) and instead of looking for the big hit I was looking to see where the ball was going. It just fell in my lap," Garnes said.
Pennington connected with tight end Anthony Becht on a 19-yard pass on the next play. After four runs for 22 yards by Martin, the Jets stalled at the Buffalo nine.
John Hall drilled a 27-yard field goal to give the Jets the lead, but Buffalo's Chris Watson was called for roughing the kicker. Watson committed a 36-yard pass interference penalty that led to Kansas City's go-ahead touchdown in Buffalo's 17-16 loss last week.
With a first and goal at the four, the Jets took the penalty and handed the ball to LaMont Jordan, who gained three yards off right tackle before sneaking behind left guard for a one-yard touchdown run with 11:09 left in the second quarter.
New York's defense came up with its second big play when cornerback Aaron Beasley cut in front of Price on a slant pattern and returned the interception five yards to the New York 42.
The Jets needed just seven plays to reach the end zone, converting a pair of third downs. On third and two, Martin gained four yards off right tackle. And on third and one, Pennington froze the Buffalo defense with play action and lofted a 28-yard pass to Laveranues Coles, who beat Watson down the right side.
On the next play, Martin scored on a nine-yard run to give the Jets a 17-3 lead with 2:54 left in the half.
New York, which squandered second-half leads in home losses to Kansas City and Cleveland earlier in the season, opened the third quarter with a four-play, 65-yard scoring drive in which Martin was prominently featured.
