NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

November 2, 2015

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Table of Contents

ASSOCIATED PRESS ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Carr throws 4 TD passes to lead Raiders past Jets 34-20 (Josh Dubow) ................................................................... 2

Jets QBs banged up in 34-20 loss to Raiders (Josh Dubow) ...................................................................................... 3

Carr throws 4 TD passes to lead Raiders past Jets 34-20 (Josh Dubow) ................................................................... 4

NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 6

Jets' defense shredded in loss to Raiders; Ryan Fitzpatrick injured (Kimberley A. Martin) ...................................... 6

Jets' grades ................................................................................................................................................................ 7

Jets' defense has no answers for Raiders (Bob Glauber) .......................................................................................... 8

Jets Q&A: Is Geno Smith ready to start next week? He thinks so (Kimberley A. Martin) ......................................... 9

Can Geno Smith take advantage of his second chance to be the Jets' starting quarterback? (Bob Glauber) ........ 10

THE RECORD ........................................................................................................................................................ 12

Jets beaten by Raiders, 34-20; Ryan Fitzpatrick injured (J.P. Pelzman) .................................................................. 12

Jets replay: Week 8 vs. Oakland (J.P. Pelzman) ....................................................................................................... 13

Jets notes: Brandon Marshall's rough day (J.P. Pelzman) ....................................................................................... 14

NEW YORK TIMES ................................................................................................................................................ 15

Ryan Fitzpatrick Is Injured and the Jets Are Routed by the Raiders (Ben Shpigel) .................................................. 15

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 17

Ryan Fitzpatrick injury means thumbs-down for sloppy Jets (Rich Cimini) ............................................................. 17

Brandon Marshall up, Antonio Cromartie down in Jets' loss (Rich Cimini) ............................................................. 18

The Punch is history; time for Geno Smith to show some fight (Rich Cimini) ......................................................... 19

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 20

Jets’ hyped defense chewed up, Fitzpatrick hurt in beatdown (Brian Costello) ..................................................... 20

Jets’ pitiful report card: Todd Bowles should look away (Brian Costello) ............................................................... 22

Antonio Cromartie after Jets meltdown: I ‘played like s–t’ (George Willis) ............................................................ 22

Jets’ nonexistent pass rush hands Derek Carr the game (George Willis) ................................................................ 23

Todd Bowles’ blunt message for his two injured quarterbacks (Brian Costello) ..................................................... 24

Geno Smith doesn’t even register on Jets’ list of problems (George Willis) ........................................................... 25

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 26

Jets already inquiring about other quarterbacks, per report (Dom Consentino) .................................................... 26

Oakland Raiders 34, Jets 20: The good, the bad, and the ugly from a complete stinker (Darryl Slater) ................. 27

Depleted Jets a disaster in 34-20 loss at Oakland Raiders | Instant analysis (Dom Cosentino) .............................. 28

Jets' Antonio Cromartie after loss at Oakland Raiders: 'I feel like I played like [expletive]' (Darryl Slater) ............ 29

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Latest on injuries to Jets' quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith (Dom Cosentino) ................................. 30

After 2 straight losses, game vs. Jacksonville Jaguars a critical juncture for Jets' season (Darryl Slater) ............... 31

Brandon Marshall injuries: How bad are they for Jets' wide receiver? (Dom Cosentino) ...................................... 32

Jets' Darrelle Revis: Oakland Raiders' Amari Cooper 'a special player' (Dom Cosentino) ....................................... 33

What the heck happened with that pathetic showing by Jets' defense at Oakland Raiders? (Darryl Slater) ......... 33

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 35

Raiders 34, Jets 20: Instant analysis (Manish Mehta) ............................................................................................. 35

Ryan Fitzpatrick hurt, Geno Smith not the answer for Jets in 34-20 loss to Raiders (Seth Walder) ....................... 36

Jets defense underperforms as Raiders QB Derek Carr throws for 333 yards and four touchdowns (Seth Walder) ................................................................................................................................................................................. 38

Jets feel pain of Ryan Fitzpatrick's injury in loss to Raiders (Manish Mehta) .......................................................... 38

WALL STREET JOURNAL ....................................................................................................................................... 40

Jets, Geno Smith Revert to Old Habits in Oakland Loss (Daisuke Wakabayashi) .................................................... 40

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 41

3 things we learned in the Jets' loss to the Raiders (Kristian Dyer)......................................................................... 41

SUNDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ...................................................................................................................... 42

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Carr throws 4 TD passes to lead Raiders past Jets 34-20 (Josh Dubow) Associated Press November 1, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/carr-throws-4-td-passes-lead-raiders-past-jets-34-20

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A year after entering November in search of their first win, Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders are right in contention in the AFC.

Carr threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns to help Oakland pick apart the New York Jets' vaunted defense in a 34-20 victory Sunday that put the Raiders in the thick of the playoff race.

Carr's rapid development from an up-and-down rookie season is one of the biggest reasons the Raiders (4-3) have gone from a team that lost its first 10 games last year to one that has a winning record this late in the season for the first time since 2011.

"We want more," Carr said. "We're not satisfied with 'We're over .500.' We're not satisfied with that. I'm not built that way."

Latavius Murray ran for 113 yards, Andre Holmes caught two touchdown passes and Michael Crabtree had 102 yards receiving and a score. Taiwan Jones added his first career score on a tackle-breaking 59-yard catch and run that exposed a New York defense that had been outstanding the first six games.

Charles Woodson chipped in with his fifth interception and celebrated with the fans, hopeful the Raiders can finally end a 12-year run of no winning records or playoff berths.

"The last couple of years have been rough," Woodson said. "It feels good to be on the other side. It feels good to get the ball. It feels good to go play to the crowd when your team is playing well. There's no feeling like it in the world."

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Ryan Fitzpatrick left with a torn left thumb ligament on the opening drive for the Jets (4-3), who have lost two straight games. Former starter Geno Smith threw for 265 yards and two TD passes in his first action since losing the job in training camp after getting punched in the locker room by teammate IK Enemkpali.

Smith then left in the closing minute on a hard hit by Ray-Ray Armstrong after being drilled earlier in the fourth quarter by David Amerson on a long run down the sideline. Fitzpatrick returned despite the injury and threw two passes before Smith returned. Fitzpatrick will have an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

"Unfortunately just couldn't really grip the ball, couldn't really do anything with pressure," he said.

After scoring on the first seven drives in last week's 37-29 win at San Diego, the Raiders were once again almost perfect on offense at the start. Carr threw touchdown passes on the first drives as the Raiders controlled the line of scrimmage and broke numerous tackles in the secondary.

Carr was helped out by his receivers making big gains after the catch with Crabtree breaking tackles from Demario Davis, Cromartie and Marcus Williams on his 36-yard touchdown and Jones running around and through half the Jets defense on his long score.

"We probably had something like over 20-something missed tackles," defensive back Antonio Cromartie said. "That's something that we can't do. When you have the missed tackles, penalties and giving up long touchdowns, you're automatically going to lose that game."

But Carr also showed the ability to throw the deep ball, connecting on a 49-yarder to Holmes that made it 21-3 late in the first half. Carr now has seven TD passes and no interceptions the past two weeks.

"We have a lot of weapons and we have a lot of hungry guys," Crabtree said. "A lot of guys want the ball, a lot of guys want to get that extra yard, and it's helping us. We're feeding each other and trying to get the win."

The Raiders also shut down the Jets running game. Chris Ivory, who came in averaging more than 100 yards a game, was held to 17 yards on 15 carries behind a line missing starting center Nick Mangold.

NOTES: Carr joined Rich Gannon (2002) and Jeff Hostetler (1994) as the only Raiders QBs since the merger to throw for 300 or more yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. ... After having 15 takeaways the first five games, the Jets got none for a second straight week. ... Jets WR Brandon Marshall has an injured toe on one foot and ankle on the other.

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Jets QBs banged up in 34-20 loss to Raiders (Josh Dubow) Associated Press November 1, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/jets-qbs-banged-34-20-loss-raiders

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Fitzpatrick hurt his thumb on the opening drive. Geno Smith left briefly with an injured abdomen and left shoulder on New York's final drive.

Things didn't go much better in between as the Jets' vaunted defense got carved up for a second straight week.

Derek Carr threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns and the Jets struggled to get going offensively until the game was almost out of reach before losing 34-20 to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

"We had issues with everything," coach Todd Bowles said. "We didn't do anything well, so everything they did, they did it well."

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After opening the season with four wins in five games, the Jets (4-3) have lost two straight. Only this time it came against an up-and-coming team looking to establish itself rather than the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots.

Latavius Murray ran for 113 yards, Andre Holmes caught two touchdown passes and Michael Crabtree had 102 yards receiving and a score. Taiwan Jones added his first career score on a tackle-breaking 59-yard catch and run as the Raiders (4-3) exposed a New York defense that had been outstanding the first six games.

"We probably had something like over 20-something missed tackles," defensive back Antonio Cromartie said. "That's something that we can't do. When you have the missed tackles, penalties and giving up long touchdowns, you're automatically going to lose that game."

Both quarterbacks getting banged up and a lack of a running game didn't help matters.

Fitzpatrick injured his thumb on a scramble on the opening drive. Former starter Smith threw for 265 yards and two TD passes in his first action since losing the job in training camp after getting punched in the locker room by teammate IK Enemkpali.

