Just when you think that you've seen it all, watching the Jets for many years, they come up with yet another way to screw up a great chance to win a game. 2:48 to go in the 4th quarter, the Jets have the ball on the Pats' 27-yard line, 3rd and 5.... draw play, Martin gets stuffed for a loss of 3, forcing the Jets to go for it on the ensuing 4th and 8. The Jets fail to convert, the Pats get the ball, kill the clock and win the game 13-7.
Did offensive coordinator Paul Hackett think the Jets were playing against a high school team? How stupid was that to call a run on a 3rd and 5? Did Hackett really think he could fool the best defensive mind in football, Bill Belichick, on 3rd and 5? Atrocious, simply atrocious!
Hackett's offensive "genius", however, wasn't limited to just the terrible call on 3rd and 5. The entire second half he kept calling running plays on first and second downs, despite that Curtis Martin was getting stuffed time after time. Time after time Chad Pennington was facing a 3rd and long - five possessions in the second half, three of them went for a combined 21 yards.
If Hackett awful playcalling wasn't enough for the Jets to lose this game, mental mistakes and at times terrible officiating did the rest. On the first Jets' drive, FB Jerald Sowell fumbled the ball inside the Patriots' 20 when the Jets were looking to score at least 3 points and tie the score. Late in the second quarter, DT Dewayne Robinson roughed the passer, giving the Pats a much needed first down inside the Jets' 10 instead of a 3rd and 9 on the 13.
QB Chad Pennington had an average game, as he passed for 162 yards on 30 passing attempts, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Chad also ran for 15 yards and scored a rushing touchdown, the only Jets' touchdown in this game. RB Curtis Martin gained 70 yards on 20 carries and moved up to #7 on the all-time rushing list. RB LaMont Jordan, who's still in Herman Edwards' doghouse, rushed for 21 yards on just 3 carries (7.0 yards per carry). WR Justin McCareins had his best game as a Jet - 6 receptions for 83 yards.
On defense, LB Eric Barton led the team with 12 tackles (7 solo) and 1 fumble recovery. Rookie S Erik Coleman had 11 tackles (8 solo). DE Shaun Ellis recorded 1.5 sacks and 6 tackles (2 solo). DE John Abraham had 0.5 sacks, 3 tackles (2 solo) and a forced fumble. CB Donnie Abraham had 2 pass defenses.
Next week the Jets will host the Miami Dolphins (1-6) on Monday Night Football.