‘Pretty damn dark’: Jets lose 5th straight to lowly Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who inherited the team three weeks ago after the abrupt firing of Robert Saleh, stood at the podium, eyes glazed, voice shaking at times. He was trying to make sense of a once-promising season that appears all but lost.

“I’m pissed; they’re pissed,” Ulbrich said of the players. “I’m hurt; they’re hurt.”

The Jets (2-6) dropped their fifth straight game, a demoralizing 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. It was one of the franchise’s lowest points in recent memory, and Ulbrich, sharing his postgame message to the team, called it “a moment of darkness.”

Three weeks ago, the Jets were playing for a share of first place in the AFC East. Now, they’re tied for last with the Patriots (2-6), who, despite losing quarterback Drake Maye (concussion) in the second quarter, outscored the Jets in the second half 18-9.

The Jets are a star-laden team with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, and they have collapsed in spectacular fashion.

“I mean, five losses in a row is pretty damn dark,” tight end Tyler Conklin said, amplifying Ulbrich’s words. “S—, one or two losses in a row can get dark. This sucks.”

As  Aaron Rodgers deadpanned, “I’ve been in the darkness. You have to go in there and make peace with it.”

Unlike one of Rodgers’ retreats, there’s no guarantee this will end anytime soon, based on the way the Jets played against the struggling Patriots, who snapped a six-game losing streak.

In a virtual must-win situation, the Jets lost a game that seemed impossible to lose. They became the first team since 2012 to lose with zero giveaways and less than 250 yards allowed, according to ESPN Research. It happened to Rodgers in 2012, in the  Green Bay Packers’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the famous ” Fail Mary Game.”

The Jets seemed ill-prepared, as the offense wasted three timeouts in the first quarter and took a delay penalty on a pivotal 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter. They also were undermined by kicker Greg Zuerlein, who missed a field goal and an extra point — the continuation of a season-long slump that has put his roster spot in jeopardy. He has missed six field goals, twice as many as his 2023 total.

“We did not execute in critical moments,” said Ulbrich, whose team gave up the lead twice in the last seven minutes. “We say that’s not who we are, but it’s who we are until we demonstrate otherwise.”

Owner Woody Johnson recently called this probably his best roster in 25 years. At 2-3, he fired Saleh, expecting the move to spark the team. The Jets also traded for star wide receiver Davante Adams and welcomed back pass rusher Haason Reddick, who made his debut Sunday after a lengthy holdout.

There has been no spark.

Reddick was a nonfactor, recording no tackles and two quarterback pressures in 26 defensive snaps. He was on the field for five of the last eight plays on the Patriots’ 12-play game-winning drive, which culminated with  Rhamondre Stevenson’s 1-yard touchdown run with 22 seconds left.

“As of right now, I have nothing to say as far as the holdout,” said Reddick, who refused to answer several questions about it. “The only thing that I’m worried about right now is what can I do to be better, what can I do to get myself fully up to speed.”

Adams (four catches for 54 yards) had another quiet game, though his presence created opportunities for Garrett Wilson (five catches for 113 yards). Otherwise, the offense sputtered, appearing confused at times. Plays came in slowly from the sideline and players didn’t know where to line up at times.

Rodgers seemed exasperated at times, though he held his tongue afterward.

“On one of [the timeouts], we were lagging out of the huddle,” he said. “One, I was trying to get the protection right. One, I felt like we could have gotten off, but it was fine to take [a timeout] there.

“Yeah,” he concluded, “our operation was a little slow at times.”

On the delay of game, which moved the 2-point try back to the 7-yard line, Rodgers said he didn’t like the playcall versus their defensive look. So he let the play clock expire, figuring that was better than wasting another timeout. Ultimately, his pass failed. Instead of a 24-17 lead, it was 22-17.

Which didn’t last long.

For Rodgers (17-for-28, 233 yards), who threw two short touchdowns, this marked the third five-game losing streak of his career. His mission in New York was to change the culture of a star-crossed franchise, but that hasn’t happened. He bristled when asked about that, saying the question was “a little dramatic.”

“The NFL is hard,” he said. “It’s hard to win. It’s harder when you make it difficult on yourself.”

Since replacing Saleh, Ulbrich has presided over a defense that has allowed 85 points in three games — well above its average. He has continued to call the defensive plays, but that could change soon.

“I’ll take a hard look at everything,” he said. “If that’s one of the things that could help us, then it’ll definitely be on the table.”