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Geno Smith (r.) and the Jets suffer what could be the knockout blow for their playoff hopes in Carolina.
CHARLOTTE — Santonio Holmes will probably think twice about insulting the Panthers secondary again. Three days after Holmes called the Carolina defensive backs their “weakest link,” Captain Munnerlyn had a pick-six on a ball intended for him, the Jets secondary was the one getting gashed, and Gang Green lost to the Panthers on the road, 30-20. The loss all but assures the Jets will miss the playoffs for the third season in a row.
Gang Green would have needed a heroic effort to beat the Panthers (10-4), and they didn’t get it. Cam Newton was able to pass with ease against the Jets defense to the tune of 273 yards and a touchdown while completing two-thirds of his passes.
Geno Smith has had far worse days as a Jet but was uninspiring in the loss, completing 15 passes on 28 attempts for a pedestrian 167 yards, with a touchdown an interception.
Bob Leverone/AP
Captain Munnerlyn (r.) picks off Geno Smith and returns it 41 yards for a Panthers touchdown.
The Panthers quickly made it evident which team’s secondary really was the weak link by dicing up the Jets defensive backs with high-efficiency passing from Cam Newton. But while the defense bent, it didn’t break, at least initially. The two sides exchanged two field goals apiece, but with 3:29 left in the first half, the Panthers finally broke through. It came on an unorthodox play: an odd screen pass to DeAngelo Williams, who ran for a 72 yard-touchdown.
There were many culprits on the play, but Dee Milliner was blocked for such a long time by Brandon LaFell, that Milliner was unable to even attempt a tackle on Williams despite essentially standing between the running back and the end zone.
Right before the half, the Panthers were able to muster one last scoring drive, kicking a field goal just before the half to go up 16-6 as the teams headed to the locker room.
Mid-way through the third quarter, the Jets managed to come up with a big stop. The Panthers were threatening in the end zone, but on 4th and 2 on the 14-yard line, Carolina elected to go for it, and Quinton Coples hit Cam Newton as he attempted his pass, which fell to the ground.
Bob Leverone/AP
It looks like Rex Ryan will go another season without experiencing playoff football.
Off the fourth-down stop, the Jets’ offense responded as Smith led the team down field on a series that included a 35-yard pass. But the fireworks came at the end, when Sheldon Richardson boosted his defensive rookie of the year candidacy with…a rushing touchdown. Richardson, a defensive tackle, came in as a full back and on back-to-back plays Smith handed him the ball at the one-yard line. On the second attempt with 3:04 left in the third quarter, the 294-pound lineman crossed the plane for a score. Richardson’s touchdown put the Jets behind by just three at 16-13.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Jets handed Carolina a big favor, when LB Jason Williams slipped past long-snapper Tanner Purdum and easily blocked Ryan Quigley’s punt, setting up the Panthers with excellent field position. That ultimately set up a one-yard touchdown by Mike Tolbert, who put the Panthers up 23-13 with 11:05 remaining in the contest.
In the Jets’ attempt to rally, Smith threw a pass to Holmes that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Captain Munnerlyn, putting the Panthers up 30-13 with 8:17 left. Smith’s fifth pick-six off the season all but sealed Gang Green’s fate both as a loser on Sunday and in the standings. The Jets would be officially eliminated with a Ravens win Monday, and would still have an extremely slim chance of making the postseason otherwise.
Gang Green still managed a futile comeback effort, driving downfield on the next series and throwing an eight-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Cumberland with 3:50 left on the clock. Down 10 points, the Jets tried an onside kick but failed.
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