Jets, Bowles Melt Against Aaron Rodgers Heroics

PACKERS 44 - JETS 38 - OVERTIME 

It was the tale of two games. For three quarters, this game between the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers was about the maturation of Jets rookie Sam Darnold.

The other quarter was an execution in ineptitude as the Jets couldn't slow down Aaron Rodgers, who single handedly brought the Packers all the way back from a 15-point deficit to beat the Jets in overtime 44-38.

And to top it off, Jets head coach Todd Bowles had one group to blame: the refs.

"I thought we played two teams. I thought we played the Packers and the stripped shirts."

Those are comments that almost certainly will get Bowles fined by the NFL, but honestly you can't blame him for being upset. The Jets got absolutely hosed a couple of calls in the overtime period as Rodgers was picking apart the Jets secondary.

The first penalty of the overtime came on third and ten at the Green Bay 40, when Jets cornerback Trumaine Johnson was called for pass interference on his coverage of Marquez Valdez-Scantling. It appeared there was plenty of pushing and shoving by both sides, until Johnson appeared to grab Scantling's hand when the ball quickly approached. The refs are going to call that every time.

The penalty that really had to set Bowles off came two plays later. After the Packers were called for an illegal shift, the refs decided to review and penalize the Jets for having too many men on the field. The call was ridiculous considering the 12th man on the field was already on the sideline by the time the ball was snapped. The call was horrendous, and instead of forcing the Packers into a third and six, they replied the second down at the Jets 18, which Green Bay obviously converted.

Three plays later, Buster Skrine got called for pass interference against Valdes-Scantling on a incompletion by Rodgers. The Packers got a new set of downs, before Rodgers finally tossed the game winner to Dvante Adams. 

While Bowles had every right to be upset, it didn't excuse the fact that the Jets defense imploded. The Jets were called for 16 penalties on Sunday, six of them coming in crunch time. Keep in mind on Green Bay's go-ahead touchdown drive in regulation, the Jets were never flagged. Instead Rodgers carved up the Jets with a mix of passes and naked bootlegs, as he maneuvered the Packers on an 11-play 83-yard drive before scoring on a one-yard plunge to make it 38-35. 

The Jets were able to tie the game after Andre Roberts set things up nicely on a 51-yard kick return to the Green Bay 38, but the Jets didn't get far as the offense stalled at the Packers 15 with a curious play call on third down and ten as Darnold threw the ball away. Instead they settled for the field goal to tie it with 0:21 second in the fourth quarter. 

Before everything came apart for New York, they were enjoying the fruits of a 35-20 lead. Sam Darnold was fantastic. He was cutting apart the Packers secondary with precise accuracy as he led the Jets to touchdowns on each of their first two drives to take a 14-0 lead.

Roberts then brought the house down with a 99-yard kick return for a touchdown that gave Gang Green a 21-7 lead. 

After Green Bay closed to within one-point at 21-20, Darnold went right back to work, leading the Jets on a nifty seven-play 75-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown to Chris Herndon to give the Jets a 28-20 lead. 

After the Packers fumbled the ensuing kick-off back to the Jets, it looked like Gang Green was going for the kill when Elijah McGuire barreled his way to the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown to make it 35-20 Jets with 2:50 to go in the third. 

Darnold finished 24 of 35 on the day for 341 yards and three touchdowns. In the three games since his return from a foot injury, Darnold has throw for six touchdowns and one pick, and is quickly turning into a big time NFL quarterback before our eyes. 

Even in defeat there was a lot to like about the Jets. Darnold being one of them. The others were Herndon who had six catches for 82 yards and a score, and Robby Andreson who hauled in nine balls for 140 yards and a touchdown. McGuire was very nice out of the backfield, but the Jets got away from him in the fourth quarter. 

There is talent here. There is potential here. All the Jets need is a leader at the head coach position to prepare and discipline this team, better than Bowles has. This team is too out of control under Todd Bowles. If they get the right head coach, and the right pieces to put around some of this core, the Jets could be really good, really fast come next season.