NONE of the Jets wanted to touch the subject. Not Thomas Jones. Not Chad Pennington. Not Laveranues Coles. No one wanted to second guess the Jets coaching staff for two critical calls late in the fourth quarter when the offense seemed headed for a game-tying touchdown, only to come away with their fifth loss in six games.
“I just do what I’m told to do,” Coles said. “Whatever plays come in, we take them and run them.”
Said Jones: “I don’t call the plays. I do what I am asked to do.”
Problem was, Jones wasn’t asked to do enough in what was perhaps the most critical offensive series of the Jets’ rapidly fading season. Acquired from the Bears during the off-season and signed to a $20 million contract, Jones was finally enjoying a breakthrough game.
On “Throwback Day” he was running like he did in helping the Bears to the Super Bowl last year. He broke free for 36 yards on his first carry of the game and his total climbed to 130 yards rushing when he gained nine to the Eagles 4 with 4:46 remaining in the game. On second-and-1, Jones got the ball again and was stopped for no gain.
No problem. Give him the ball again, right? Wrong!
On third down, Pennington tried a quarterback sneak, a play he had used twice earlier in the game to lunge for first downs. This time he was stopped cold by Takeo Spikes and Mike Patterson for no gain.
On fourth drown, Pennington lined up in the shotgun, virtually removing all threat of a run, and floated a fade pass to Coles that was knocked away by defensive back Sheldon Brown. Eagles ball. Eagles ballgame.
Instead of a game-tying touchdown, the Jets were left to explain why Jones didn’t get the chance to gain one more yard on a day when he averaged 5.4 yards per carry. Why try a quarterback sneak, given your quarterback has no momentum going into a crowded defensive line?
“They did a good job of cramming us,” Pennington said.
And why try a fade pass against a defensive back that had already intercepted one pass?
“That was a coaching decision,” head coach Eric Mangini said. “That was a play we liked going into the game and we went with it. A lot of times when you get in critical situations you think of players, not plays. Laveranues is a guy we all feel great about.”
The Jets should have felt great about Jones, given the way he was running the ball. He ran hard against the Eagles, breaking tackles, cutting back against the pursuit and finding whatever openings were available.
“The offensive line did a great job of coming off the ball and being aggressive,” said Jones, who had 24 carries. “We all just really worked well together today.”
When the Jets got the ball with 8:05 to play at their own 46 and needing a touchdown to tie, Jones looked ready to be a hero. He started the drive with a 9-yard gain off left guard and three plays later caught a short pass for 11 more yards. Soon it was first down at the Eagles 13. Jones ran around left end it for nine more. On second down, he was stuffed for no gain with 4:46 remaining. Who knew it would be his last carry?
“You mess around on treacherous grounds when you start questioning your coaches,” Coles said. “I don’t ever question anything they call. Whatever they call, I stick with them.”
Gone was not only a chance to tie the game, but establish a mentality of playing power football when needed. For the first time, the Jets were running the ball with success. The offensive line was pushing forward and Jones was finding holes. He was good enough to earn 130 yards yesterday, but apparently not good enough to gain one more.