The Jets dropped a road contest, 35-12, to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. The Green & White fell to 2-7 and the Chiefs improved to 6-3.
In defeat, rookie edge David Bailey led the team with 3 QB hits, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles, and RB Breece Hall was productive in his return with 87 scrimmage yards.
Offensively it was a tale of two halves. The Jets started well, sustaining drives that took up significant clock time and K Jason Sanders accounted for all of the Jets' points with field goals from 23, 48, 49 and 54 yards.
But in the second half, the unit stalled and the Chiefs gained momentum in the third quarter taking a 28-12 lead with Kenneth Walker III scoring his third TD of the game. The Jets punted 3 times and turned the ball over on downs twice on their second-half possessions and were 2-of-11 overall on third down attempts. QB Geno Smith was 18-of-32 passing for 165 yards ,but Kansas City's pressure was persistent and he was sacked 5 times.
Bailey sacked QB Patrick Mahomes (23 of- 31, 242 yards, 2 TD) twice and forced 2 fumbles on the same drive toward the end of the first half. His 7.5 sacks through 9 games are the second-most by a Jet since 1982, behind only Hugh Douglas. Mahomes looked to have been hurt on a sack by Bailey and a 10-yard loss and fumble recovery by Will McDonald IV, but he was back in the game before halftime giving the Chiefs a chance to extend their lead, but K Harrison Butker's try from 51-yards was wide left.
The Chiefs had a 14-12 halftime lead they extended to 21-12 out of the break with a 10-play, 60-yard drive capped by TE Travis Kelce's 1-yard rushing TD.
See the best photos from the Jets game against the Chiefs in Week 9.
In the first half the Jets controlled the clock using 16 minutes between their three field-goal scoring drives on their first three possessions. Sanders converted from 23, 48 and 49 yards to give the Jets a 9-7 lead with 8:12 left in the first half.
The Chiefs fumbled on their opening possession with QB Justin Fields losing control of the ball that LB Demario Davis recovered and set up Sanders' 48-yard conversion. However, Kansas City built to a 14-9 lead with 5:37 left in the first half with Walker scoring two receiving TDs -- a 7-yard reception for the Chiefs' first score and later a 25-yard catch-and-run after RB Braelon Allen fumbled on the Jets' 26-yard line.
Hall had 15 carries as the Jets prioritized the run in his first game back in five weeks. The Green & White had 106 rushing yards and Hall had 13 of his 15 carries in the first half. The Jets moved the ball well with the run which, in turn, limited the Chiefs to under 10 minutes of possession.
Sanders' fourth field goal from 54 yards put the Jets within 2 points of Kansas City's lead just outside of the 2-minute warning before halftime.