Smith then left in the closing minute on a hard hit by Ray-Ray Armstrong after being drilled earlier in the fourth quarter by David Amerson on a long run down the sideline.

"I may have been playing a little faster than normal simply because I hadn't played all year," Smith said. "I think once I settled down and got the feel of everything, I was able to play a little bit better."

Fitzpatrick returned despite the injury and threw two passes before Smith returned. Fitzpatrick will have an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

"Unfortunately, just couldn't really grip the ball, couldn't really do anything with pressure," he said.

After scoring on the first seven drives in last week's 37-29 win at San Diego, the Raiders were once again almost perfect on offense at the start. Carr threw touchdown passes on the first drives as the Raiders controlled the line of scrimmage and broke numerous tackles in the secondary.

Carr was helped out by his receivers making big gains after the catch with Crabtree breaking tackles from Demario Davis, Cromartie and Marcus Williams on his 36-yard touchdown and Jones running around and through half the Jets defense on his long score.

But Carr also showed the ability to throw the deep ball, connecting on a 49-yarder to Holmes that made it 21-3 late in the first half. Carr now has seven TD passes and no interceptions the past two weeks.

"We have a lot of weapons and we have a lot of hungry guys," Crabtree said. "A lot of guys want the ball, a lot of guys want to get that extra yard, and it's helping us. We're feeding each other and trying to get the win."

The Raiders also shut down the Jets running game. Chris Ivory, who came in averaging more than 100 yards a game, was held to 17 yards on 15 carries behind a line missing starting center Nick Mangold.

NOTES: After having 15 takeaways the first five games, the Jets got none for a second straight week. ... Jets WR Brandon Marshall has an injured toe on one foot and an injured ankle on the other.

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Carr throws 4 TD passes to lead Raiders past Jets 34-20 (Josh Dubow) Associated Press November 2, 2015

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http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/carr-throws-4-td-passes-lead-raiders-past-jets-34-20-0

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Charles Woodson came down with the interception and immediately celebrated with his adoring fans.

A year after almost nothing went well for the Oakland Raiders, they have plenty to feel good about so far this season.

Derek Carr threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns to help Oakland pick apart the New York Jets' vaunted defense in a 34-20 victory Sunday that put the Raiders in the thick of the playoff race.

After winning just 11 games the past three years, the Raiders (4-3) are one of five AFC teams with a winning record.

"The last couple of years have been rough," Woodson said. "It feels good to be on the other side. It feels good to get the ball. It feels good to go play to the crowd when your team is playing well. There's no feeling like it in the world."

Latavius Murray ran for 113 yards, Andre Holmes caught two touchdown passes and Michael Crabtree had 102 yards receiving and a score. Taiwan Jones added his first career score on a tackle-breaking 59-yard catch and run that exposed a New York defense that had been outstanding the first six games.

"We have a lot of weapons and we have a lot of hungry guys," Crabtree said. "A lot of guys want the ball, a lot of guys want to get that extra yard, and it's helping us. We're feeding each other and trying to get the win."

Ryan Fitzpatrick left with a torn left thumb ligament on the opening drive for the Jets (4-3), who have lost two straight games. Former starter Geno Smith threw for 265 yards and two TD passes in his first action since losing the job in training camp after getting punched in the locker room by teammate IK Enemkpali.

Smith then left in the closing minute on a hard hit by Ray-Ray Armstrong after being drilled earlier in the fourth quarter by David Amerson on a long run down the sideline. Fitzpatrick returned despite the injury and threw two passes before Smith returned. Fitzpatrick will have an MRI to determine the extent of his injury.

"We had issues with everything," coach Todd Bowles said. "We didn't do anything well so everything they did, they did it well."

Here are some other takeaways from the Raiders win over the Jets:

FAST START: After scoring on their first seven possessions last week in San Diego, the Raiders started fast once again with Carr throwing TD passes on Oakland's first three drives of the game. The only time Oakland didn't score on its first seven drives this week came when Sebastian Janikowski missed a 52-yard field goal.

BIG HIT: Smith took a needless hit at the end of a 29-yard scramble in the fourth quarter. He ran down the sideline and had a chance to step out of bounds before being drilled by David Amerson.

"The one on the sideline I should have got out of bounds," Smith said. "Kind of trying to watch the sideline and make sure I stayed in bounds but the guy got up on me quick."

AGELESS WONDER: Woodson intercepted his league-leading fifth pass of the season as he shows no signs of slowing down at age 39. The AFC's top defensive player in October now has 65 career INTs, tied with Ken Riley for fifth most all-time. The only player with more since the 1970 merger is Raiders assistant Rod Woodson with 71.

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GROUNDED: Chris Ivory entered the game third in the NFL averaging 100.2 yards per game. But he had no room to run against a stout Raiders front. It didn't help that center Nick Mangold was out with a neck injury. Ivory was tackled for a loss four times on the opening drive and finished with 17 yards on 15 carries.

SPEEDSTER: Jones has made the most of his move back to running back after a failed experiment as a cornerback. He has provided a spark to the offense with his game-breaking speed as evidenced by the 59-yard TD that included numerous broken tackles and jukes down the sideline. Jones, a second-round pick in Al Davis' final draft in 2011, is finally validating that pick.

"I tip my hat to this coaching staff," Jones said. "They put a lot of trust in me and they see what Al Davis saw. It's my job to show the fans what Al Davis saw."

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NEWSDAY

Jets' defense shredded in loss to Raiders; Ryan Fitzpatrick injured (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 1, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-defense-shredded-in-loss-to-raiders-ryan-fitzpatrick-injured-1.11044931

OAKLAND, Calif. - For the second straight week, stunned silence and blank stares filled the visitors' locker room.

In every conceivable way, the Jets came up small on the road. And it all culminated in one embarrassing meltdown en route to a 34-20 defeat at O.co Coliseum on Sunday.

"Too many points, way too many third-down conversions, way too many big plays, way too many extra yards, too many missed tackles," Jets linebacker David Harris said. "That's the outcome you get when that happens."

A week after they suffered a tough loss against the unbeaten Patriots, the Jets defense showed little fight against the upstart Raiders (4-3).

There was no pass rush, no tackling to speak of, and no semblance of the Todd Bowles team that began the year playing hard and giving offenses fits. Instead, the Jets looked out of sorts and out of sync from the moment they lost their starting quarterback.

On their first drive of the game, Ryan Fitzpatrick eluded tacklers on a 12-yard scramble but injured his left thumb as he was brought down by Charles Woodson. The injury paved the way for Geno Smith to see his first action of the 2015 season. But the substitution did little to spark the Jets (4-3) until the game was out of reach.

"We didn't play good," said Bowles, who took issue with the lack of energy he saw from his players. "We didn't tackle, we didn't stop anybody. We didn't do anything right. We didn't coach them well. We didn't play it well. It was a bad performance."

Give Smith credit, though. He was a serviceable replacement for Fitzpatrick, completing 27 of 42 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Smith also left the game briefly in the final minutes when he was drilled in the chest by a Raiders pass rusher. That resulted in Fitzpatrick re-entering for two plays before he again was replaced by Smith.

Smith may have made mistakes -- not being decisive in the pocket, stepping into sacks and failing to protect himself while on the run. But the loss wasn't on him. Instead, it was on the Jets defense.

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"I feel like I played like [expletive], to be honest with you," said cornerback Antonio Cromartie, one of the biggest culprits of missed tackles.

He estimated the Jets had more than 20.

"I don't know the number of missed tackles we had today, but we had a lot," said cornerback Darrelle Revis, who spent much of the day covering Amari Cooper (five catches, 46 yards). "That's something we've got to correct. We've just got to clean up some things. We've got to do better. It's always tough playing on the road. We've got to play better on the road."

Second-year quarterback Derek Carr torched the Jets for four touchdowns, including scores of 36, 49 and 59 yards. Carr completed 23 of 36 passes for 333 yards and a 130.9 rating. Latavius Murray (113 rushing yards on 20 carries) ran all over Bowles' defense, and Cooper and Michael Crabtree (seven catches, 102 yards) shredded the Jets' injury-depleted secondary. Andre Holmes helped to put away the Jets with two first-half touchdown catches.

"They just made more plays than us," said Brandon Marshall, who had nine catches for 108 yards.

The Jets tried to mount a second-half comeback, as Smith connected with Eric Decker on a 4-yard TD with 7:11 left in the third before hitting tight end Kellen Davis on a 1-yard TD in the fourth. But the Raiders' 21-6 halftime lead proved to be an insurmountable hole.

"It's a body blow," Jeremy Kerley said. "It doesn't take anything away from us. There's going to be body blows in this league. We just have to bounce back from it."

Bowles echoed those sentiments.

"[It's] not a big blow. It's a blow," he said. "No different than a blow last week. You don't want to lose games. It's week by week, now we got beat. It doesn't feel any worse than last week or better than last week. It's a blow and we got to bounce back. We just have to step up and get ready for next week."

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Jets' grades Newsday November 1, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-grades-1.11045750

OFFENSE

C

Geno Smith played a decent game with Ryan Fitzpatrick (thumb) sidelined, throwing for 265 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the Jets in rushing with 34 yards, including a 29-yard scramble. But the Raiders rendered Chris Ivory (17 yards on 15 carries) ineffective and Eric Decker (six catches, 60 yards and a TD) was slowed by his sore knee. Brandon Marshall led all targets with 108 receiving yards, but he had no touchdowns and his longest catch was just 28 yards.

