NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS September 28, 2015 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Jets have 4 turnovers in 1st loss of season, to Eagles (Dennis Waszak)... 2 Sproles, defense help Eagles beat Jets for 1st win, (Dennis Waszak)... 3 NEWSDAY... 5 Jets' comeback too little, too late in loss to Eagles (Kimberley Martin)... 5 One bad game shouldn't cost Ryan Fitzpatrick his starting job with Jets (Bob Glauber)... 6 Jets Q&A: Chris Ivory: I could've played (Kimberley A. Martin)... 8 Brandon Marshall calls his own lateral 'a bonehead play' (Greg Logan)... 9 THE RECORD Sproles, defense help Eagles beat Jets for first win, (J.P. Pelzman) Jets Brandon Marshall rues failed attempt to lateral (Jeff Roberts) Sullivan: Not the time for Jets to change quarterbacks (Tara Sullivan) NEW YORK TIMES Eagles Expose the Jets Deficiencies (Ben Shpigel) ESPN NEW YORK Brandon Marshall: Failed lateral was 'probably worst play in NFL history' (Ohm Youngmisuk) Jets' Willie Colon could be lost to knee injury (Rich Cimini) Jets' Chris Ivory says he felt 'really good' and could've played (Rich Cimini) Jets' Ryan Fitzpatrick struggles in loss to Eagles; feel-good story over (Rich Cimini) Emerson Boozer and Matt Snell to be inducted into Jets' Ring of Honor (Ohm Youngmisick) NEW YORK POST Jets pitiful 1st half dooms them in dreadful loss to Eagles (Brian Costello) Jets report card: Offense was even worse than the numbers (Brian Costello) Jets Darrelle Revis shrugs off new hamstring bother (Brian Costello) Todd Bowles downplays QB drama after Fitzpatrick s disaster (Brian Lewis) With chance to be noticed, Jets receivers nearly disappear (Brian Lewis) With Ivory on call, Jets ground game grinds to screeching halt (Bart Hubbuch) How Jets crucial letdown mistake could burn them next week (Mark Cannizzaro) NJ ADVANCE MEDIA Why didn't Jets' Chris Ivory play in loss to Eagles, despite being active? (Darryl Slater) Jets' Geno Smith on potential outcry to bench Ryan Fitzpatrick: 'I've been on the other side of it' (Darryl Slater) P a g e

2 Ryan Fitzpatrick struggled, but the Jets shouldn't push the panic button... yet (Steve Politi) Jets' Brandon Marshall: 'I played like crap today' (Dom Cosentino) Darrelle Revis hurts hamstring in Jets' loss to Eagles, says he'll 'be fine' (Darryl Slater) Eagles 24, Jets 17: The good, the bad, and the ugly from an unsightly offensive performance (Darryl Slater) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Brandon Marshall desperate lateral shows Jets offense not the same without Chris Ivory and Eric Decker (Manish Mehta) Jets Ryan Fitzpatrick throws three interceptions, Eagles roll past Jets (Seth Walder) Jets' Darrelle Revis says hamstring will be 'fine' (Kevin Armstrong) METRO NEW YORK Statement game for Jets' Jeremy Kerley? (Kristian Dyer) Brandon Marshall's bad lateral another blemish in Jets' loss (Kristian Dyer) Jets resemble team from Rex Ryan regime in first Todd Bowles loss (Kristian Dyer) reasons why the Jets fell to the Eagles, failed to win third straight (Kristian Dyer) SUNDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets have 4 turnovers in 1st loss of season, to Eagles (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Brandon Marshall made a big catch and was determined to do something more. After all, the New York Jets' offense was struggling and in dire need of a spark. So, Marshall carelessly tossed the ball behind him for a teammate and flipped the momentum right back to the Philadelphia Eagles. "Wrong time to gamble," Marshall said after the Jets' loss Sunday. "I was pressing, trying to make a play. Probably the worst play in NFL history." It was that kind of day for Marshall and the Jets (2-1). Darren Sproles sparked the Eagles (1-2) with an 89-yard punt return for a score and added a 1-yard touchdown run, the defense caused four turnovers and Philadelphia got its first win of the season. "Now we know we're not going to go undefeated this year," said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was intercepted three times. Sam Bradford threw a TD pass to Ryan Mathews, who also rushed for 108 yards on 25 carries while starting in place of the injured DeMarco Murray. The Eagles improved to 10-0 all-time against the Jets, who were coming off a victory at Indianapolis last Monday night. "They beat us at our own game," said Jets coach Todd Bowles, whose team had 10 takeaways in the first two games and only one in this one. 2 P a g e

