EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets knew they blew it.
They were 11 minutes away from a 2-0 start, their first since 2015. Instead, a fourth-quarter collapse and a 20-17 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday had the Jets frustrated that their home opener ended in disappointment.
“We just have to close the game better,” quarterback Geno Smith said. “We had the lead, obviously, in the fourth quarter. We had opportunities to close out
the game and we didn’t capitalize on those. So, for us, it’s always going to get back to the drawing board and find ways to get better.”
According to ESPN, the Jets were the first team since at least 1941 to lose after holding an opponent to less than 200 yards (Green Bay had 199); an opponent had 100 or more yards in penalties (the Packers had 133 on 14 penalties); and having a positive turnover margin (New York was plus-1). Teams were 44-0 in those situations.
“There’s a number of things that go through my head that we have to fix,” coach Aaron Glenn said. "It’s always tough when you feel like you were right there in the thick of it and then you didn’t overcome and you let the other team overcome and win, and that’s something that’s tough.
“But I will say this: This loss is not going to define who we are and what we’re about. I will say that. And it’s not OK. And our guys are going to take it like that: It is not OK.”
When the Jets took a 17-7 lead with 11:04 remaining in the fourth quarter on Jason Sanders' 32-yard field goal, it had the white towel-waving fans — for the team's “White Out” — in the rain-soaked stands at MetLife Stadium feeling giddy. New York was outplaying Green Bay the entire game, keeping Jordan Love mostly in check.
Then, the Jets collapsed. And the Packers jumped on their sudden opportunity.
“They did what great teams do down at the end of the game,” linebacker Demario Davis said. “They showed they’re resilient, closed the gap and took the lead at the end. Just have to give them credit.”
Love marched Green Bay down the field 73 yards on seven plays, capped by a 3-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson to make it a three-point game.
New York then stalled on offense and Skyy Moore returned a punt 63 yards to the Jets 19 — and a once solid lead looked tenuous at best.
The defense stepped up, keeping the Packers out of the end zone. But Trey Smack's 34-yarder tied it with 2:59 left.
The Jets had a chance to put the game away, though. Garrett Wilson started the drive with an 11-yard catch. An 8-yard grab by Wilson two plays later took it to the 2-minute warning. On third-and-2 at the Jets 49, Breece Hall got 1 yard. Glenn chose to go for it — and Braelon Allen was stuffed for no gain.
“It was tough (today), but I still have a lot of trust in our run game,” Glenn said. “And in that situation, I want to go try to win the game. We’re in the position to try to win it.”
New York's defense again came through, keeping Green Bay from doing anything and sending it to overtime. The Jets won the coin toss and Glenn put the ball in his offense's hands again.
“Usually, if you can get yourself in a situation like that and you can really control the clock, you can control exactly how they’re going to play offense once you go and score,” Glenn said.
But Smith was sacked on the first two plays and Isaiah Williams was called for a false start. It made it third-and-30 and a 12-yard catch by Kenyon Sadiq did little to move the chains. So, New York punted and Love and the Packers took over.
This time, sealing it.
Green Bay marched down the field and were helped by an unnecessary roughness call on Jarvis Brownlee Jr., the Jets' 13th and perhaps most costly penalty.
“It just can't happen," Glenn said.
After Matthew Golden's 14-yard catch put the ball at the 8, the Packers sent out Smack for his 26-yard winner. And it left the Jets and their fans stunned.
“I think especially for the offense, it hurts,” said Hall, who had 29 yards on 16 carries. “I feel like we could’ve helped the defense out a little more, showed them a little more love in putting a few more points on the board, for them to be a little more comfortable. I think the offense, we definitely let the defense down big time, for sure.”
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