Officiating between Rodgers' gripes in 'giveaway' loss

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — For the third straight week, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was left to explain a loss in which his team missed a chance to win the game on its final possession. This time, he looked more frustrated — and worried — than ever.

“We've got to go,” Rodgers said Monday night after the Jets – in their first game under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich – fell to 2-4 with a 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. “It was a golden opportunity. Some games you win in the NFL, and some games you give away. It was a gift.”

Not only did he criticize the Jets' performance, but Rodgers also questioned the officiating. The teams combined for 22 penalties and 204 yards, including 11 for 110 yards by the Jets, who suffered similar problems under former coach Robert Saleh.

“It seemed a little ridiculous,” Rogers said of officiating. “Something [the calls] Felt really bad with the roughness of the passerby on me [by AJ Epenesa]. That trail is not rough. You can also play Sarcastable [a reference to the TV show ‘South Park’] If we are going to call those things. And I think one [Javon] Kinlaw was not roughing the passerby.”

Rodgers also bemoaned what he called a “phantom holding call” on a Tyron Smith tackle that negated a Bralon Allen scoring drive that gave the Jets a 27-20 lead in the third quarter. Greg Zuerlein missed his second field goal of the night to score no points.

The Jets, who fired Saleh last Tuesday, capped a tumultuous week with a performance that shocked many others. There were too many penalties and too many missed chances.

Under new playcaller Todd Downing, who replaced the resigned Nathaniel Hackett, the offense managed to produce 393 total yards, but it went 1-for-4 in the red zone. One of its two touchdowns was a miracle play — a 52-yard Hail Mary to Allen Lazard late in the first half that cut the Bills' lead to 20-17.

Garrett Wilson describes how “frustrating” the wide receiver is about penalties, mistakes and missed opportunities. “We've got to find a way to score a touchdown because I don't want to have that feeling,” he said.

The Jets have lost three in a row by a total of 10 points, the last two games ending with Rodgers' interceptions on their final possessions. For the first time in his 20-year career, Rodgers posted a six-game losing streak.

“It's disappointing,” he said. “I'm here to win those games.”

This time, Rodgers got the ball at his 30 with 3:43 left in the game — 70 yards from a touchdown that would have moved the Jets into a first-place tie with the Bills (4-2). The last time the Jets shared first place after Week 6 was in 2012 – the NFL's longest drought.

Rogers had no magic.

The drive erupted with a sack and two Jets penalties (one offsetting), ending with a third-and-16 deep ball to Mike Williams that was picked off by Taron Johnson at the Bills' 18-yard line. Rodgers said there was a miscommunication between him and Williams, who suffered a head injury on the play.

Rodgers (23-for-35) threw for a season-high 294 yards, with two touchdowns, but wasn't happy with the overall execution by the offense. He said attention to detail needs to be improved. He too could improve. In the red zone, he was 3-for-8, including four passes that were either tipped or defended.

“I thought we were going to have a big night on offense,” he said. “Again, this should have been a 30-plus point game on offense and that shouldn't even be a conversation.”

Owner Woody Johnson fired Saleh in hopes of creating new energy under the fired-up Ulbricht. It worked — for a while. After Rodgers' Hail Mary to Lazard — Rodgers' fourth career Hail Mary touchdown — the Jets went into halftime with momentum. But they left it in the locker room, managing just one field goal in the second half.

Now they are in danger of falling into conflict.

“We're not out of this thing by any means. No way,” Ulbricht said. “I know the character in that locker room. I know how we're going to respond. … We've got to start stacking up this week's exceptional preparation. I promise you it's going to start paying off on Sunday.”