DEFENSE

F

Four touchdowns, 451 total yards and 118 rushing yards said it all. Todd Bowles' defense failed in every conceivable way and watched quarterback Derek Carr throw for 333 yards. Worst of all, the Jets forgot how to tackle. One example was Michael Crabtree's 36-yard score after breaking three of them. Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie estimated the unit missed more than 20 tackles. The Jets entered giving

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up a league-low 71.5 rushing yards per contest. But the absence of second-year safety Calvin Pryor (ankle sprain) was evident in their run defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS

B-

Nick Folk accounted for the Jets' first points on field goals from 40 and 38 yards, but once again, there were no big runs in the return game. Jeremy Kerley averaged just 5 yards on his two returns and Zac Stacy returned a kickoff 21 yards. On the flip side, the Raiders' Taiwan Jones had a 41-yard kickoff return in the third quarter. Jets punter Ryan Quigley's net average was 44 yards on four attempts and he pinned the Raiders inside the 20 once.

COACHING

F

The Jets looked listless and some of their in-game decisions caused fans to scratch their heads. Case in point: punting with 3:30 to play and a 14-point deficit and calling a draw play on third-and-21 on their own 11. Despite the upgrades on offense, the coaching staff has yet to figure out how to adjust to a bad day from Chris Ivory.

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Jets' defense has no answers for Raiders (Bob Glauber) Newsday November 1, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-defense-has-no-answers-for-raiders-1.11045878

OAKLAND, Calif. - So defense is supposed to be the Jets' strength this year? They had a strange way of showing it against the Raiders.

On a day when the Jets needed their best from the defense against a resurgent Raiders team, they instead got their worst. They were brutal from the start, allowing second-year quarterback Derek Carr to carve up the secondary and third-year tailback Latavius Murray to dominate the running game in Sunday's 34-20 loss to Oakland.

It was the second straight loss for the Jets, coming on the heels of a 30-23 loss to the Patriots in which they actually played well for most of the game on defense.

Not this time.

Coach Todd Bowles, who presides over the defense, minced no words when offering his assessment.

"We didn't play good," he said. "We didn't tackle. We didn't stop anybody. We didn't do anything right. We didn't coach them well. We didn't play it well. It was a bad performance."

No doubt about it.

Carr finished 23-for-36 for 333 yards and four touchdown passes, and Murray gained 113 yards on 20 carries. It was easily the Jets' worst defensive performance of the season after a stretch in which they played about as well as any team in the NFL.

"We had issues with everything," Bowles said. "We didn't do anything well, so everything they did, they did it well."

Poor tackling and awful coverage were at the heart of the defensive collapse.

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Antonio Cromartie agreed with Bowles' assessment of his own play -- it was mostly awful -- and the veteran cornerback estimated the team had at least 20 missed tackles. That number is simply unacceptable for a veteran defense -- and a high-priced one, too.

"Too many points, way too many third-down conversions, way too many big plays, way too many extra yards, too many missed tackles," linebacker David Harris said. "That's the outcome you get when that happens. Nobody expected this to happen, but it did. We've got to learn from it."

Harris and several other Jets said a letdown after last week's close loss to the unbeaten Patriots at Gillette Stadium was not a factor against the Raiders.

"I don't think that had anything to do with it," Darrelle Revis said. "I don't know the number of missed tackles today, but we had a lot. That's something we've got to correct."

The Raiders had their way from the start, scoring touchdowns on their first three drives to take a 21-3 lead. It was 28-6 after the Raiders scored on their first possession of the second half.

"We've got to do better," Revis said. "It's always tough playing on the road, but we've got to play better on the road."

Good thing for the Jets they play three of their next four at home -- starting with next week's matchup with the 2-5 Jaguars -- before playing a "road game" against the Giants at MetLife Stadium.

"We're going to keep pushing and we still all believe in each other, believe in the staff and believe in the players," rookie defensive end Leonard Williams said. "I still think our team believes that we can still be a winning team."

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Jets Q&A: Is Geno Smith ready to start next week? He thinks so (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 1, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-q-a-is-geno-smith-ready-to-start-next-week-he-thinks-so-1.11045870

Geno Smith "felt ready" to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick on Sunday. And the third-year quarterback is prepared to prove his worth next week, too.

"I'm pretty confident right now. Pretty confident," Smith said after the Jets' 34-20 loss to the Raiders at O.co Coliseum.

Smith was called to action less than five minutes into the game when Fitzpatrick tore ligaments in his left thumb when he was tackled by Charles Woodson on a 12-yard scramble. "Today was my first game of the year, my first action. I think I did some decent things, but I have a lot of things to improve on," said Smith, who competed 27 of 42 attempts for 265 yards and two touchdowns.

Coach Todd Bowles said the Jets might have to sign another quarterback because of Fitzpatrick's injury. But Smith, who injured his left shoulder on a 29-yard scramble in the fourth quarter and got the wind knocked out of him on a hard hit by linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong with 1:01 to play, is ready and willing to lead the offense.

"Obviously, we've got to do all the evaluations and make sure we monitor everything, but I'm pretty confident that I've prepared myself and I will be ready to play," said Smith, adding that he had X-rays on his shoulder after the game.

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Smith stressed that he "always" has confidence in his ability. When asked if he views this as his second chance to be a starter, he said: "Every chance I get to step on the field is a way for me to prove my worth to whoever's watching.

"I just want to go out there and win the game. With these guys on the team, we've got a lot to play for . . . So we just want to go out there and win. Obviously, it's tough to come away with a loss, but we have to regroup and come back strong next week."

Why won't these QBs slide?

Every time Fitzpatrick takes off on a scramble, Bowles gets nervous, and for good reason. He again failed to slide feet-first after a big gain, and the results may have been costly this time.

"It was a scramble," Fitzpatrick said, describing how he injured his thumb. "I think it was just kind of a fluke thing. [Woodson] kind of went for the ball and just got my thumb inside. I knew something wasn't right and unfortunately I just couldn't grip the ball. I couldn't really do anything with pressure and keep it in the right place."

Fitzpatrick said he'll undergo an MRI.

After the game, Smith said he should have just run out of bounds instead of trying to gain more yards on his 29-yard scramble late in the game.

Asked about both injured quarterbacks, Bowles simply said: "You've got to learn how to slide."

Anyone else get hurt?

Receiver Brandon Marshall injured his right toe and left ankle and had X-rays after the game, but he wouldn't say how serious the injuries might be.

"I'll be OK," Marshall said, adding that he "more than likely" will undergo further tests.

"We'll see how the week goes,'' he said. "It's a long week, so a lot of time to heal."

Who's Wesley Johnson?

Johnson, a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014, had never played in an NFL game until Sunday. The 24-year-old center started in place of 10-year veteran Nick Mangold (sore neck). Bowles said he went with Johnson over Dakota Dozier because Johnson had experience playing center in college.

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Can Geno Smith take advantage of his second chance to be the Jets' starting quarterback? (Bob Glauber) Newsday November 1, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/bob-glauber/bowles-maccagnan-partnership-off-to-a-good-start-1.9831620

OAKLAND, Calif. - Brandon Marshall has been the Jets' most productive player on the field this season. As it turns out, he may be the most important player off it, too. Especially if the heartfelt conversation he had with Geno Smith turns out to be a harbinger for the quarterback's re-emergence after the sucker punch to his jaw last summer threatened to derail his career.

With the Jets now reeling after back-to-back road losses to the Patriots and the Raiders, it was Marshall providing the kind of veteran leadership and perspective that this team will need. Especially now that the quarterback situation has been thrown for yet another loop.

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Although there may be some doubt for Jets fans who had become frustrated by Smith's ineffectiveness in his first two seasons, Marshall offered some heartfelt reassurance to the young quarterback after the Jets were battered by the resurgent Raiders.

Smith made his share of ill-advised plays, no question. Especially the decision not to go out of bounds after a 29-yard scramble around right end early in the fourth quarter. Smith needlessly took on cornerback David Amerson instead of running out of bounds, and paid for it by taking a shot to the left shoulder. Smith feels he'll be well enough to play next week at home against the Jaguars, but there are further medical evaluations to come.

A terrible choice, no question. He should have known better.

And there were two head-scratching decisions to take sacks later in the quarter, instead of throwing the ball out of bounds to not only stop the clock, but to keep the Jets in more manageable situations.

"That was just poor play on my part," Smith said. "I should have thrown the ball away, given us a better shot, maybe go for it on fourth down. I just think it was a boneheaded play. I should have thrown the ball away."

But the mistakes couldn't stop Marshall from focusing more on what Smith did right. A wide receiver simply blowing smoke in an attempt to make the best of a bad situation? Perhaps. But Marshall, who himself battled through ankle and toe injuries, seemed sincere in his assessment of why Smith can prosper now that his second chance has arrived.

"When Geno settled down, I thought he played amazing," said Marshall, who led the Jets with nine catches for 108 yards. "I thought he played with a lot of grit. Like I told him, I'm really proud of him. It's been a long offseason for him, listening to all the noise. It was a tough camp for him, for the obvious reasons."

But Marshall believes the experience will benefit Smith in terms of how the quarterback reacted after the punch.

"I'm just so proud of the kid," Marshall said. "There's a lot of people that would fold. They wouldn't even have been in the mind-set that he was in, to come in and do what he was able to do, because it would have been, 'Woe is me.' It took some work, but he's right where he needs to be."