3 With the Jets trailing 17-0, Marshall caught a 15-yard pass and then tried to get off a backward pass to Jeff Cumberland. But the ball hit an Eagles defender and was recovered by Jordan Hicks. A video review confirmed the call, and the Eagles made the Jets pay. Sproles scored moments later, running straight ahead for a 1-yard TD that gave Philadelphia a 24-0 lead with 2:11 remaining in the half. "You can't do that," Marshall said of his play. "The damage outweighs the reward so much." Fitzpatrick threw touchdown passes to Marshall and Jeremy Kerley, but the last of his three INTs, by Walter Thurmond with 3:28 left, helped seal the Jets' loss after they held the Eagles scoreless after halftime. Nick Folk kicked a 53-yard field goal with 2:34 remaining, but Seyi Ajirotutu recovered the onside kick and the Eagles ran out the clock. "I feel like the first couple of weeks, there was a lot of pressure on us," Bradford said. "I feel like we were all pressing a little bit. It's just nice to get that first one. Now that pressure's gone." Kerley, who had been dropped on the depth chart and played just two total snaps on offense entering the game, caught a 7-yard pass from Fitzpatrick to get the Jets within with 9:37 remaining. The Jets appeared ready to turn the momentum in their favor when David Harris popped the ball out of Mathews' hands and Demario Davis recovered. But three plays later, Philadelphia took it right back when Brandon Bair deflected Fitzpatrick's pass intended for Marshall and Hicks grabbed the easy interception. Marshall finished with 10 catches for 109 yards and reached 10,000 yards receiving for his career. Bradford was 14 of 28 for 118 yards, while Fitzpatrick was 35 of 58 for 283 yards. Sproles put the Eagles up 10-0 with his spectacular punt return early in the second quarter, dodging at least four would-be Jets tacklers. "We just didn't make any plays," Bowles said. "They made plays and we didn't. We didn't make many in the second half, either." NOTES: Murray was out with a hamstring injury, while the Jets played without running back Chris Ivory (quadriceps), who was active but didn't play, and wide receiver Eric Decker (sprained knee).... Jets QB Geno Smith was active as Fitzpatrick's backup for the first time this season after having his jaw broken by a punch from then-teammate Ikemefuna Enemkpali on Aug Jets CB Darrelle Revis, who was questionable with a groin injury, tweaked a hamstring. Bowles had no immediate word on him or RG Willie Colon, who left after halftime with a knee injury.... Jets rookie Devin Smith had three catches for 39 yards in his NFL debut. Sproles, defense help Eagles beat Jets for 1st win, (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Relax, Eagles fans. All that panicking is over for this week, at least after a sluggish, winless start. 3 P a g e

4 Darren Sproles sparked the Eagles with an 89-yard punt return for a score and added a 1-yard touchdown run, the defense caused four turnovers and Philadelphia got its first win of the season by holding on to beat the New York Jets on Sunday. "I feel like the first couple of weeks, there was a lot of pressure on us," quarterback Sam Bradford said. "I feel like we were all pressing a little bit. It's just nice to get that first one. Now that pressure's gone." Bradford threw a TD pass to Ryan Mathews, who also rushed for 108 yards on 25 carries while starting in place of the injured DeMarco Murray. The Eagles (1-2) improved to 10-0 all-time against the Jets (2-1), who were coming off a victory at Indianapolis last Monday night. "I thought it was gritty," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said. "We knew going in this was going to be one of those kinds of games. To use a boxing analogy, two guys were going to stand in the middle of the ring and start throwing at each other." The Eagles were the ones left standing. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw touchdown passes to Brandon Marshall and Jeremy Kerley, but was intercepted three times. The last one, by Walter Thurmond with 3:28 left, helped seal the victory over the Jets, who held the Eagles scoreless after halftime. Nick Folk kicked a 53-yard field goal with 2:34 remaining, but Seyi Ajirotutu recovered the onside kick and the Eagles ran out the clock to avoid their first 0-3 start since 1999, when they lost their first four games and finished Murray was out with a hamstring injury, while the Jets played without running back Chris Ivory (quadriceps), who was active but didn't play, and wide receiver Eric Decker (sprained knee). In Murray's absence, Mathews and Sproles got the Eagles' heavily criticized offense going as Philadelphia scored 24 straight points to open the game. Bradford was 14 of 28 for 118 yards, while Fitzpatrick was 35 of 58 for 283 yards. Marshall had 10 catches for 109 yards. "Now we know we're not going to go undefeated this year," Fitzpatrick said. Kerley caught a 7-yard pass from Fitzpatrick to get the Jets within with 9:37 remaining. The Jets appeared ready to turn the momentum in their favor with 7:23 left when David Harris popped the ball out of Mathews' hands and Demario Davis recovered. But three plays later, Philadelphia took it right back when Brandon Bair deflected Fitzpatrick's pass intended for Marshall and Jordan Hicks grabbed the easy interception. "They beat us at our own game," said Jets coach Todd Bowles, whose team had 10 takeaways in the first two games and only one in this one. Sproles put the Eagles up by 10 with his spectacular punt return early in the second quarter, dodging at least four would-be Jets tacklers. "I was surprised," Sproles said. "When you see a low kick like that, your thoughts are to catch it and get going." It was the second-longest punt return score in Eagles history, behind only Demaris Johnson's 98-yarder against Dallas in It was also the longest punt return for a TD and sixth overall of Sproles' career. He's the only player in NFL history with 15-plus rushing TDs (18), 25-plus receiving TDs (27) and 5-plus punt return TDs (six). 4 P a g e

