EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Three big plays by the Buffalo Bills put a huge crimp in the Jets’ playoff plans.

Willis McGahee scored on a 57-yard run, Lee Evans had a 77-yard TD catch, and Nate Clements returned an interception 58 yards for a score in the Bills’ 31–13 victory yesterday.

Buffalo (6–7) looked more like the playoff contender than the Jets (7–6), winning for the third time in four games. McGahee, who playfully told Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma during the week that he couldn’t be stopped, had 125 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. He has gained 100 or more yards in each of his last five games against New York.

The Jets, who began a season-ending stretch of four games against teams under .500,failed to take advantage of AFC East-leading New England’s 21-0 loss to Miami. New York remained two games behind the Patriots — and just a game ahead of the surging Bills and Dolphins.

Chad Pennington, coming off perhaps the best two-game stretch of his career, made two costly mistakes in this one. With the Bills leading 14–10 late in the third quarter, Pennington’s high throw was tipped by Jerricho Cotchery and landed in Clements’ hands. The Bills cornerback easily took it into the end zone for a 21–10 lead with 1:47 left.

The Bills took advantage of another Jets turnover late in the third quarter when Aaron Schobel hit Pennington from behind and caused a fumble that Ryan Denney recovered. Four plays later, Losman found a wide-open Robert Royal, who high-stepped into the end zone for a 28-13 lead with 1:58 left.

The Bills’ biggest play gave them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. With Buffalo facing a third-and-3 on their 23 late in the first half, J.P. Losman pump-faked while Evans put a move on cornerback David Barrett. Losman then unloaded a long pass down the left sideline that fell into the hands of Evans, who easily ran into the end zone to give the Bills a 14–10 lead with 4:47 remaining.

Losman was 10-of-15 for 157 yards and two touchdowns, while Pennington was 22-of-35 for 182 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions.

McGahee put the Bills up with his impressive run with 4:22 left in the opening quarter. McGahee took the ball up the middle, bounced to the left and sprinted into the end zone 57 yards for the longest scoring run of his career.

It was the first first-quarter touchdown the Jets allowed in eight games. The run must have taken a lot out of McGahee, who sat out the second quarter with an undisclosed illness, but returned at the start of the second half.

The Jets came right back on their next possession, tying it on a 10-yard catch by Laveranues Coles with 1:08 left in the first quarter.

New York got the ball back five plays later when Justin Miller ripped the ball out of Anthony Thomas’ hands and recovered the fumble, giving New York possession at the Bills 26. The Jets ended up settling for Mike Nugent’s 30-yard field goal that gave them a 10–7 lead 3:48 into the second quarter.