We'll soon find out. After back-to-back losses, the Jets' schedule softens up considerably over the next month, with home games against Jacksonville, Buffalo and Miami, and a road game in Houston. Depending on Fitzpatrick's health, Smith could be the starter for all of them. That includes a Thursday night prime-time game Nov. 12 against the Bills, when Rex Ryan makes his return to MetLife Stadium.

And guess who will be there, too: Enemkpali, who was claimed on waivers by Ryan the day he punched Smith. Talk about a drama-filled way for Smith to get back at his former teammate.

"Every chance I get to step on the field is a way for me to prove my worth," said Smith, who was 27-for-42 for 265 yards, two TD passes and one interception. "We've got a lot to play for, a lot of veteran guys that really care about each other."

Now he needs to earn that rematch by taking advantage of his second chance.

Smith can do himself some favors by applying the lessons he has learned from Fitzpatrick, a savvy veteran who makes up for any physical limitations he might have with a terrific grasp of the game and an unflappable personality.

"I took a lot away from him, his calm demeanor, the way he leads the team, the way he goes about his business," Smith said. "You can learn a lot from a veteran like Ryan. I'm watching, I'm learning, I'm studying."

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His second chance is here, and Smith is hoping for a better result. His go-to wide receiver is confident that will be the case.

"The good thing is we got a lot of reps in the offseason," Marshall said. "There are still some things we have to work on, but Geno is more than capable."

We'll soon find out. The Jets' season -- and Smith's career -- might depend on it.

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THE RECORD

Jets beaten by Raiders, 34-20; Ryan Fitzpatrick injured (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 1, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/jets-beaten-by-raiders-34-20-ryan-fitzpatrick-injured-1.1446323

OAKLAND, Calif. – Ryan Fitzpatrick spent most of Sunday’s game here on the sidelines, wearing a baseball cap, available only in case of emergency.

Well, Geno Smith laying crumpled on the ground late in the fourth quarter, the victim of a ferocious but legal hit by Oakland linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, certainly qualified as an emergency.

So in his place stepped Fitzpatrick, the starting quarterback who had suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb (non-throwing) early in the first quarter. He made a two-play cameo before again giving way to Smith.

And while it’s too early to say the Jets’ season has reached emergency status, coach Todd Bowles certainly is facing his first in-season crisis.

The Jets’ potentially fragile psyche, suddenly ineffective defense and their banged-up quarterbacks were the main takeaways from a 34-20 loss to the Raiders at O.co Coliseum. The Jets (4-3) suffered their second straight loss and now have something they haven’t had since August: a quarterback quandary.

Fitzpatrick will have an MRI today on his left thumb, but said after the game he was having trouble gripping the ball when taking a snap from center and that he also couldn’t execute a handoff because of the injury. His two fourth-quarter snaps came from the shotgun.

Smith (27-for-42, 265 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) seems to be the likelier candidate to start Sunday against visiting Jacksonville, although he was taken to the X-ray room after the game. He suffered an injury to his left shoulder (non-throwing) in the third quarter when he foolishly failed to get out of bounds on a 29-yard scramble before Oakland cornerback David Amerson leveled him. Armstrong drove him into the ground on a fourth-quarter pressure, injuring Smith’s abdomen.

Smith said he probably would be “living” in the treatment room this week in hopes of healing quickly enough to play against Jacksonville.

As for Sunday’s game, he said, “I may have been playing a little faster than normal simply because I hadn’t played all year. I think once I settled down and got the feel of everything, I was able to play a little bit better.”

Smith, who lost his starting job to Fitzpatrick during the preseason when he suffered a broken jaw from a punch thrown by then-teammate IK Enemkpali, directed two second-half touchdown drives but left himself vulnerable to a big hit by not getting out of bounds before Amerson drilled him. Smith led the Jets to a touchdown on that drive.

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Smith admitted it was a “boneheaded” play, especially given the situation. After all, Bowles had been worried for weeks about Fitzpatrick’s penchant for not sliding after scrambling.

Fitzpatrick scrambled for a 12 yards and a first down on the Jets’ first possession, diving forward at the end of the run. He was hit by veteran safety Charles Woodson.

“You gotta learn to slide,” Bowles said when asked about Fitzpatrick’s injury.

Bowles was even less pleased with the defense, which allowed 451 yards to Oakland (4-3).

“We didn’t play good [on defense],” Bowles said. “We didn’t tackle. We didn’t stop anybody. We didn’t do anything right. We didn’t coach them well.

“It was a bad performance,” he added.

“We probably had something like over 20-something missed tackles,” said cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who chastised himself for playing poorly. “That’s something that we can’t do. When you have the missed tackles, penalties and giving up long touchdowns, you’re automatically going to lose that game.”

“That’s not us,” linebacker David Harris said of the missed tackles.

And now the Jets will wait to find out who will be leading their offense on Sunday.

“Geno’s more than capable,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said when asked about Smith potentially being the starter once again. “I’m just so proud of the kid. There are a lot of people who would have folded in his situation.”

Now it’s a matter of the Jets not folding after a surprising season suddenly has hit a major speed bump.

“We’ll be OK,” Marshall said.

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Jets replay: Week 8 vs. Oakland (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 2, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-replay-week-8-vs-oakland-1.1446491

Star of the game

Oakland QB Derek Carr picked apart the Jets with plenty of help from his receivers, who made plenty of would-be tacklers miss. Carr threw for 333 yards and four TDs for the turnover-free Raiders, who moved the ball very well until stalling in the fourth quarter. RB Taiwan Jones' 59-yard scoring reception and WR Michael Crabtree's 36-yard TD reception were aided by the poor-tackling Jets.

Costly mistakes

Strong-legged Oakland K Sebastian Janikowski missed a 52-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter, giving the Jets good field position en route to a 38-yarder by Nick Folk. … Oakland CB Neiko Thorpe committed a pass-interference penalty in the end zone against Jets WR Kenbrell Thompkins, leading to a TD. … Jets CB Buster Skrine was called for being the 12th man on the field during the Raiders' first TD drive, giving them 5 free yards.

Eye-catching

Jets RB Stevan Ridley, added to the active roster Friday, didn't have a touch in the game. … Oakland S Charles Woodson picked off Geno Smith for his 65th interception, tying former Cincinnati great Ken Riley for fifth place on the all-time list. He broke a tie with former Jet Ed Reed, who had 64. Woodson, 39, has

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five picks this season. … Thompkins made his Jets debut, and had six receptions for 41 yards. … Veteran TE Kellen Davis' 1-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter was his first reception as a Jet.

Coaching decisions

Jets coach Todd Bowles chose to punt when facing a fourth-and-7 at his 21 with about 3:30 left, rather than try to get a first down. The Jets had two remaining timeouts at that juncture. They got the ball back with 2:54 and one timeout left after Oakland had two incomplete passes during a three-and-out.

Looking ahead

The Jets (4-3) will return home after two consecutive road losses to host Jacksonville (2-5) on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The Jaguars had a bye after defeating Buffalo, 34-31, in London on Oct. 25. The game will be the first of two straight at home for the Jets in a span of five days. They will welcome Buffalo and former coach Rex Ryan for a Thursday night game Nov. 12.

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Jets notes: Brandon Marshall's rough day (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 2, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-notes-brandon-marshall-s-rough-day-1.1446493

Marshall's rough day

Brandon Marshall got plenty of extra attention last week against New England, which double-teamed him almost constantly. He was shadowed for parts of Sunday's game at Oakland, too, although this time it was by the Jets' training and medical staffs.

Marshall came out for one play in the third quarter after being hurt, and exited in the fourth before again returning. He finished the game despite having an injured left ankle and a hurt toe on his right foot.

Still, Marshall said he was "OK," but stopped short of saying he definitely would play Sunday against Jacksonville — although he seemed optimistic.

Marshall led the Jets with nine receptions for 108 yards, including a 28-yarder to the Oakland 22 in the third quarter that led to the Jets' first touchdown. Oakland cornerback David Amerson pushed Marshall out of bounds and seemed to hit him after he had crossed the boundary.

Marshall said Oakland didn't double-team him as much as the Patriots did, but said the Raiders rolled their coverage toward him much more in the second half. Marshall was targeted 18 times.

Johnson in at center

Center Nick Mangold, drafted in the first round by the Jets in 2006, missed a game for only the fourth time in his career Sunday.

He sat out because of a neck injury suffered in the final minute of the loss at New England last week.

In his place was Wesley Johnson, who was selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft and had been on the Jets' practice squad before they promoted him to the active roster Wednesday.

Although the Jets were unable to run the ball effectively, there were no botched snaps or communication issues with the untested Johnson taking over. Johnson was selected over second-year pro Dakota Dozier, who had finished last week's game in place of Mangold.

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Mangold made the trip, but coach Todd Bowles said the team decided Saturday that he we would not play.

Bowles indicated he hopes that another week of treatment will help Mangold get healthier and perhaps allow him to play Sunday against the Jaguars.

Briefs

Reserve CB Dexter McDougle left the game because of an ankle injury. … Oakland wasn't forced to punt until 7:44 remained. … The Jets have lost four consecutive games played in the Pacific time zone. … The Jets' defense was held without a sack for the first time since a 20-7 victory at Indianapolis on Sept. 21. … Oakland KR Walt Powell, who was signed off the Jets' practice squad last month, was inactive for the second consecutive game since joining the Raiders. Taiwan Jones averaged 25.3 yards on four kickoff returns for Oakland.

