FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -The New York Jets tried anything they could to get their minds off what they just went through.
It was a few hours after a disappointing 16-13 overtime loss at Oakland on Sunday, and some players slept on the six-hour flight home, while others watched movies or read. The plane simply couldn’t fly fast enough.
“It was extremely long,” linebacker Calvin Pace said Monday, shaking his head. “Especially after a loss, it made it even longer.”
The Jets (3-3) expected to beat the disheveled Raiders, who had a messy coaching change three weeks ago and were coming off a 31-point loss at New Orleans. But it was New York, with its sights set on becoming a bona fide playoff contender, that appeared sloppy and out of sorts.
nobody really did.”
The Jets outgained the Raiders on offense with 418 total yards, including 159 rushing by Thomas Jones, compared to Oakland’s 344. New York also had seven penalties to Oakland’s 14, and was slightly more efficient on third-down conversions, going 5-for-16 while the Raiders were 4-for-17.
Still, it wasn’t enough to win.
Brett Favre had his second straight shaky game, throwing two interceptions in what he called “one of the toughest losses I’ve ever been a part of.” Leon Washington muffed a punt that was recovered by Oakland, which converted it into an early field goal. The turnovers, silly penalties and questionable play calling doomed the Jets as much as Sebastian Janikowski’s booming 57-yard field goal in OT.
“I think it was tough for all of us, because you do see the opportunity,” coach Eric Mangini said. “It’s very easy to turn on the tape and see those opportunities. It’s always disappointing when you do so many positive things and to have production against you, whether it’s offensively or defensive, because of the things you do.
“That’s under our control, and that’s something we need to get better at.”
For instance, the Jets had third-and-goal on the 3 with the game tied 3-3 in the second quarter when D’Brickashaw Ferguson was called for a false start. On the next play, Favre’s pass to Jerricho Cotchery was picked off in the end zone.
ose, you always have a bad feeling in your stomach,” Ferguson said. “Obviously, this is a bad loss for us, but we can definitely be successful and overcome this.”
There was also the fumbled snap by Favre that was recovered by Washington and took the ball from the Raiders 41 to the Jets 47 in the third quarter. Abram Elam’s facemask penalty added 15 yards to Darren McFadden’s 25-yard run that led to a field goal in the fourth quarter. That drive was kept alive earlier when the Jets got caught flatfooted on a fake punt that gained 22 yards.
“It was one of those calls that it’s like Texas Hold ‘Em,” Mangini said. “You’re going all in at that point because if you stop them, you’re in field-goal range. If you don’t, it’s a really good play. We had someone assigned to the play, didn’t get it, and it worked out well for them.”
The play calling by Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has come under heavy criticism the past few weeks, with many urging the Jets to turn Favre loose. In overtime, New York ran nine times – with Jones carrying the ball eight of them – and Favre had just four throws, including one to a wide-open Chris Baker, who stumbled and dropped a pass that would’ve put the Jets in easy field-goal range.
mfortable with what we did in overtime.”
Against Cincinnati and Oakland, Favre has thrown mostly short passes. His longest completion against the Raiders was a 31-yard catch-and-run by Chansi Stuckey in the fourth quarter.
“The running game was doing really well, the offensive line was blocking well and Thomas was running good,” Stuckey said, when asked if the offense was too conservative in overtime. “It’s something that was working for us, so I don’t think so.”
Favre’s longest throw of the game was caught, but by the Raiders’ DeAngelo Hall when the quarterback tossed the ball to Cotchery, who had broken off the route.
After a sensational start, Favre has one touchdown and four interceptions in his last two games. When asked if he was hesitant about passing with the game on the line because of the recent mistakes by Favre, Mangini shook his head defiantly.
“Not at all,” Mangini said. “No.”
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