In a game that saw the Jets and the Panthers play four quarterbacks, points were hard to come by on both sides as Carolina escaped MetLife Stadium with a 13-6 victory on Sunday. The Jets fell to 0-7 while the Panthers moved to 4-3 with their third consecutive win.
The Jets turned to backup QB Tyrod Taylor in the second half. With the Jets facing a 13-3 deficit, Taylor entered with 10:36 remaining in the third quarter. HC Aaron Glenn decided to make the QB change after Justin Fields went 6 of 12 in the first half for 46 yards and was sacked 3 times.
"I understand the nature of the quarterback change," Glenn said. "We needed a spark. At that time, I felt like it was the right time to do it. Obviously, a tough situation for both of those guys. But it was my call and I felt like it was the right time to do it."
The Jets had a golden opportunity to close the deficit, dialing up some trickeration with :47 seconds remaining in the third quarter. RB Breece Hall took a shotgun snap and pitched the ball to rookie WR Arian Smith who then tossed it back to Taylor. With a wide-open Allen Lazard up the home sideline, Taylor's ball was knocked away by LB Trevin Wallace. On the ensuing play, Taylor went up top to WR Josh Reynolds and was intercepted by star CB Jaycee Horn in the end zone.
Then in the fourth quarter, the Jets were forced to settle for Nick Folk's second field goal – a 47-yarder – 2 plays after Smith couldn't hang onto Taylor's pretty vertical toss that appeared destined for a 29-yard TD. Later Horn came up with his second interception with 4:28 left on a Taylor toss intended for Reynolds.
"I just tried to come in and do my job, execute," said Taylor, who was 10-of-22 for 126 yards and was sacked 3 times. "Obviously those two turnovers can't happen. Jaycee made great plays on both of those. I tried my best to create a spark. Regardless of whether I did or didn't, we were on the losing side of that game so no one's pleased in that locker room."
Backup Andy Dalton finished the game for the Panthers after Bryce Young exited with an ankle injury in the third quarter.
The Panthers got the game's first touchdown with 1:11 remaining in the first half, taking a 10-3 lead on Young's 3-yard scoring pass to Xavier Legette. The visitors capitalized on a short field, moving 52 yards over 7 plays. They kept their drive alive on Young's 11-yard connection to rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan on fourth down and got to the 3-yard-line with a perfectly executed screen from Young to RB Chubba Hubbard for 26 yards.
In need of an energy boost to start the second quarter, the Jets' defense delivered with a fourth-down stop. Edge Will McDonald IV and LB Mykal Walker combined to stuff Panthers RB Rico Dowdel for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the Carolina 49.
On the subsequent series, Fields ran for a first down on third down but took a big shot from S Latham Ransom at the end of his slide. Taylor finished the Jets' first scoring drive that ended on Folk's 34-yard field goal. The kick tied the game at 3-3 after Carolina took the early lead on Ryan Fitzgerald's 30-yard FG during a first quarter the Jets were outgained 96 yards to 39.
After the game, Glenn was non-committal on whom will start for the Jets next week in Cincinnati against the Bengals.
"We'll make the right decision," he said. "Whatever the decision is, I'm going to go with it and we're going to move forward."
See all of the best game photos from the Jets Week 7 game against the Panthers.
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WR Garrett Wilson (knee) was inactive for the first time in his NFL career. … CB Sauce Gardner was evaluated for a concussion in the second half. ... RB-KR Kene Nwangwu sustained a concussion in the first half and did not return. … Tyler Johnson (3-60), Mason Taylor (3-31) and Josh Reynolds (3-29) were the Jets' top pass catchers while Panthers WR Xavier Legette set season highs with 9 catches for 92 yards. … MLB Jamien Sherwood led the defense with 10 tackles, 2TFL, 2 QB hits, 1 sack and 1 PD. … Rookie defenders Malachi Moore (3 tackles, 1 PD) and Kiko Mauigoa (5 tackles) made their third and fourth consecutive starts, respectively, at S and LB. … The Jets had 7 PDs, 6 TFL and held Carolina to 29% (5 of 17) on third down. … DT Jowon Briggs recorded his second sack of the season, taking down QB Bryce Young for a 12-yard loss in the third quarter.