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NEW YORK TIMES

Ryan Fitzpatrick Is Injured and the Jets Are Routed by the Raiders (Ben Shpigel) New York Times November 1, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/02/sports/football/oakland-raiders-beat-new-york-jets-ryan-fitzpatrick-injury.html

OAKLAND, Calif. — Ryan Fitzpatrick stood at his locker, a cellphone cradled against his ear, his back to the room, his damaged left thumb wrapped. Beside him sat Geno Smith, who had returned minutes earlier from a visit to the X-ray room at O.co Coliseum.

Late Sunday afternoon, the two Jets quarterbacks were as battered as their team, whose 34-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders shoved a promising season toward a pivot point.

No longer are the Jets the bunch they thought they were, buoyed by the steady Fitzpatrick at quarterback and the turnover-forcing defense with a rapacious appetite for destruction.

After tearing ligaments in the thumb on his nonthrowing hand on the opening series, Fitzpatrick is facing an absence of uncertain length. After failing to cause a turnover for the second consecutive week in a game that also exposed their deficiencies in pass coverage, the Jets are facing their first real turbulence.

Before hosting Jacksonville next week, they must try to repair a defense that has allowed 64 points and 688 passing yards during the past two games while they also cope with the potential loss of their starting quarterback.

“It’s a body blow,” receiver Jeremy Kerley said.

The Jets’ most immediate concern is the status of Fitzpatrick, who spent most of the final 56 minutes on the sideline. As he is wont to do, Fitzpatrick dived headfirst instead of sliding on a 12-yard scramble, leaving himself vulnerable to a hit from Charles Woodson, who appeared to grab Fitzpatrick’s thumb as he tried to wrest away the football. When Fitzpatrick tried to grip the football, he could not.

“I knew something wasn’t right,” Fitzpatrick said.

He added, “I couldn’t really do anything with pressure and keep it in the right place.”

How much time Fitzpatrick will miss — Coach Todd Bowles declined to speculate — will be determined by a magnetic resonance imaging test on Monday, and Fitzpatrick betrayed no sense of his standing other

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than despair. It is a difficult way to cede the starting job — “a fluke thing,” he called it — but so is absorbing a jaw-breaking punch from a teammate, as Smith did.

Replacing Fitzpatrick on Sunday, Smith transported the Jets back three months, before the blow on Aug. 11 that changed the trajectory of his career and their season. The presumptive starter, Smith was replaced by Fitzpatrick, whose mastery of the offense and general reliability endeared him to teammates and helped propel the Jets to four victories in their first five games.

Smith had not played since Week 17 last year, or taken first-team snaps since the second week of August. But he revealed decent command of the offense (completing 27 of 42 passes for 265 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception) if not the situation (absorbing at the end of a 29-yard run in the fourth quarter a crushing hit by David Amerson that he could have avoided by running out of bounds).

As it was, when Ray-Ray Armstrong zipped past D’Brickashaw Ferguson to level Smith with about a minute left in the game, Fitzpatrick had to come in and relieve him for two plays.

Smith said he would prepare to start next week, and if the Jets learn that Fitzpatrick will be out for a while, Bowles acknowledged the possibility of adding another quarterback.

“Every chance I get to step onto the field is a way for me to prove my worth,” said Smith, whose X-rays on his shoulder — from the Amerson hit — came back negative. “I just want to go out there and win the game.”

In another week, Smith’s performance, and the 20 points the Jets scored under his guidance, could have restored competitiveness to a game that lacked any after the first quarter. The Raiders led by 21-3 late in the first half, then by 28-6 early in the second, before Smith tossed two late touchdown passes. Oakland built that lead by amassing 232 yards on its first three drives, all of which ended with touchdown passes from Derek Carr, and the Raiders did not punt until midway through the fourth quarter.

The halftime entertainment on Sunday featured two people zorbing — an activity, for the unfamiliar, that required them to run the length of the football field in a giant inflatable sphere. Inside the transparent orb, they wobbled and they staggered and they tripped — yet they still demonstrated a greater sense of coordination than the Jets’ defense, which covered the Raiders’ receivers poorly, took bad angles and missed more tackles than Darrelle Revis could count.

“We had issues with everything,” Bowles said. “We didn’t do anything well.”

Their troubles started on the Raiders’ first drive, when they committed two penalties, gave up a 26-yard run and were beaten on a 5-yard score by Andre Holmes, and continued early in the third quarter, when Taiwan Jones juked and sidestepped four defenders en route to a 59-yard touchdown that put Oakland ahead, 28-6.

The loss dropped the Jets three games behind unbeaten New England in the A.F.C. East, and the surging Raiders dislodged the Jets from the top wild-card spot and now own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

“There’s no reason you can’t think of yourself as a playoff team,” Woodson said.

The paradigm in Oakland has shifted, with dynamic young talent like the rookie receiver Amari Cooper and the second-year quarterback Carr, who tormented the Jets for 333 yards and four touchdowns, positioning the Raiders for success.

The Jets’ revival, after a 4-12 debacle in 2014, has come no less suddenly. It has come after they unearthed a competent starting quarterback and upgraded an already stout defense. Now, after the most deflating day of their season, the Jets must see if they will have both components next week, and beyond.

EXTRA POINTS

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Receiver Brandon Marshall sustained toe and ankle injuries that he said he hoped would not jeopardize his availability for next week’s game against the Jaguars. ...The neck injury that Nick Mangold sustained late last week against New England forced him to miss only the fourth game of his career.

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ESPN NEW YORK

Ryan Fitzpatrick injury means thumbs-down for sloppy Jets (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 1, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55618/ryan-fitzpatrick-injures-thumb-thumbs-down-for-sloppy-jets

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A season can change in a nanosecond. The New York Jets know this better than most because it has happened twice in the last three months. First it was Geno Smith's broken jaw, now it's Ryan Fitzpatrick's injured left thumb. As a result, they've reached the first crisis point in Todd Bowles' rookie season.

Fitzpatrick was injured on the sixth play of Sunday's game -- it happened on a scramble -- and everything fell apart for the Jets, who played their worst game of 2015 in a 34-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum. The Jets (4-3) have their first two-game losing streak, but the bigger concern is Fitzpatrick, the feel-good story whose calm leadership had galvanized the Jets' offense. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury, although it was reported as a ligament issue on the CBS telecast.

Incredibly, Fitzpatrick had to return for two plays in the final minute of the game because Smith was hurt after taking a helmet to the chest. Smith returned to finish the disaster of a day.

If Fitzpatrick's injury is long-term, the Jets will have no choice but to return to Smith, who was supposed to be the starter -- until he got punched in the face by former teammate IK Enemkpali in August. Smith has the talent to win in the league, but he's wildly inconsistent. He was thrown into tough circumstances, but his decision-making and lack of pocket awareness -- old bugaboos -- resurfaced on several plays. He put up decent numbers (27-for-42, 265 yards, two touchdowns, one interception), but he didn't impress.

Maybe we'll find out he has matured over the past few months. If not, the Jets are in big trouble.

Where's the D? When Fitzpatrick went down, the defense needed to take control of the day, imposing its will against quarterback Derek Carr. Instead of carrying the day, the defense turned Carr into Tom Brady. The Jets' $150 million secondary was shredded by Carr, who threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns. Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine were victimized for touchdowns in single coverage, with little help from the pass rush. The Jets started the game by allowing touchdown drives of 78, 76 and 78 yards. Good defenses are supposed to travel well; the Jets forget theirs at home.

What were they thinking? The Jets made a bad decision by replacing injured strong safety Calvin Pryor (ankle) with cornerback Marcus Williams. They played with four corners in their nickel package, leaving themselves vulnerable against the run. And they were exposed, as the Raiders ran for 118 yards. The tackling was atrocious, and Williams (three missed tackles) was one of the biggest culprits. All told, the Jets had at least 10 missed tackles, including four on a 59-yard touchdown reception by Taiwan Jones. The coaches opted for Williams over Dion Bailey, a true safety.

One reason to get excited: The Jets return home to face the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5). Really, that's about it.

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One reason to panic: Maybe it was the cross-country travel, maybe they were just beaten up from last week's loss to the New England Patriots, but the Jets' lack of speed on defense was glaring. The Raiders attacked Cromartie because they believed he couldn't cover short, quick-hitting routes. They were right. On the upside, they neutralized rookie star Amari Cooper (five catches for 46 yards) by putting Darrelle Revis on him all day.

Fantasy: Funny. This was no fantasy for the Jets.

Ouch: Center Nick Mangold, listed as doubtful with a neck injury, missed the fourth game of his 10-year career. He was replaced by former practice-squad player Wesley Johnson, who made his debut under the toughest of conditions. Not only did he have to contend with a loud, hostile environment, but Johnson had to deal with a quarterback change. He wasn't guilty of any bad snaps, but he had a tough time in the running game, which was to be expected. Chris Ivory was held to 17 yards on 15 carries. Brandon Marshall (ankle) was banged up, but returned.

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Brandon Marshall up, Antonio Cromartie down in Jets' loss (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 1, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55633/brandon-marshall-up-antonio-cromartie-down-in-jets-loss

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A look at the New York Jets players who were “up” and those who were “down” in the team's 34-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday:

UP

Brandon Marshall, wide receiver: He was one of the few bright spots in a mostly dismal performance by the Jets. Marshall caught nine passes for 108 yards, recording his fifth 100-yard receiving day of the season. He probably thought he was back in Denver, the first stop in his NFL career, because he was targeted a remarkable 18 times. Give him credit for playing; he suffered toe and ankle injuries, but kept coming back. He declined to reveal the results of post-game X-rays, saying only, "I'll be OK."