5 Bradford made it 17-0 with 4:57 left before halftime when he found Mathews streaking down the right sideline with linebacker Davis in single coverage and connected with the running back for a 23-yard TD. With the Jets in desperate need of a lift on offense on the ensuing possession, Marshall tried to do too much as he caught a 15-yard pass and then tried to get off a backward pass to Jeff Cumberland. But the ball hit an Eagles defender and was recovered by Hicks. A video review confirmed the call, and the Eagles made the Jets pay. "Wrong time to gamble," Marshall said. "I was pressing, trying to make a play. Probably the worst play in NFL history." NOTES: Jets CB Darrelle Revis, who was questionable with a groin injury, tweaked a hamstring late. Bowles had no immediate word on him or RG Willie Colon, who left after halftime with a knee injury.... Eagles RG Andrew Gardner (right foot) and S Chris Maragos (bruised left knee) left and didn't return.... Marshall reached 10,000 yards receiving for his career, but wasn't in the mood to celebrate. "I played like crap today, to be honest with you." NEWSDAY Jets' comeback too little, too late in loss to Eagles (Kimberley Martin) Newsday The irritation in Darrelle Revis' voice was evident. He spoke in clipped sentences as he tried to explain how everything managed to fall apart for the Jets in one afternoon. A struggling Eagles team entered MetLife Stadium on Sunday with zero wins and their star running back, DeMarco Murray, unable to play because of injury. But instead of being opportunistic on defense and efficient on offense again, the Jets committed costly turnovers and doomed their own attempts at a comeback in a loss. The first victory for the Eagles (1-2) signaled the first defeat of the Todd Bowles era for the Jets (2-1). But he and his players seemed far more perturbed by the manner in which they lost: Ryan Fitzpatrick threw three interceptions, Brandon Marshall attempted a lateral that resulted in a fumble that set up a touchdown -- the receiver later called it "the worst play in NFL history" -- and their special-teams unit missed five tackles during Darren Sproles' 89-yard touchdown on a punt return. The 24-point first-half deficit proved to be insurmountable for the Jets, who are 0-10 all-time against the Eagles. "It's hard to come back from [that],'' Revis said. "... No matter what your record is, no matter who you play. It's tough. "We put ourselves in the hole early on. We tried to claw back as much as we could," added the cornerback, who, after nursing a groin injury last week, was forced to sit out the final defensive drive after tweaking a hamstring. (Asked about that, Revis replied tersely: "I'll be fine.'') The Jets pulled within on Jeremy Kerley's 7-yard touchdown catch with 9:37 left and Nick Folk's 53- yard field goal with 2:34 to play. But quarterback turnovers, a recurring theme for the Jets in recent years, 5 P a g e

6 proved costly. Two of Fitzpatrick's three picks came in the fourth quarter. Worse, each came immediately after the defense did its job. After David Harris caused Eagles running back Ryan Mathews to fumble on the Philly 44, Demario Davis scooped it up and the offense went back to work. But three plays later, Fitzpatrick gave the momentum right back to Philly as Brandon Bair deflected a pass into the hands of Jordan Hicks. Bowles called the play "a momentum-changer. We thought we had a shot then, but then to turn it right back over, it just kind of dashes hope a little bit." Fitzpatrick again was picked off on the Jets' next drive, this time by Walter Thurmond at the Eagles' 18. "Yeah, the two interceptions hurt us," he said. His poor play elicited boos from a frustrated crowd that waved white towels as a show of support for the home team. But his performance also raised questions about the Jets' quarterback situation. Asked if former starter Geno Smith -- who not only was active for the first time since his jaw was broken in training camp but was the No. 2 quarterback -- could move up the depth chart, Bowles matter-of-factly replied: "Ryan's our starter." Fitzpatrick, who threw for two touchdowns, was 35-for-58 for 283 yards. His career-high 58 attempts was a byproduct of running back Chris Ivory's absence and their early deficit. The Jets were without Ivory (quadriceps) and receiver Eric Decker (knee) and might have lost another starter. Right guard Willie Colon left the game with a knee injury and was replaced by Brian Winters. Bowles had no injury update immediately after the game, so it's unclear how long Colon will be sidelined. Despite scoring 17 unanswered points, the Jets lamented the missed opportunities. "Four turnovers are hard to overcome, man. Last week it was just the opposite," Kerley said, referring to the fact that the Jets had a plus-8 turnover margin in the first two games but were minus-3 on Sunday. "It's tough," he said of coming back from a 24-point deficit. "I don't know a lot of people that can. This was a game we wish we could have back... If we would have started off a little faster, ain't no telling what it would have been." The Jets appeared dead in the water for much of the game, and Sproles was a big reason why. His punt return TD was the longest ever by an opponent in a Jets home game and gave the Eagles a 10-0 lead with 12:21 left in the first half. "To tell you the truth, I don't know what I did [to make the defenders miss]," Sproles said. And the Jets made things even worse as the game went on. Not only was their offense nonexistent in the first half, going three-and-out on five of their first six drives, but mental miscues helped to doom them. After catching a 15-yard pass from Fitzpatrick, Marshall inexplicably tried to lateral the football to tight end Jeff Cumberland as he was being tackled at the Jets' 35-yard line. The ball, however, ricocheted off the helmet of Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin and was scooped up and returned 11 yards by Hicks. Said Marshall: "That was probably the worst play in NFL history." Aided by Marshall's miscue and an unnecessary-roughness penalty on Davis, Sproles scored again, this time from 1 yard to make it 24-0 late in the second quarter. One bad game shouldn't cost Ryan Fitzpatrick his starting job with Jets (Bob Glauber) Newsday 6 P a g e

