New York Jets Lose in Absurd Fashion to Seattle Seahawks

At one point, Fox Sports play-by-play man Adam Amin called the New York Jets–Seattle Seahawks game “inebriated.”

He wasn’t talking about the crowd at MetLife Stadium.

A wild first half led to a dramatic finish, as the Jets (3-9) lost to the Seahawks (7-5), 26-21, on Sunday.

This being the Jets, they managed to lose the game in the most creative way possible.

The game hinged on one completely absurd Seattle drive that started at its own 29-yard-line with 11:34 left and down, 21-19.

The Jets defense stopped the Seahawks on fourth-and-6 at the Seattle 33. The Seahawks had to go for it because their punter was injured. But, confusion on the Jets’ part had a returner on the field and New York was penalized for having too many players on the field.

Facing fourth-and-1, the Seahawks went for it again and quarterback Geno Smith’s pass fell incomplete. But, Jets defensive back Quan’tez Stiggers was called for pass interference after dragging Seattle receiver DK Metcalf to the ground. Stiggers was only on the field because Sauce Gardner was dealing with an injury.

The Jets stopped the Seahawks on fourth down on the next set of downs, but another New York penalty extended the drive as defensive lineman Solomon Thomas was called for a horse collar tackle on Seattle running back Zack Charbonnet.

Three plays later the Jets held again as Smith threw an incompletion. But New York defensive end Will McDonald IV was called for a neutral zone infraction, giving Seattle a third-and-1 at the Jets 8-yard-line.

On the next play, Charbonnet scored on a run to give Seattle the lead with 5:31 left, but the ensuing celebration led to offsetting penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct.

With Seattle up 26-21, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers tried to rally them for a game-winning touchdown. The offense converted a third-and-26 and a fourth-and-2 to keep the drive alive. But the possession sputtered out after Rodgers was sacked and threw an incompletion on a fourth-down bomb that was nowhere near a receiver.

The loss guaranteed the Jets a losing season and it was the sixth loss of the season by a touchdown or less.

The first half was as compelling as the Jets have played in weeks.

New York’s first touchdown came on a Rodgers-to-Davante Adams back shoulder fade in the end zone. But, two plays before that, the 40-year-old Rodgers threw a block on a Malachi Corley end-around, showing that the ankle, knee and hamstring injuries he suffered this season were finally behind him. But, this being the Jets, the extra point was blocked by former Jets star Leonard Williams.

The Seahawks fumbled the ensuring kickoff and Kene Nwangwu recovered it. Four plays later Rodgers threw a shovel pass to rookie running back Isaiah Davis, who scored his first NFL touchdown. Breece Hall’s two-point conversion made it 14-0.

Former Jets quarterback Geno Smith led the Seahawks back to cut the lead in half on a touchdown pass to AJ Barner.

But, Nwangwu took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown, the fourth kickoff return for a touchdown of his NFL career. The fourth-year pro was promoted from the practice squad on Saturday.

The Seahawks fumbled again on the ensuing kickoff and lost it again. The Jets, up 21-7 at the time, had an opportunity to make it a three-score game.

Enter Williams. The former Jets first-round pick dropped into coverage and picked off Rodgers. The 300-pound lineman returned the interception 92 yards for his first interception return for a touchdown. The Jets blocked the extra point.

That flipped the momentum of the game, but Seattle cut it to 21-16 at halftime on Jason Myers’ 54-yard field goal.