Darrelle Revis, cornerback: It's hard to pick out a player from a secondary that allowed four touchdown passes and 333 passing yards, but Revis did a good job on rookie sensation Amari Cooper (five catches for 46 yards). Cooper was targeted only nine times, as the Raiders tried to stay away from Revis. Interestingly, they went after him on the first play of the game, throwing deep to Cooper. He had a step on Revis, but David Carr's pass was overthrown. It was a purpose pitch, kind of like Noah Syndergaard buzzing a fastball at Alcides Escobar to start Game 3 of the World Series. It was a message by the Raiders, who came out with an attacking mentality. Afterward, Revis was complimentary of Cooper, calling him an "awesome" and "electrifying" player.

Kenbrell Thompkins, wide receiver: Thompkins, an Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots castoff, delivered a respectable performance, considering it was his first game in a Jets uniform. Pressed into action because of injuries, Thompkins handled the No. 4 receiver role, catching six of the seven balls thrown his way. He finished with only 41 yards, but cut him some slack. He's been on the active roster for only two weeks.

DOWN

Antonio Cromartie, cornerback: Cromartie was candid about his performance, saying, "I played like s---." It's hard to argue with that assessment. Even Todd Bowles had to acknowledge that Cromartie was "bad."

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He allowed 36- and 49-yard touchdowns to Michael Crabtree and Andre Holmes, respectively. Cromartie believes Holmes pushed off, but he wasn't complaining about it. Cromartie also contributed to the poor tackling effort by the defense, missing at least three tackles. Going forward, the Jets have to be a little concerned about Cromartie.

Marcus Williams, safety: Yes, that's right, safety. With Calvin Pryor (ankle) sidelined, the Jets decided to move Williams -- their No. 4 cornerback -- to safety. He practiced there all week and started alongside Marcus Gilchrist, essentially giving them two free safeties. The plan failed miserably, as Williams was responsible for at least three missed tackles. Bowles explained the decision, saying he figured Williams' coverage ability would help against the Raiders' spread formations. In the end, it backfired.

Demario Davis, linebacker: Oh, boy, was he fooled, or what? He was face-to-face with running back Taiwan Jones in the open field after a swing pass and it didn't end well for Davis. He was faked to the grass and Jones broke three more tackles on his way to a 59-yard touchdown, which made it 28-6. Bowles ripped his defense, using the word "bad" several times. Davis most definitely was part of the problem.

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The Punch is history; time for Geno Smith to show some fight (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 2, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55641/time-for-geno-smith-back-from-the-punch-to-show-some-fight

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Beneath Geno Smith's shoulder pads was a gray, sweat-soaked cutoff T-shirt with a few words printed across the front: "Upper cut, right, left, lights out."

You could read a lot into Smith's fashion statement, considering what happened in training camp -- that infamous day in which his jaw got in the way of IK Enemkpali's fist. From all indications, it was lights out with one punch, costing Smith his job as the starting quarterback of the New York Jets.

That shirt also could be doomsday forecast for the remainder of the Jets' season, depending on the results of the Monday-morning medical evaluations -- Smith's left shoulder and to Ryan Fitzpatrick's left thumb.

The Jets took a double-hit to the quarterback position in Sunday's 34-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum, losing Fitzpatrick (torn ligaments) to a potential serious injury and, possibly, Smith. Worst-case scenario: It's a repeat of Sept. 25, 2005, the day they lost Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler to season-ending injuries. Chances are, it won't be that dire, but there are indications Fitzpatrick -- in the midst of career year at age 32 -- will be lost for at least a few games. The thumb injury might be on his non-throwing hand, but a quarterback needs to two hands to receive snaps and a good left hand to execute handoffs to the right side.

What it means is the Jets (4-3), suddenly reeling with a two-game losing streak, may have to entrust their season to Smith. They're back to the future, and it has to be better than his past or else the Jets are cooked.

“Every chance I get to step on the field is a way for me to prove my worth to whoever’s watching -- to whoever wants to evaluate it," he said after his season debut, sounding like he's auditioning for a 2016 job with another organization.

The positive view of Smith is that, before his jaw was busted by Enemkpali, he was having a strong training camp and was poised to become the opening-day starter. It was all set up for him. Fitzpatrick wasn't in the picture. Everything changed in a split-second, as it so often does for the Jets and their quarterbacks.

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You can look back to Vinny Testaverde's ruptured Achilles' in 1999, Pennington's many injuries and, of course, Mark Sanchez's season-ending shoulder injury in the 2013 preseason.

Out went Smith, in came the bearded man from Harvard. Fitzpatrick won games and won the respect of his teammates, playing the role of game manager. Then he took off on scramble on the sixth play of the game and his left thumb was twisted in a tackle by the ageless Charles Woodson. Just like that, the fickle finger of fate had torn ligaments. Fitzpatrick said he couldn't grip a football in his left hand.

"It was a body blow," wide receiver Jeremy Kerley said.

The game ended there for the Jets, who played their worst game under Todd Bowles. After nearly three months in moth balls, Smith (27-for-42, 265 yards) enjoyed a few promising moments, but he also demonstrated a lack of awareness by throwing a careless interception, taking three sacks and taking too many unnecessary hits. He took on a cornerback instead of running out of bounds, injuring his shoulder.

"A bonehead play," Smith admitted.

We've seen plenty of those over the last years. On this day, he entered a 0-0 game, but he wasn't the answer. He was rusty. After all, it was his first football game since last December. Taking the optimistic view, maybe the time away from the action did some good. Maybe it changed his perspective.

"It's been a long offseason for him, listening to the noise, hearing the noise," Brandon Marshall said of Smith. "It was a tough camp for the obvious reason. For him to come in and fight through it, I'm just so proud of the kid. A lot of people would've folded."

Three months ago, Smith was sucker-punched. Now he has to show everyone he's a fighter. If not, it could be lights out for the Jets.

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NEW YORK POST

Jets’ hyped defense chewed up, Fitzpatrick hurt in beatdown (Brian Costello) New York Post November 1, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/01/jets-hyped-defense-chewed-up-fitzpatrick-hurt-in-beatdown/

OAKLAND — Put a hold on those Jets playoff plans.

The Raiders embarrassed Gang Green in a complete 34-20 beatdown at O.Co Coliseum on Sunday, exposing some disturbing flaws in the Jets defense.

The Jets lost starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a thumb injury on the sixth play of the game. Geno Smith replaced him, and the offense struggled to get much going, but the bigger story was the sloppy play of the much-hyped Jets defense.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr had his way, throwing four touchdown passes. The Jets missed tons of tackles, failed to get a pass rush, struggled in coverage and got run on.

Other than that, it was a fine day.

The Jets’ heads may still have been in Foxborough after last week’s emotional loss to the rival Patriots. Now, they have lost two games in a row and are 4-3. Oakland is also 4-3. Sunday’s result could be a critical one in the AFC wild-card race.

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Fitzpatrick went down on a third-down scramble. He picked up the first down, but a Charles Woodson hit injured his left thumb. Jets coach Todd Bowles told CBS he sustained ligament damage. Fitzpatrick returned late in the fourth quarter for two plays when Smith was hurt, but Pro Football Talk reported the Jets already were making inquiries about quarterbacks who might be able to be acquired by trade or were free agents. That could be an indication he will miss games.

The Raiders have no such quarterback issues. Carr threw three touchdowns in the first half to put the Raiders up 21-6 at halftime. He then threw a short pass to running back Taiwan Jones early in the third quarter that Jones turned into a 59-yard touchdown, racing past Demario Davis and juking Marcus Gilchrist on his way to the end zone for 28-6 lead.

Missed tackles were a theme all day for the defense, as the Jets looked like they were in slow motion against the Raiders.

Smith threw his first touchdown pass of the season with 7:19 left in the third quarter, a 4-yard strike to Eric Decker that cut the score to 28-13 and kept the Jets alive. Smith made a pretty 28-yard pass to Brandon Marshall on the drive. Smith showed flashes of good play, mixed in with a few terrible decisions.

Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski hit two long field goals to make it 34-13 with 12:49 left in the fourth quarter.

The Jets did not roll over late, though. Smith engineered a 10-play, 71-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kellen Davis on a rollout that cut the Oakland lead to 34-20 with 8:37 left in the game.

The Jets failed on a few fourth-quarter possessions to cut down the deficit further despite the Raiders’ poor play-calling giving them a few chances.

On the Jets’ final possession, Smith actually exited the game for two plays after a huge hit from Raiders linebacker Ray-Ray Amrstrong. Fitzpatrick came in and threw two passes before Smith came back in.

The Jets could do nothing right in the first half. The offense’s struggles were understandable with Fitzpatrick and Nick Mangold both on the sideline, but the vaunted defense got picked apart by Carr and run over by Latavius Murray. The defensive line got pushed around and the $150 million secondary was thrown on.

Carr, who made his NFL debut against the Jets a year ago, looked like a future Pro Bowler. In the first half, he went 14-of-18 for 178 yards and three touchdowns. Murray was the perfect complement, averaging 6.8 yards per carry in the opening half as the Raiders offensive line opened huge holes.