7 The answer -- at least for the time being -- is no. As it should be. Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't come close to playing himself out of the Jets' starting quarterback job, and there is not even the hint of a thought on coach Todd Bowles' part to make a change now that Geno Smith has fully recovered from a broken jaw. "Ryan's our starter," Bowles said after Fitzpatrick threw three interceptions in a loss to the Eagles on Sunday. No further explanation needed. Nor a follow-up question for clarification. Bowles' thinking is perfectly logical. The first-year head coach is a calm, patient man who is mindful of the bigger picture, even if some earlyseason alarm bells went off about Fitzpatrick's poor showing in the Jets' first loss of the season. He wasn't sharp after two impressive performances, but he was far from the only guilty party in a mostly sloppy loss. The running game was a non-factor without Chris Ivory (quadriceps), there was no Eric Decker (knee) and the defense produced only one turnover after creating 10 the first two weeks. Once the Jets went down 24-0, Fitzpatrick had no choice but to put the ball in the air more than he wanted to. The result was a career-high 58 passes, and more often than not, bad things will happen when your quarterback throws that often. It wasn't surprising that he threw three interceptions. "The formula for us is not turning the ball over and throwing it 58 times," said Fitzpatrick, whose previous high in attempts was 51 when he played for the Bills in "I think we know that. We've got to play a better game, a smarter game, and everybody on offense will contribute." Bowles is correctly taking the long view in all this. Thus, his immediate reaction was to close the door on any speculation about Fitzpatrick remaining the starting quarterback. No need to go back on that decision after one bad game. And if a change eventually is needed, it will be clear to everyone -- starting with Bowles -- that there is good reason to make a switch. That means it will take a series of bad games for him to make a move. No Ivory meant no power running game and no Decker meant Brandon Marshall was the go-to receiver. Not that Marshall can't handle that role, but any team is much better when its top two receivers are in the mix. Marshall responded with an uneven effort. He led the Jets with 10 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, but he also made a foolish decision to attempt a lateral as he was being tackled, which resulted in a fumble the Eagles converted into a touchdown to make it Marshall also short-armed a pass in the fourth quarter, and the ball deflected off his hands for an interception. No excuses from Fitzpatrick, though. "We had the two interceptions that hurt us," he said. "We had plenty of chances in the fourth quarter maybe to continue the momentum, and who knows what happens there." It was particularly disappointing for Fitzpatrick to disappoint a crowd buzzing with anticipation after the Jets' unlikely 2-0 start. 7 P a g e

8 "You felt the buzz and excitement pregame, the 'whiteout' and all that stuff," said Fitzpatrick, referencing the white towels fans were given at the game. "To come out and disappoint them, it's tough. But now we know we're not going to be undefeated this year." He knows he still has his coach's confidence, even if that won't change his approach. "I'm going to be the same guy every day," he said. "Coming off a loss like this and just feeling the disappointment, turning the ball over and not putting up enough points. I thought our defense played well enough for us to win. All that's just motivation to climb that hill, continue to try and get better as an offense, make some plays." Fitzpatrick will get more chances to do just that. As it should be. It's not time to make a change. Not until there's demonstrable proof that there ought to be one. And if that day ever comes, it will be obvious to all. Especially the coach. And even the quarterback. Jets Q&A: Chris Ivory: I could've played (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday Why did Chris Ivory not play if he was active for the game? The Jets running back, in full uniform, stood on the sideline but never made an appearance in the Jets' loss to the Eagles Sunday. And his absence was felt, as the Jets were outrushed "He warmed up and said he could play," coach Todd Bowles said of Ivory, who was questionable for the game because of a quadriceps injury. "He missed a lot of practice time during the week. We thought it would be better to go with the other two guys to make sure he was full speed next week." Ivory, though, told reporters after the game that he felt he could play. "I'm not sure how the decision was made. I felt comfortable enough to play [after warm-ups], but I just didn't want it to be nothing that would linger around," he said. Bilal Powell was the Jets' leading rusher with 31 yards, followed by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (13) and Zac Stacy (3). What was Jeremy Kerley's reaction to actually playing on offense? With Ivory out, plus key injuries to the Jets' receiving corps, the veteran slot guy finally got a chance to show what he can do on offense. "I feel like I'm a quarterback's best friend," said Kerley, whose six catches for 33 yards and 7-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter were among the few bright spots for the Jets. "I just feel like I move different than everybody else out there,'' he said. "Everybody's different, everybody brings different talents to this game. I think my intangible is my ability to create separation, and that's at the line of scrimmage. I don't try to play outside myself... So I use what I have to my advantage." 8 P a g e

9 With Eric Decker (knee sprain) and Chris Owusu (knee scope) unable to play, Kerley and Brandon Marshall (10 catches, 109 yards, one touchdown) were the focal points of the passing game. But after weeks of being the forgotten man in Chan Gailey's offense, Kerley wasn't sure if he had impressed his coaches. "Probably so. Who knows? I just wanted to get the win," Kerley said. "That would have been better than opening up eyes today." Kerley, who played only one offensive snap in each of the previous two games, said he wondered how much he'd be used. But he added: "I didn't lose no sleep over it. It's not my first rodeo. It's definitely not my first game and it won't be my last." Despite Fitzpatrick's three interceptions, Kerley praised his quarterback. "He's a general out there," he said. "Hopefully, I can be out there a little bit more with him." How did Devin Smith feel after playing in his first NFL game? "I've never been out this long. It's a great feeling to be back," said the rookie receiver, who was active for the first time after breaking several ribs early in training camp. Smith, who caught three passes for 39 yards, including a 16-yarder, said he wasn't at all worried about getting hit. "This is football," he said. "You can ask anybody in this room if they're worried about getting hit and they'll probably tell you no." Brandon Marshall calls his own lateral 'a bonehead play' (Greg Logan) Newsday As smart a play as Brandon Marshall made in the Jets' opener when he stripped the ball from a Cleveland defensive back after an interception, his lateral-turned-fumble in the Jets' loss to the Eagles Sunday at MetLife Stadium was at the other end of the intelligence spectrum. Marshall knew it, and he owned it along with a tipped-ball interception that also was part of a fourturnover day for a Jets offense playing shorthanded without starting running back Chris Ivory and starting wide receiver Eric Decker. Marshall's numbers catches for 109 yards and one touchdown and reaching the 10,000-yard career receiving plateau -- were great, but he focused on the scoreboard. "I played like crap today, to be honest with you," Marshall said. Marshall's most glaring error came in the second quarter with the Jets trailing 17-0, with only one first down on offense. He caught a 15-yard pass at the Jets' 43, and, while being tackled, tried to flip the ball to tight end Jeff Cumberland. Instead, it hit the Eagles' Connor Barwin in the helmet before linebacker Jordan Hicks scooped it and ran to the Jets' 36. The Eagles quickly tacked on a 1-yard TD run by Darren Sproles for a 24-0 advantage. "Oh my gosh, I was waiting for that one," Marshall said when the subject was raised after the game. "Wrong time to gamble. I was pressing, trying to make a play, but you can't do that. I mean, that was probably the worst play in NFL history. "I saw Cumberland just sitting there, and I waited too late to do it if I was going to do it. But you can't do that. I mean, that's backyard football. It's a bonehead play... The damage outweighs the reward so much." 9 P a g e

