Jets' defense collapses late in one-point loss to Colts
Aaron Rodgers of the Jets reacts during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Jets are going into their bye week after having said bye to their season.
It was a longshot for the Jets to make something of this year, but that all but ended with a crushing 28-27 loss to the Colts Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
The Jets allowed quarterback Anthony Richardson to score on a 4-yard touchdown run with 46 seconds left to lift the Colts to the win. The game ended with Aaron Rodgers getting sacked. The Jets fell to 3-8 with this ugly loss.
They began their final drive at their 30 with no timeouts. Rodgers was sacked on first down and fumbled, but Tyler Conklin recovered it. After a short completion to Breece Hall on second down, Rodgers was sacked on third down and time ran out.
Rodgers completed 22 of 29 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Hall rushed 16 times for 78 yards and a touchdown and caught seven passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. Davante Adams had six catches for 72 yards.
Richardson, who was reinstated as the Colts' starter after being benched for two games, was 20-for-32 for 272 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for two scores. Josh Downs had five receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown.
The Jets led 27-22 after new kicker Anders Carlson made a 35-yard field goal with 2:41 left. They needed a stop from the defense and couldn’t get it.
The Colts went 70 yards in six plays. They hit on a 39-pass play from Richardson to Alec Pierce to the Jets' 27. That was followed by a 17-yard catch by Downs. On third-and-goal, Richardson scored to give the Colts the lead.
The Jets denied Indianapolis’ two point conversion, stuffing running back Jonathan Taylor.
The Jets' offense was brutally bad in the first half and the fans let them hear it. They had 9 yards on their first nine plays and 27 in their first five possessions.
The Jets received some sarcastic cheers after converting their first first down of the game. It came after the two-minute warning. Later on that drive, the Jets gave the fans a reason to cheer.
Rodgers dumped a pass off to Hall on third down, and he took it 29 yards for the touchdown. It cut the Jets’ deficit to 13-7 with 40 seconds remaining in the half.
A takeaway on the second play of the second half led to the Jets taking the lead. Jamien Sherwood sacked Richardson and caused the fumble. Javon Kinlaw recovered it and took it to the Colts' 25. Two plays later, Hall ran 18 yards for the score to put the Jets up 14-13.
The Colts regained the lead on the subsequent series. The Jets allowed first downs on third-and-13 and third-and-9 on the Colts' drive that ended with Matt Gay kicking a 56-yard field goal to make it 16-14.
Carlson, who was elevated from the practice squad after Kansas City signed Spencer Shrader off the Jets’ practice team, kicked a 58-yard field goal to make it 17-16 with 2:55 left in the third quarter.
The Jets extended the lead to 24-16 on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to tight end Kenny Yeboah less than two minutes into the fourth. It was the first touchdown of Yeboah's career.
The Colts answered with a 10-yard touchdown catch byDowns less than two minutes later. Their 2-point conversion attempt failed when Richardson overthrew Mo Allie-Cox.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
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