The Jets (4-4) had their three-game winning streak snapped on Monday night and lost to the Chargers (4-4), 27-6, at MetLife Stadium. Here are three takeaways from the Week 9 matchup.
Big Picture in AFC
Monday's game was the second contest the Green & White have played that's been decided by more than 10 points. The Jets have played five one-score games and two of their four losses have been determined by more than 20 points (30-10 final score at Dallas in Week 2).
The Jets are one of three teams in the AFC at 4-4 and will take on the 4-5 Raiders in Las Vegas on a short week in Week 10.
"We got humbled today," said LB C.J. Mosley, whose five games with 10 or more tackles since Week 3 is tied for the most in the NFL. "They came in our house and they beat us, so we have to take that on the chin and get healthy for next week because we have another big AFC game."
He added: "You never want to get too high when you're winning and don't want to get too low when you're losing, so it's the same mindset. The same steps we took the past three weeks when we've been successful, let's keep that same grind when we're down. We've been in this situation before. These types of games, especially in November, are going to make next month relevant. It was a tough way to start November, but we have three more to go."
Those three games are: at the Raiders, at Buffalo and vs. Miami the day after Thanksgiving.
Final Score Misleading
The final score doesn't tell the full story of the Green & White's defensive performance. The defense again held its opponent to no more than 14 points, something the team has done in every game this season. Both Chargers scoring drives began with good field position and came off fumble recoveries.
LA's offense first scored after it took over on the 50-yard line with an Austin Ekeler 1-yard touchdown run. Ekeler scored late in the fourth quarter with the Bolts starting the drive on the NYJ 2-yard line.
It held Pro Bowl QB Justin Herbert to a career-low 136 passing yards. Herbert's 53.3 completion percentage was his fourth-worst mark, his 65.4 rating second worst and the Jets sacked him 5 times, which tied his career high.
"I love that group in the sense that they show up every play, every day," HC Robert Saleh said. "They understand the task -- get the ball as many times as possible. Regardless of the score, regardless of what is happening on the other side, you get the ball back for the offense, period. I think they work their tails off. It's a good group. It's an energetic group and at times, dominant."
See the best photos from Monday night's primetime game against the Chargers.
Turnovers and No Takeaways
The Jets turned the ball over three times – all fumbles – Monday but couldn't recover either of the defense's two forced fumbles.
On the ensuing drive of rookie PR Derius Davis' 87-yard punt return that gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead, WR Garrett Wilson gave the ball back to LA six plays later. The Jets were driving using an up-tempo offense when the ball popped loose and was recovered by S Derwin James on the LAC 29-yard line.
"I have to be better, that's inexcusable," Wilson said. "I feel like we had something rolling and who knows how the game plays out if I don't make that mistake. I am going to make sure to clean that up because that's inexcusable."
D.J. Reed forced a fumble on TE Gerald Everett three plays later that looked like LB Quincy Williams could've recovered, but Davis corralled the loose football.
The Jets had another chance in the third quarter, down by 17-6, to recover a Herbert fumble, forced by rookie DE Will McDonald, in the red zone with a chance to score.
"We have to get some turnovers especially in a game like this when things weren't going our way," C.J. Mosley said. "We had our chances to get the ball, but we didn't get the right bounce or we couldn't get on it. It's a learning lesson."