10 Describing the final turnover in the fourth quarter, an interception thrown by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick that bounced off Marshall's hands to Eagles safety Walter Thurmond at the Philadelphia 18-yard line, he said: "I thought the safety was right there, so I tried to catch it really quick and bring it in and short-armed it and gave up a pick. So that's on me." During an interview last week on SiriusXM Radio, Marshall suggested he doesn't receive as much attention as he deserves for his accomplishments. When he brought the wrong kind of attention to himself, he did all he could to atone. It was Marshall on the receiving end of a 16-yard pass from Fitzpatrick just before halftime. And Marshall also became the first Jets wideout with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games since Laveranues Coles in On a day when Ivory did not have a carry and Decker was out with an injury, Marshall was the heart of the offense the Jets mustered. Explaining the slow start, he said: "I look at myself. I wasn't getting open. I wasn't making a play, and that puts our offense in a bind because I think everyone knows I'm a guy where a lot of offense is going to go through. "So if I'm not getting open and making my play, that's going to hurt us, and that's what happened." Had the Jets won, Marshall would have been pleased to celebrate his 10,000-yard milestone, but he knew that wasn't the story on this day. With a smile, he said: "I did some good stuff, but then it's like 'pitch the ball back? What is that?' " THE RECORD Sproles, defense help Eagles beat Jets for first win, (J.P. Pelzman) The Record EAST RUTHERFORD The Jets got a reality check Sunday. After two straight victories to open the season, they spotted Philadelphia a 24-point lead and couldn t make a successful comeback, losing at MetLife Stadium. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw three interceptions and the Jets offense sorely missed running back Chris Ivory, who didn t play because of a quadriceps injury. Oddly enough, Ivory was active, but he didn t play, essentially wasting a roster spot for the day. It was a decision [the team] made, Ivory said afterward. I felt comfortable enough to play, but I just didn t want [the injury] to be something that would linger around. The decision was on them. Nick Folk nailed a 53-yard field goal with 2:34 left, cutting the Jets deficit to But his ensuing onsides kick was recovered by Philadelphia s Seyi Ajirotutu two seconds later. The Jets likely would have gotten the ball with less than a minute left, needing a touchdown and PAT to tie, but linebacker Quinton Coples committed an illegal hands to the face penalty on third-and-16. That gave the Eagles (1-2) a clinching first down. Philadelphia s up-tempo offense drove 59 yards in 11 plays to the game s first score, a 30-yard field goal by Cody Parkey. The big play was Ryan Mathews 27-yard run down the left sideline to the Jets P a g e

11 In the second quarter, Darren Sproles had an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown, giving the Eagles a 10-0 lead with 12:21 left in the half. Sproles evaded attempted tackles by Bilal Powell, Tanner Purdum and Kellen Davis on his long jaunt. Later in the period, the Eagles drove 75 yards in eight plays and scored on Mathews 23-yard reception from Sam Bradford. Mathews ran a wheel route down the right sideline and easily beat linebacker Demario Davis for a 17-0 lead with 4:57 left in the second quarter. On the next play from scrimmage, Fitzpatrick completed a 15-yard pass to Brandon Marshall. As he was being tackled at the Jets 43, he attempted to lateral to teammate Jeff Cumberland. The ball caromed off the helmet of linebacker Connor Barwin and linebacker Jordan Hicks recovered. He returned the ball 11 yards to the Jets 36. It took Philadelphia seven plays to cash in the turnover, with Sproles burrowing 1 yard for the touchdown and a 24-0 lead. Davis had a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty to help the drive. The Eagles scored with 2:11 left in the half, giving the Jets just enough time to answer with a touchdown. Marshall atoned for his mistake with a 16-yard scoring reception, capping a nine-play, 79-yard march. The Jets thus cut the lead to 24-7 with six seconds left in the half. With 2:48 to go in the third quarter, the Jets embarked on an 81-yard, 16-play drive that ended on Fitzpatrick s 7-yard pass to wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, who got more playing time in the absence of Eric Decker (knee). The Jets trailed with 9:37 left. Jets Brandon Marshall rues failed attempt to lateral (Jeff Roberts) The Record September 28, EAST RUTHERFORD The revelation came too late for Brandon Marshall. The Jets Brandon Marshall (15) trying to lateral to Jeff Cumberland (85) after a catch in the second quarter Sunday, but the Eagles wound up with a fumble recovery on the play. He never should have done it. And if he was going to commit "probably the worst play in NFL history," he should have done it a little sooner. The Jets wide receiver attempted to lateral the football Sunday as he was being tackled after hauling in a 15-yard pass. He waited too long to pitch it to a trailing Jeff Cumberland, and the ball deflected off the helmet of the Philadelphia Eagles Connor Barwin. The second-quarter fumble not as humiliating as The Butt Fumble, but certainly another addition to the Jets ignoble history was recovered by Jordan Hicks and returned to the New York 36. Seven plays later, it resulted in an Eagles touchdown and a 24-0 deficit that was insurmountable for the Jets (2-1) without Eric Decker and Chris Ivory. "Oh, my gosh, I was waiting for that [question]," Marshall said with a heavy sigh when asked about the lateral. "Wrong time to gamble. I was pressing, trying to make a play. But you can t do that. "That was probably the worst play in NFL history." The five-time Pro Bowler made himself accountable for a strange day in which he excelled despite committing two major mistakes both resulting in turnovers that helped sink the Jets, P a g e