After Fitzpatrick went down on the first drive, Smith entered the game and completed his first pass for 23 yards to Jeremy Kerley. The drive fizzled at the 22-yard line, and Nick Folk kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the Jets a 3-0 lead that would not last very long.

The Raiders answered with a 10-play, 78-yard drive that was capped by a Carr five-yard touchdown pass to Andre Holmes, who beat Buster Skrine on the play.

Things then got really ugly for the Jets in the second quarter. Carr found Michael Crabtree for a 36-yard touchdown. On the play, Cromartie, Davis and Marcus Williams all missed tackles, letting him stroll into the end zone.

Cromartie had a terrible game, whiffing on tackles and struggling in coverage. He gave up a 49-yard touchdown pass from Carr to Holmes down the sideline and the rout was on at 21-3.

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On the next play, Smith threw into double coverage and Woodson intercepted him. The turnover did not prove costly, though, when Janikowski missed a 52-yard field goal attempt. The Jets got a field goal just before halftime to make it 21-6 at the break.

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Jets’ pitiful report card: Todd Bowles should look away (Brian Costello) New York Post November 1, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/01/jets-pitiful-report-card-todd-bowles-should-look-away/

Offense

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick went down on the sixth play of the game, which hurt this unit. Backup Geno Smith (27 of 42, 265 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) played OK coming off the bench, but made some terrible decisions down the stretch. The Jets had 366 total yards without a running game to speak of. Chris Ivory (15 rushes, 17 yards) was a non-factor. WR Brandon Marshall (nine catches, 108 yards) played well despite injuries.

Grade: C

Defense

The team needed the defense to pick it up with the injury to Fitzpatrick. Instead, the defense failed to show up. The Raiders had their way, totaling 451 yards. QB Derek Carr (23 of 36, 333 yards) led Oakland to touchdowns on their first three drives. The Jets could not tackle and let Latavius Murray (20 rushes, 113 yards) run all over them.

Antonio Cromartie had a terrible game, giving up two touchdowns and missing a number of tackles. He was not alone, though, as the entire defense stunk it up.

Grade: F

Special teams

This unit failed to make any impact plays again. It also committed two penalties, one a block in the back on a punt in the fourth quarter that really hurt the Jets’ field position. Jeremy Kerley had two punt returns for 10 yards. Ryan Quigley had a net of 44 yards punting. Kicker Nick Folk made two field goals, one of the few Jets to have a good day.

Grade: C

Coaching

The Jets played with no energy. That is on the coaches. Was it a hangover from last week’s loss in New England? Overconfidence? Who knows, but it can’t happen. Todd Bowles made some questionable decisions down the stretch. The biggest head-scratcher was a punt with 3:30 left when they were down by two touchdowns. Bowles and Kacy Rodgers had no answers for the Raiders’ offense, failing to make any noticeable adjustments.

Grade: F

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Antonio Cromartie after Jets meltdown: I ‘played like s–t’ (George Willis) New York Post November 1, 2015

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http://nypost.com/2015/11/01/antonio-cromartie-after-jets-meltdown-i-played-like-s-t/

OAKLAND, Calif. — It’s hard to find someone on the Jets’ defense whose performance was worse than the player next to him, but cornerback Antonio Cromartie was willing to point the finger at himself.

“I felt like I played like [crap],” Cromartie said after the Raiders 34-20 victory Sunday at O.co Stadium. “I didn’t play to what I need to play up to and what my teammates expect me to play up to every single week. Today wasn’t that day.”

Cromartie was victimized for two long touchdowns in the first half that set the tone for a long afternoon by the Jets’ defense. First Raider receiver Michael Crabtree cut under him to break free for a 36-yard touchdown catch-and-run early in the second quarter.

And on the Raiders next possession receiver Andre Holmes beat Cromartie down the sideline for a 49-yard touchdown pass that gave the Raiders a 21-3 lead. Cromartie was also guilty of a number of missed tackles, something that plagued the entire Jets’ defense.

“When you’re having missed tackles, penalties and giving up long touchdowns, you’re going to automatically lose those games,” Cromartie said.

This is not a film Cromartie will show to his grandchildren. The Raiders had a 7-3 lead when Crabtree cut under him on third-and-3 and caught a pass from quarterback Derek Carr at about the 10-yard-line. Cromartie and Jets linebacker Demario Davis converged to make the tackle, but somehow Crabtree broke free to score the touchdown.

“We missed a lot of tackles,” Cromartie said. “We probably had 20-something missed tackles in this game. That’s something we cannot do.”

On the Raiders next possession, Cromartie looked to be in good position as Carr lofted a deep pass to Holmes. As the ball arrived, Holmes extended his arm to get separation from Cromartie and make the catch. Cromartie complained to the official, but there was no flag thrown.

“I think he pushed off, but the ref didn’t call it so you can’t look at it that way,” Cromartie said. “It’s a 49-yard touchdown. I felt like I was in position to make a play, but he got separation at the end. I felt like his arm was extended to get the separation but it wasn’t called. That was the second touchdown I gave up.”

It gave the Raiders what proved to be an insurmountable 21-3 lead. The Jets suffered their second straight defeat to drop to 4-3.

“We have to create turnovers,” Cromartie said, noting the Jets didn’t force any against the Raiders. “We’re not creating the turnovers that we did in the first three or four games. We have to pick it up on our side of the ball and give our offense as many opportunities as we can.”

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Jets’ nonexistent pass rush hands Derek Carr the game (George Willis) New York Post November 2, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/02/jets-nonexistent-pass-rush-hands-derek-carr-the-game/

Hero

The Raiders’ offensive line abused the Jets’ defensive front for just about the entire game, opening holes that helped earn 118 rushing yards and give quarterback Derek Carr plenty of room to operate an offense the gained 451 total yards. Carr hardly got dirty. He wasn’t sacked and didn’t throw an interception.

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Zero

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie was beaten deep for two first-half touchdowns, a 36-yarder to Michael Crabtree and a 49-yarder down the sideline to Andre Holmes. Cromartie also missed a number of tackles. Truth is, just about anyone on the Jets’ defense could fit in this category.

Unsung hero

Jets backup quarterback Geno Smith couldn’t have entered for the first time this season in a more difficult situation: on the road; at the Black Hole; and against a young aggressive defense. Smith threw an early interception, but managed to complete 27 of 42 for 265 yards and two touchdowns while playing catch-up throughout the game.

Key stat

118: The Jets entered the game with the top run defense in the NFL, allowing just 71.5 yards per game. But the Raiders had 74 by halftime and finished with 118 for the game. The Raiders did most of the damage by running to the edges with Latavius Murray gaining 113 yards on the ground.

Quote of the day

“We didn’t play good. We didn’t tackle. We didn’t stop anybody. We didn’t do anything right. We didn’t coach them well. We didn’t play well. It was a bad performance.”

— Jets coach Todd Bowles

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Todd Bowles’ blunt message for his two injured quarterbacks (Brian Costello) New York Post November 1, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/01/todd-bowles-blunt-message-for-his-two-injured-quarterbacks/

OAKLAND, Calif. — Todd Bowles might have to steal a page out of Rex Ryan’s playbook and invite Yankees manager Joe Girardi to practice this week.

The Jets quarterbacks need to learn how to slide. Both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith were injured in Sunday’s 34-20 loss to the Raiders on plays where they ran.

“We’ve got to learn how to slide,” Bowles said.

In 2009, Ryan had Girardi teach then Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez sliding technique. It may be time to do it again.

Fitzpatrick left the game with torn ligaments in his thumb during the Jets’ first series. Smith injured his left shoulder and his abdomen. Smith exited for two plays, but was able to finish the game. Fitzpatrick was able to fill in for Smith when he was hurt, but it appears Fitzpatrick’s injury could sideline him for next week. Both players will undergo tests on Monday to judge the severity of their injuries.

If one of the quarterbacks is sidelined, the Jets could be in the market for a quarterback. Rookie Bryce Petty was inactive on Sunday and does not appear to be ready to play yet. The Jets could bring back Matt Flynn, who spent part of training camp with the team. They also may explore the trade market with the trade deadline coming Tuesday. ESPN reported one quarterback they will not look at is free agent Ryan Mallett, who Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan knows from Houston.

Fitzpatrick hurt his thumb on the sixth play of the game. The doctors wrapped it and Fitzpatrick felt like he could not take snaps with the injury.

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“I think it was just kind of a fluke thing,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think it might have been [Charles] Woodson. He kind of went for the ball and just got my thumb inside. I knew something wasn’t right and unfortunately I just couldn’t grip the ball. I couldn’t really do anything with pressure and keep it in the right place.”

Smith did some decent things in his first game of the season, throwing two touchdown passes, but still demonstrated the questionable decision-making Jets fans know from his first two seasons. He took two sacks late in the game instead of throwing the ball away, costing the Jets field position.

“I think it was just a boneheaded play, I should’ve thrown the ball away,” Smith said.

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall thought Smith improved as the game went on.

“When Geno settled down I thought he played amazing,” Marshall said. “I thought he played with a lot of grit. I thought he conducted himself well.”

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Geno Smith doesn’t even register on Jets’ list of problems (George Willis) New York Post November 1, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/01/geno-smith-doesnt-even-register-on-jets-list-of-problems/

OAKLAND, Calif. — If you run down the list of those who should raise their hands and accept blame for the 34-20 beatdown the Jets received at the hands of the Raiders on Sunday at O.Co Coliseum, Geno Smith is nowhere near the top of the list. In fact, he might be at the very bottom.

