NFL

Special teams gaffe gives Panthers the edge

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It is called coaching scared, and it ruined the Jets on Sunday.

Rex Ryan had nightmares about returner Ted Ginn Jr. tormenting him as a Dolphin, and was obsessed with preventing a déjà vu all over again.

It blew up in his face, and cost the Jets, 30-20 losers to the Panthers, the game, and perhaps eventually his job.

“Actually it was an adjustment that myself and coach [Richard] Rodgers made in the second quarter,” said Jason Williams, whose punt block set up the decisive touchdown in Panthers 30, Jets 20. “We noticed that they were shifting their wing out to the side of the punt, and bringing the PP (personal protector) down on the line, which leaves no one in the backfield. It basically gave me a one-on-one with the long snapper. So it was something we noticed, and we figured if they did it again we would capitalize.”

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said: “You know what was great there was there was something that we had seen and Jason came to the sideline and said, ‘This is what I am getting.’ ”

With the Jets employing three flyers, Williams blew up the middle past long snapper Tanner Purdum and punter Ryan Quigley never had a chance. Garrett McIntyre recovered the loose ball at the Jets’ 14, and four plays later, Mike Tolbert was in the end zone and it was Panthers 23, Jets 13.

“We’ve been running different formations all year, mixing it up,” Quigley said. “Obviously, we have run that formation this season so they might have seen it and obviously, whatever they did, it worked. It’s one of those things. It’s a long season. Things like that, they tend to happen, but unfortunately it happened at that point in the game and really switched the momentum. Anytime that happens, it’s very tough for our defense. We put them in a tough spot there.”

Ryan admitted the strategy was fraught with risk.

“The guy returned two kicks for touchdowns against us one game when they had about 90 yards and they beat us when he was in Miami,” Ryan said. “We know how explosive he is back there. We wanted to change it up. … What they can do is cover up your center and put him into the protection. We knew that was a risk and clearly that’s where they came through.”

Quigley said: “It’s our first blocked punt of the season. Obviously we can’t let that happen.”

Williams, meanwhile, was cherishing his game ball.

“Actually, it’s in my locker right now,” he said. “I’m pretty sure it’s going to make it into the collection.”