12 Marshall caught 10 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. He became the 45th player in NFL history to surpass 10,000 receiving yards. But he also tossed that lateral. And then the 10-year veteran "shortarmed" a fourth-quarter Ryan Fitzpatrick pass at the Eagles 18. It deflected off his hands for the quarterback s third interception with 3:28 remaining. "I played like crap today, to be honest with you," said Marshall, who was acquired in an off-season trade with the Chicago Bears. "The interception I gave up, I thought the safety [former Giant Walter Thurmond] was right there, so I tried to catch it really quick and bring it in and short-armed it, and gave up a pick. That s on me." The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Marshall, 31, was taken aside by coach Todd Bowles after the lateral. "He knows he can t make that play," Bowles said. "We both know he can t make that play." Bowles was asked if Marshall understood following their talk. "It was a play too late, but he understood," the coach said. It came just two days after Marshall declared in a radio interview that he was frustrated because he is not viewed among the game s best receivers. "You can t do that," Marshall said of the lateral. "That s backyard football. That s boneheaded, a boneheaded play." The absence of Decker (sprained knee) and Ivory (quadriceps) changed the dynamic of the Jets offense. With few options, Fitzpatrick targeted Marshall 14 times. Marshall (23 receptions for 272 yards and three touchdowns this season) did become the first Jets receiver to record consecutive 100-plus-yard games since Laveranues Coles did so in But it was not enough. The last question that came Marshall s way was a softball: He was asked if the 10,000-yard milestone illustrated his consistency over the years. He wouldn t bite. "Did you not see the fumble that I had?" he said with a laugh. "There s some good stuff, but then there s like, you pitch the ball back like what is that?" Sullivan: Not the time for Jets to change quarterbacks (Tara Sullivan) The Record EAST RUTHERFORD Walter Thurmond had barely toppled over the sideline toward the Jets bench, stolen football in his hands, when the aisles of MetLife Stadium suddenly streamed with departing fans. By the time the Eagles cornerback righted himself, handing over the ball and putting teammate Sam Bradford on the field where Ryan Fitzpatrick used to be, it was pretty clear the Jets second-half comeback was going to fall short. It did, a Eagles victory built largely on Fitzpatrick s two fourth-quarter interceptions, including the one Thurmond plucked from Brandon Marshall s short-armed hands. Week 3 in the NFL brought us a predictable version of overcorrection Sunday, dropping the Jets from the ranks of the unbeaten and rescuing the Eagles from the ranks of the winless. But in the new Jets order under coach Todd Bowles, what it doesn t bring us is an overreaction. 12 P a g e

13 Quarterback controversy? Move along folks; nothing to see here. With a simple, declarative sentence, Ryan s our starter, Bowles made it clear he was standing behind his veteran QB, even while erstwhile starter Geno Smith moved one spot closer up the depth chart, his broken jaw healed and ready for him to play. Fitzpatrick had his issues, yes, and three interceptions overall, two in the fourth quarter, will put any quarter back under a microscope. But after all these Jet years of tumult and tension over who should play quarterback, from the banishment of onetime star Mark Sanchez (now the Eagles backup) to the elevation and subsequent sucker punch of Smith by former teammate IK Enemkpali, this is a time to opt for stability over volatility. It s a long season, Bowles said. The same way we won two games and we re not going to get too high, we re not going to lose one and get too low. Correct the mistakes, figure it out this week and we re going to move on. Fitzpatrick was not alone in making mistakes that only compounded the hurdles in place before the game. The Jets were without top running back Chris Ivory, who suited up but didn t play a down with a quad injury, and No. 2 receiver Eric Decker, inactive with a sprained knee. Their absences were obvious. The Jets rushed for only 47 yards, a stat for which the Philly defense will surely take credit, but one that had more to do with an Eagles offense that staked itself to a 24-0 first-half lead. That left Fitzpatrick deep in his own pocket, heaving balls all over the field, a staggering total of 58 throws that matched a career high. There s a lot of things today, circumstances made us throw more and all that, but the winning formula for us is not going to be turning the ball over and throwing it 58 times, Fitzpatrick said. I think we know that. We ve got to play a better game, a smarter game, and everybody on offense can contribute to that. First in line? Receiver Marshall. As much as Marshall s 10 receptions for 109 yards helped the Jets, it was his fumble, his self-described worst play in NFL history, that was more emblematic of his afternoon. With the Jets down 17-0 but driving, Marshall snared Fitzpatrick s first big pass of the day, a 15-yard out route that looked to go for a first down. But as he was falling, he inexplicably tried to toss the ball to teammate Jeff Cumberland, who was coming up behind him on the right. The ball bounced off Connor Barwin s facemask and fell to the turf, with Philadelphia recovering at the Jets 36. Seven plays later, Darren Sproles rumbled 1 yard for a touchdown. Wrong time to gamble, Marshall said, taking a full mea culpa. I was pressing trying to make a play, but you can t do that. It was a bonehead play. Marshall wasn t done beating himself up, not when it was he who was underneath that final, ultimately game-clinching Thurmond interception. I thought the safety was right there, so I tried to catch it really quick and bring it in, he said. I shortarmed it and gave up a pick. That s on me. There are a few things I did in the passing game where I didn t get open the way I wanted to. I gave the cornerback too much and put [Fitzpatrick] and our offense in a bad position. Still, the Jets are smart to keep Fitzpatrick at the position. The short turnaround from Monday night s win in Indianapolis was going to make this a tough game, especially against the desperate 0-2 Eagles team. And with a long flight to London booked for Thursday, Sunday s division game against the already suspect Dolphins doesn t require any big lineup changes. 13 P a g e

