New York Jets quarterback Mike White (5) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive finish Quinton Jefferson (77) through the second half of an NFL soccer sport, Sunday, Jan. 1 2023 in Seattle. (AP Picture/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
SEATTLE (AP) — The New York Jets’ lengthy slide has lastly come to an finish.
From reliable playoff contenders barely a month in the past to one more postseason spent at dwelling as a spectator.
New York was eradicated from postseason rivalry with a 23-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, making certain that the Jets will miss the NFL playoffs for a franchise-record 12th straight season. longest lively drought within the league.
The Jets (7-9) final reached the postseason in 2011 and can end with a dropping report for the seventh consecutive season.
“Nobody hurts greater than the folks within the locker room, particularly me.” Jets coach Robert Salah stated. “However on the identical time, I do know it is onerous to see the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel, however there’s nonetheless numerous actually thrilling issues to see from this season.
“However proper now, it stings.”
New York (7-9) began December 7-Four, was in the course of the AFC East race and was coming off a 31-10 Chicago win. The previous few weeks have been one downside after one other for the Jets, all including as much as a five-game dropping streak on the worst attainable time.
The Jets began the day hoping that Week 18 would make sense it doesn’t matter what. However New England’s win over Miami coupled with New York’s loss was the formulation that eradicated the Jets.
“The five-game dropping streak and I do know we battled in a bunch of video games, this one we may have been lots higher.” Saleh stated. “Particularly within the final two video games, we really feel like we’re a greater soccer crew than this one. Clearly, it begins with me.”
New York’s fifth straight loss began badly and by no means improved. Seattle’s Kenneth Walker III broke off a 60-yard run on the primary play of the sport, and three performs later, Colby Parkinson caught a 12-yard landing go from one-man Jets QB Geno Smith.
Seattle led 17-Three early within the second quarter after Smith’s second TD go, and after not main at any level within the final three video games, the Seahawks thrived within the entrance sport.
The early deficit put extra stress on New York quarterback Mike White, returning after lacking two video games with damaged ribs.
“There’s a normal that guys deserve and I did not reside as much as that normal and I did not play to that normal right this moment.” White stated.
White threw a sloppy interception on New York’s first possession, certainly one of two fumbled picks. White was 23-of-46 for 240 yards, was sacked 4 occasions and did not get something going offensively within the second half.
New York had simply six first downs because it tried to rally within the second half, with 4 of them coming down the stretch. The Jets additionally went three-and-out on three consecutive possessions and did not run an offensive play contained in the Seattle 20 all sport.
Greg Zuerlein kicked a pair of 44-yard area targets for New York to account for all its factors.
“It smells unhealthy. It is onerous. It is heartbreaking. It is all the above. You need to use no matter adjective you wish to use to explain it.” White stated. “There aren’t any ethical victories by any means, however within the grand scheme of issues we’re enjoying significant soccer on the finish of the season. However I additionally suppose we’re on the level the place we do not care about ethical victories.”
Whereas the offensive struggles had been vital, the setbacks weren’t remoted to that facet of the ball. New York gave up a career-high 198 yards to the Seahawks, and Seattle held the ball for practically 34 minutes.
And that is with out the added layer of the Jets watching Smith have fun beating his former crew and conserving Seattle’s playoff hopes alive by means of Week 18.
“We really feel like we’re over the season” Jets large receiver Garrett Wilson stated. “We wished a shot on the playoffs. … On the finish of the day, that is what we wished to do and have an opportunity to show ourselves past that. We did not get there, so we do not really feel good in any respect.”