Jets' head-scratching mistakes prove costly in loss to Rams
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is sacked during the first half against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Lee S. Weissman
The Jets were in the holiday spirit on Sunday. They gifted the Rams the game and gave their fans another head-scratching loss.
Aaron Rodgers lost a fumble in the fourth quarter leading to Los Angeles’ go-ahead touchdown. The Jets also turned the football over on downs three times, including once at their own 33. The Rams scored all three times after taking over and handed the Jets a 19-9 loss at MetLife Stadium.
“We were moving the ball, we just couldn’t punch it in,” Davante Adams said. “It’s kind of been the story of the season, honestly. You can’t really make sense of it though.”
The Jets fell to 4-11 with two games remaining. They play at Buffalo next week and close out this disappointing season at home against Miami on Jan. 5.
Rodgers got the Jets off to a fast start. He led a 99-yard touchdown drive on their first possession of the game. The Jets scored once more the rest of the game, just before the half on Anders Carlson’s 21-yard field goal.
The Jets had seven possessions in the game, didn’t punt once and remarkably they failed to score double digits. Carlson also missed an extra point and a field goal. The Jets are the second team since 1940 that didn't punt in a game and scored fewer than 10 points.
“We got to be better in the red zone,” Garrett Wilson said. “It’s been haunting us all year. It’s a little late now. We’ve got to be better when it matters.”
Wilson was frustrated by the loss and his lack of involvement in the offense. He was targeted just three times through the first three quarters. Rodgers threw to Wilson four times late in the game.
“I’d love to be involved, love to make an impact on the game,” Wilson said. “If people see it differently it’s out of my control.”
Rodgers also aired some frustration after the loss and sent a message to his teammates. He didn’t point at anyone in particular, but the quarterback said there’s been slippage in people’s practice and preparation habits and it’s led to the Jets not honing in on the little details that are critical to making plays work.
“We got to figure out what it means to be a professional,” Rodgers said. “I think that’s an important part of building culture. The last two weeks we can really see who’s on board moving forward and who is ready to get out.
“It’s interesting to watch the practice habits and preparation habits. Hopefully we’ll do the right thing and that means a lot because everybody’s watching. It’s a who-you-know business. There’ll be interesting conversations in the next couple of weeks.”
Rodgers completed 28 of 42 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown and that huge fumble. Adams caught seven passes for 68 yards and a TD. Breece Hall finished with 52 yards rushing and had five catches for 38 yards. Wilson had six grabs for 54 yards.
Matthew Stafford was 14-for-19 for 110 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Kyren Williams rushed 23 times for 122 yards and a touchdown.
After leading 9-6 at the half, the Jets opened the third quarter by putting together a drive that ate up nearly 10 minutes — and got nothing out of it. On fourth-and-4 from the 13, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich chose to go for it instead of kicking a field goal.
Rodgers’ fade to Adams in the end zone was knocked away by Ahkello Witherspoon.
“We felt good about the play we had called,” Ulbrich said. “Aaron felt good about it as well, so we thought that was the best decision at the time.”
The Rams tied the score on the ensuing possession. Joshua Karty drilled a 38-yard field goal with 12:44 remaining in the game.
Rodgers coughed up the football on the next possession. Rams safety Kamren Curl sacked Rodgers on third down and Jared Verse recovered it at the Jets’ 21.
“I should have gotten quick out of the pocket and just dumped it somewhere,” Rodgers said. “That was a bad play.”
Three plays later, Stafford hit tight end Tyler Higbee on the right side, and he tumbled into the end zone for an 11-yard TD to give the Rams a 16-9 lead with 10:11 left.The Jets gave the ball up again on the next series with another failed fourth-down conversion attempt. Rodgers’ pass intended for Tyler Conklin on fourth-and-4 from the Jets’ 47 was incomplete.
The Rams went up by 10 on Karty’s 45-yard field goal with 5:17 to go.
On the ensuing possession, the Jets drove into Los Angeles territory. The lined up to go for it on fourth-and-4 from the 26, hoping to get the Rams to jump. But left tackle Max Mitchell was flagged for a false start, pushing the Jets back five yards. Carlson missed the 49-yard field goal wide right.
“I think that’s what needs to clean up moving forward for some of these guys to reach their full potential, just lock in on the details,” Rodgers said. “It’s not just this offense. It’s whatever comes next after this. There’s going to be important details in every offense. It’s just little tweaks that’s the difference between explosive gains and conversions.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