14 Now we know we re not going to go undefeated this year, the Harvard-educated Fitzpatrick said. Just got to put our head down and work; don t let this affect us in a negative way. You ve got to keep your composure, and certainly the turnovers didn t help. You ve got to take it one drive at a time and not panic. There s still got to be an element of patience with the confidence in the huddle. I think at times today, whether it was plays by me or other guys, we lacked a little bit of patience. But Bowles is ready to show patience with Fitzpatrick, which is good for the Jets. NEW YORK TIMES Eagles Expose the Jets Deficiencies (Ben Shpigel) New York Times EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. The last time the Jets began a season with three consecutive victories, it was six years ago, in Rex Ryan s first season. That team bragged about its swagger and its defense, about its everything or, the antithesis of the team under Todd Bowles, who demands excellence from his players but expects humility in return. And also perspective. When asked last week about playing winless Philadelphia on Sunday, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said, We re not good enough to look past anybody. His remark was prescient. In their victory at MetLife Stadium, the Eagles battered the Jets, who in a miserable first half self-destructed on special teams, sputtered on offense and buckled on defense. Unable to handle prosperity and falling behind by 24 points the Jets fell into second place behind New England in the A.F.C. East and dropped to 0-10 all time against Philadelphia. After a week of absorbing praise for their shutdown of the Colts last Monday night, the Jets revealed how much they must improve. They missed tackles, generated little pressure and missed open receivers. If not for several drops by the Eagles running backs, the damage would have been far worse. After forcing turnovers at a record pace, with five in each of their first two games, the Jets produced only one takeaway and then gave the ball right back. Trailing by 24-7 at halftime, the Jets narrowed the deficit to 10 on a 7-yard catch by Jeremy Kerley with 9 minutes 37 seconds remaining, then regained possession after Demario Davis recovered a fumble. On the ensuing drive, Brandon Bair deflected Fitzpatrick s pass at the line, and Jordan Hicks grabbed it for the interception. Nick Folk s 53-yarder with 2:34 left made it a one-possession game, but the Eagles recovered the subsequent onside kick and ran out the clock. It was a valiant comeback from an offense that proved how difficult it is for the Jets to win without two critical players, running back Chris Ivory and receiver Eric Decker. The absence of a running game (47 yards on 16 rushes) forced Fitzpatrick to tie a career-high with 58 pass attempts, completing 35 for 283 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. 14 P a g e

15 In planning for the Eagles, the Jets considered their shortcomings last week against Dallas, when Philadelphia rushed for 7 yards, but also their potential. Bowles saw explosiveness and speed and enough talent to corroborate the Eagles standing as N.F.C. contender. Quarterback Sam Bradford, maligned in Philadelphia for a miserable game last week against Dallas, connected on only 14 of 28 passes, but he did toss a 23-yarder to Ryan Matthews, who ran out of the backfield and capitalized on the mismatch of being defended by Davis. Describing the defensive effort it requires to contain Darren Sproles, Darrelle Revis said it takes all 11. Sproles juked, bobbed and weaved through all 11 on his 89-yard punt return, the second-longest in franchise history, that put Philadelphia ahead by 10-0 early in the second quarter. Without Ivory (quadriceps) softening the defensive line with his bruising style, the Jets gained all of 23 rushing yards before halftime. Without Decker (knee) drawing coverage away from Brandon Marshall, the Jets passing game fizzled, leading to one first down on their first six possessions. To begin their seventh, Fitzpatrick found Marshall for what was to that point the Jets longest play, a 15- yard catch. But Marshall, while falling, deemed it prudent to attempt a lateral to Jeff Cumberland. The ball caromed off the helmet of Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin and bounced to Hicks, who ran it 11 yards to the Jets 36. According to the Fox telecast, Marshall told the sideline reporter Pam Oliver at halftime that it was the worst play in N.F.L. history. Seven plays later, after Davis accrued a 15-yard penalty for suplexing Sproles after tackling him, Sproles slipped into the end zone from a yard out, extending the Eagles lead to Through the first 28 minutes, the Jets had already allowed more points than they had across their first two games. That they would not give up any more was of little consolation. The Jets might not have looked past Philadelphia, but when confronted by the Eagles on Sunday, they did not play well enough to win. EXTRA POINTS Offensive guard Willie Colon, who was listed as questionable (knee) heading into Sunday, left the game with a knee injury and did not return.... Geno Smith was active for the first time since absorbing a punch from a teammate that broke his jaw on Aug. 11. Jeff Cumberland left with a head injury. ESPN NEW YORK Brandon Marshall: Failed lateral was 'probably worst play in NFL history' (Ohm Youngmisuk) ESPN New York EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On a day when he had 10 receptions and surpassed 10,000 career receiving yards, Brandon Marshall will always remember Sunday instead for making what he called "probably [the] worst play in NFL history." Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was intercepted three times, struggled with his deep ball and had a few passes tipped at the line in a loss to the Eagles. Fitzpatrick was forced out of his comfort zone and had to play catch-up, attempting 58 passes. He needed help from the running game and the defense, and neither of those areas stepped up. 15 P a g e

