Jets' Tim Boyle benched, Trevor Siemian no better in loss to Falcons
Trevor Siemian of the Jets walks off the field after a game against the Falcons at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
See you next year, Aaron.
The Jets spoiled Aaron Rodgers’ 40th birthday weekend by playing another awful offensive game in an ugly 13-8 loss to the Falcons on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium.
Tim Boyle was benched in the fourth quarter and replaced by Trevor Siemian, but it did nothing to change the Jets’ fate. They lost for the fifth straight game, didn’t score a touchdown for the third time in five games and dropped to 4-8.
“Losing, no matter how you get there, is frustrating, especially when they’re self-inflicted wounds,” Garrett Wilson said. “We’ve had our fair share of those. We got to fix it. We’ve been having to fix it.”
It’s been the same old story for the Jets during this skid — and basically the second half of the last two seasons. The only difference this year is there is a future Hall of Fame quarterback hoping to play again this season.
Rodgers is back with the Jets full-time, trying to return from a left Achilles tendon tear. The Dec. 24 game was his target, but the Jets have to be alive in the playoff race for that to happen, and there’s no reason to believe that will happen.
“We have to cut this losing stuff out,” cornerback D.J. Reed said.
The quarterback situation remains a mess.
Boyle completed 14 of 25 passes for 148 yards and one interception. Siemian was 5-for-13 for 66 yards and a fumble. The Jets are getting little from their primary playmakers, which falls on the quarterback and the play designs.
Wilson had three catches for 50 yards. He was open many more times, but Boyle and Siemian couldn’t get him the ball. Rookie Xavier Gipson caught five passes for 77 yards, but Breece Hall finished with only 45 scrimmage yards, carrying 13 times for 16 yards.
“You do things in practice and you expect for it to translate to the game,” said Dalvin Cook, who had a key fumble in the first half that set up the only touchdown of the game. “We’re just not having that translation right now. It’s frustrating.”
Robert Saleh was asked if the Jets have the players on offense to change things. “We’ve got to find a way to get the guys that we do have better, for sure,” he said.
Saleh said he’s not ready to name his starting quarterback for next week against the Texans. He also didn’t sound likely to change the primary offensive play-caller, Nathaniel Hackett.
After replacing Boyle, Siemian completed his first pass for a 16-yard gain on first down. The Jets got another first down on the drive on a penalty, but they ended up punting. They didn’t score in Siemian’s four drives. He fumbled three times, losing one, and was sacked three times.
Boyle led two field-goal drives before being removed. His last pass was an overthrow intended for Wilson late in the third quarter that was picked off by Jessie Bates III
“I didn’t make enough plays,” Boyle said. “Clearly didn’t get the job done.”
The Jets' defense did its job. It was responsible for the first points of the game, recording a safety in the first quarter, and held Atlanta (6-6) to 194 yards of offense.
Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder was 12-for-27 for 121 yards and a touchdown, which came a 20-yard pass to tight end MyCole Pruitt with 10:04 left in the first half.
“The one touchdown we gave up, I feel like that’s something that’s easy correctable and fixable on our part in the back end,” Reed said. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
Penalties killed the Jets, too. They had 11, including six during a 3:30 span late in the first half.
Despite their offensive woes and penalties, including one on Reed that wiped away his interception, the Jets had two chances to win the game.
After forcing a three-and-out in Atlanta territory, they got the ball at their own 30 with 5:23 left. The Jets crossed midfield but gave up the ball on Siemian's fumble. It initially was ruled that Siemian’s arm was going forward, but the Falcons challenged the call of incomplete pass and it was overturned. Andre Smith Jr. recovered it at the Falcons’ 47.
“You can’t put the ball on the ground,” Siemian said. “That’s my job to take care of the ball.”
Another three-and-out by the Falcons gave the Jets one last chance. This time they started at the 7 with 1:53 to go and no timeouts left. Siemian was 1-for-6 on the drive.
After a defensive penalty that gave the Jets a first down, Siemian connected with Gipson on a 25-yard pass to the Jets' 37. Siemian then was sacked on third down and nearly sacked again on fourth down.
Incredibly, the Jets were 3-3 at their bye and coming off a win over the Eagles, who hadn't lost to anyone else before falling to the 49ers on Sunday. Life comes at you fast.
“It definitely is a shocker, to say the least,” Reed said. “It is frustrating, but we got the right group of men. We’re going to keep working.”
TURNING POINT
Trailing by five points in the final minutes, the Jets had advanced to the Atlanta 48 when Trevor Siemian threw what first was called an incomplete pass. But the Falcons challenged the call, and it was changed to a lost fumble, giving Atlanta the ball with 2:47 left and ending the Jets’ most promising late scoring drive.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.