16 Trailing 17-0 and without starters Chris Ivory and Eric Decker, Marshall caught a 15-yard pass in the second quarter. As he was being tackled and brought down by a defender, Marshall attempted to lateral the ball to teammate Jeff Cumberland, only to fumble it away. Philadelphia recovered at the Jets' 36 and scored a touchdown just over two minutes later to go up 24-0 with 2:11 remaining in the first half. The Eagles would hang on for a win to hand the Jets their first loss of the season. "He knows he can't make that play," Jets head coach Todd Bowles said of Marshall, who had 10 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. "We both know he can't make that play. He can't pitch the ball. He understands that. We can't have those types of plays during the game. Can't do it." Over the years, the Jets certainly have experienced their share of knucklehead plays, considering this is the franchise that brought us "The Butt Fumble." But Marshall's gaffe was one that proved to be too much for the Jets to overcome Sunday. With Mark Sanchez watching on the Eagles' sideline as the backup quarterback, Marshall's ill-fated lateral came when the Jets were desperately in need of a spark. They were trying to keep the game within striking distance in hopes of maintaining all the momentum of a 2-0 start under their new head coach. As he was being tackled and brought down by a defender in the second quarter, Jets receiver Brandon Marshall (15) attempted to lateral the ball to teammate Jeff Cumberland, only to fumble it away. Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire When Marshall caught the pass, he saw Cumberland nearby as he was about to go down. He didn't see linebacker Connor Barwin trailing the play, and his pitch glanced off Barwin before being recovered by Jordan Hicks. "Oh my gosh," Marshall said when asked about the lateral. "Wrong time to gamble. I was pressing. Trying to make a play but can't do that. That was probably [the] worst play in NFL history." "You can't do that," he added. "The damage outweighs the reward so much.... That's backyard football. Can't do that. Bonehead play." Marshall tried to atone for his folly by catching a 16-yard touchdown pass with six seconds remaining in the half. But the Jets were down 24-7 and that proved too big a hole without Ivory and Decker. Marshall would become the seventh active player to reach the 10,000-yard career mark in the game. But he also was part of another play that led to a critical Jets turnover. Down with 3:33 left, the Jets were at the Eagles' 37 when quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a ball toward the sideline for Marshall. "You can't do that. The damage outweighs the reward so much.... That's backyard football. Can't do that. Bonehead play." "I played like crap today, to be honest with you," Marshall said. "The interception I gave up, thought the safety was right there so I tried to catch it really quick and bring it in and short-armed it. Gave up a pick, so that is on me." It was a strange day for Marshall, who was productive stats wise and reached a career milestone. And yet the failed lateral will be what he remembers for a long time. "Did you not see the fumble I had?" Marshall said laughingly when asked about how consistent he has been over his career. "There's some good stuff but then it is like pitch the ball back. Like, what is that? I can't really wrap my head around [the 10,000-yard mark] because I am so disappointed in my performance and the loss." 16 P a g e

17 Jets' Willie Colon could be lost to knee injury (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York January 21, 2015 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Cornerback Darrelle Revis said he's "fine" after tweaking a hamstring, but there wasn't as much optimism surrounding a knee injury to right guard Willie Colon, who was replaced in the third quarter of the New York Jets' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Colon wasn't in the locker room during the media period, but he was seen later being driven out of the stadium on a golf cart -- always an ominous sign. Coach Todd Bowles provided no information on Colon's status. Colon, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in 2014, suffers from a chronic knee issue. In fact, he was limited in practice last week and was listed as questionable on the injury report. It's unclear if he hurt his surgically repaired knee. A long-term injury would be a blow to the offense. Colon, 32, is the senior member of the line, the vocal leader of the group. He brings an element of toughness to the team, an intangible that would be missed. He was replaced by Brian Winters, who has struggled in pass protection in past years. He allowed a pressure on Ryan Fitzpatrick's second interception, getting pushed backward by defensive end Brandon Bair, who deflected the pass at the line of scrimmage. Linebacker Jordan Hicks made the interception on the tip. Revis, who entered the game with a strained groin, played all but the final series. That's when the hamstring flared up. "I will be fine," he said. Jets' Chris Ivory says he felt 'really good' and could've played (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Jets' running game crashed Sunday at MetLife Stadium, and one of the eyewitnesses was Chris Ivory. The Jets' leading rusher was active for the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but he spent the entire afternoon on the sideline, looking spiffy in the team's all-white uniforms. He never got into the game, not a single play, a curious decision by coach Todd Bowles -- one that probably had fantasy football owners screaming at their televisions. Ivory, who missed two days of practice with a strained quadriceps, said he could've played. After pregame warmups, he was deemed well enough to dress as the No. 3 running back, but not well enough to play. "Early on, I didn't feel like I'd be well enough to be productive, but the more I got going and the warmer I got, I felt good," Ivory said. "I felt really good. But the decision was made. I was happy with it. I was happy with it [because] I don't want something lingering around most of the year. I was able to sit back and be the emergency back and get ready for next week." 17 P a g e