You could start with a coaching staff that failed to create a productive game plan and effectively motivate a team that played as if this trip to the West Coast was some sort of Halloween vacation. Then you can point fingers at a defense that needed to be at its best after starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick went down on the opening drive, but authored its worst performance of the season.

And let’s not forget an offensive line that got beat up physically at the point of attack, leaving Smith as the Jets leading rusher.

“We had issues with everything,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “We didn’t do anything well.”

At least Smith battled and competed, almost to a fault, incurring a bruised shoulder when he didn’t go out of bounds at the end of a 29-yard scramble and absorbed a vicious hit along the sidelines.

“I should have gotten out-of-bounds,” Smith said. “I was trying to tightrope the sideline.”

He later suffered a bruised sternum when he waited until the last instant to make a throw and took a helmet to his chest from Raiders linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, forcing the backup quarterback out of the game, temporarily prompting Fitzpatrick’s brief return.

Smith and Fitzpatrick will undergo MRIs to establish their availability for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars at MetLife Stadium, but the guess here is Smith figures to be the starter, offering him a second chance at the job he lost in training camp after suffering a broken jaw during a locker-room altercation.

“Every chance I get to step on the field is a way to prove my worth to whoever is watching and wants to evaluate it,” Smith said. “I just wanted to go out and win the game.”

He didn’t because his teammates were outplayed by the Raiders, who totaled 451 total yards, including 118 rushing. The Jets managed 366 total yards with Smith, completing 27 of 42 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns. He threw an early interception to future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson and took at least two unnecessary sacks late, but without a running game he had no chance to be a hero.

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“Today was my first action and I think I did some decent things,” Smith said. “But there are a lot of things to improve on.”

Suddenly, what appeared to be a promising Jets season looks vulnerable. They’ve suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season, their two quarterbacks are injured and their egos are severely bruised.

“We got flat out beat from the start,” Eric Decker said. “They took it to us. We have to play better and come out faster.”

Smith had waited for this moment all season, a chance to get into a game. But his entry could not have come under more adverse conditions. The Black Hole proved to be huge pothole for the Jets. The energized Raiders (4-3) scored touchdowns on their first three possessions of the first half and a touchdown and two field goals on their first three possessions of the second half, putting the Jets in constant catch-up mode.

“He did a great job,” said Fitzpatrick. “It’s a tough thing to come into a game cold with not a whole lot of reps. I thought he showed a lot of toughness out there. It was a tough spot to be in.”

The Jets had grown comfortable with Fitzpatrick’s experience and leadership. Now they might have to rally around Smith who despite entering his third season remains unproven.

“Geno is more than capable,” insisted Brandon Marshall.

Now we must question whether we can say the same thing about the rest of the Jets.

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

Jets already inquiring about other quarterbacks, per report (Dom Consentino) NJ Advance Media November 1, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/jets_already_inquiring_about_other_quarterbacks_pe_1.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Jets are in the midst of getting throttled by the Raiders at O.co Stadium on Sunday, and they've lost quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a thumb injury, from which he won't return.

And with Tuesday's trade deadline approaching, the Jets aren't even waiting for the game to end to begin considering other options. Per Pro Football Talk:

Head coach Todd Bowles told CBS at halftime that Fitzpatrick's injury is "a ligament issue" to his left (non-throwing) hand. Geno Smith replaced Fitzpatrick, and third-stringer Bryce Petty was deactivated before

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the game began. That the Jets would so quickly pursue other options could just be due diligence, but it could also be a sign Fitzpatrick may not be ready to play again any time soon.

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Oakland Raiders 34, Jets 20: The good, the bad, and the ugly from a complete stinker (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media November 2, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/jets_raiders_good_bad_ugly.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — Sunday's trip to Oakland was a tipping-point game, filled with questions and possibilities, for the Jets. How legit is this team, really? As November began, would these Jets position themselves as a playoff contender? Or would they fade, after a promising start to coach Todd Bowles' first season?

The Raiders hammered the Jets 34-20 on Sunday — a loss that by no means sinks the Jets' season, but clearly leaves them with much work ahead, if they want to play past the regular season.

The Jets never contended Sunday, as they fell to 4-3 and lost for the second straight week, while the Raiders improved to 4-3. The Jets also lost their starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, to a left (non-throwing) thumb ligament injury. It's not clear how long he'll be out. But it really won't matter who plays quarterback, if the Jets' defense sputters like it did Sunday.

The schedule ahead remains favorable for the Jets. They host Jacksonville and Buffalo, and then travel to Houston — all chances to climb further above .500. For Sunday, though, the Jets looked every bit as miserable as last season's 4-12 debacle.

The good: Wait, there was something good that happened for the Jets in this game? You had to look hard to find it. Because Devin Smith and Chris Owusu are hurt, and Quincy Enunwa is suspended, the Jets played Sunday with just four wide receivers: Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley, and Kenbrell Thompkins. It was Thompkins' first game as a Jet, and he played well. He caught six passes for 41 yards. The Jets have been looking for contributions from a complementary receiver, and that's what Thompkins gave them Sunday.

The bad: Fitzpatrick didn't make it through the game's first drive. He sustained a left thumb ligament injury (severity unclear) while diving at the end of a scramble. He did not return to the game. Geno Smith replaced him. Smith in the first half threw no touchdowns and one interception, to legendary safety Charles Woodson, which didn't lead to any points for the Raiders, because Sebastian Janikowski missed a 52-yard field goal. Sunday was Smith's 31st career game. That was his 35th pick. The Jets trailed 21-6 at halftime Sunday, largely because of their defensive struggles. The Raiders out-gained the Jets 252 yards to 118 in the first half.

The ugly: The Jets' defense looked terrible to start the game. The Raiders scored touchdowns — all Derek Carr passes — on their first three drives. The possessions covered 78, 76, and 78 yards. Carr in the first half completed 14 of 18 passes for 178 yards. He didn't throw a pick. The Jets' tackling was especially poor on the Raiders' second touchdown, a 36-yard catch and run by wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Marcus Williams, and weak-side linebacker Demario Davis, all failed to wrap up Crabtree on the play. Cromartie was later toasted by receiver Andre Holmes on the Raiders' third touchdown, a 49-yarder that put Oakland up 21-3. The Raiders ran for 74 yards (5.3 per rush) in the first half — a crummy effort from a Jets defense that entered Sunday as one of the NFL's best. The Raiders continued to torch the Jets on the second half's opening drive, which ended in a 59-yard catch-and-run touchdown by running back Taiwan Jones. Davis, Williams, and free safety Marcus Gilchrist all whiffed on

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tackle attempts on the play. At that point, Carr was 17-of-21 passing for 261 yards and four touchdowns, over the course of Oakland's first five possessions.

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Depleted Jets a disaster in 34-20 loss at Oakland Raiders | Instant analysis (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media November 2, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/depleted_jets_a_disaster_in_34-20_loss_at_oakland.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Jets said goodbye to Daylight Saving Time by turning their clocks all the way back to 2014 on Sunday.

In a performance that looked a lot like last year's disaster of a season, the Jets (4-3) were thoroughly trounced, 34-20, by the Raiders (4-3) at O.co Coliseum. Already playing without veteran center Nick Mangold (neck) and much-improved strong safety Calvin Pryor (ankle), the Jets then they lost quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a thumb injury just six plays into the game, only to have his replacement, Geno Smith, get hurt in the game's final minute, necessitating a Fitzpatrick return for two plays even though Fitzpatrick had already been declared out. The Jets had no other options at that point.

This game was basically a rerun from 2014, complete with poor tackling, poor coverage, bad penalties, and a interception into double coverage from Fitzpatrick's replacement, quarterback Geno Smith, who was playing for the first time since he lost the starting job after getting punched during training camp (though Smith was the least of the Jets' problems in this one, even if he was far from perfect).

All that was missing was former head coach Rex Ryan. Let's break it down further.

• The Fitzpatrick injury. Head coach Todd Bowles has said he wanted Fitzpatrick to slide in the open field. At the end of a 12-yard scramble on third-and-5 on the game's first offensive series, Fitzpatrick didn't slide. He hurt his left (non-throwing) hand, and Bowles told CBS at halftime it was a ligament thing. Bowles presumably will be able to address Fitzpatrick's long-term prognosis after the game. But according to Pro Football Talk, the Jets have already reached out to other teams about other quarterbacks.

• The defense. Was it really this same season when the NFL world was singing the praises of the Jets' defense, which came into Sunday third in DVOA against the pass, first against the run, and second overall? I know they were without Calvin Pryor—a solid open-field tackler—and nickel corner Buster Skrine (shoulder, broken finger) missed most of the game, but the Jets got torched. The Raiders carved them up for 450 yards. They ran right through the Jets—running back Latavius Murray had 112 rushing yards on just 16 carries after three quarters—and their second-year quarterback, Derek Carr, looked more like Tom Brady than Tom Brady looked like Tom Brady last week against the Jets. Carr's final numbers: 23-for-36 for 333 yards passing and four touchdowns. The Raiders didn't punt until 7:44 remained in the fourth quarter. The Jets didn't tackle. Try to count the misses on Raiders receiver Michael Crabtree's 36-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, and on running back Taiwan Jones' 59-yard TD catch and run in the third. It might take you all week.

• How did Geno Smith do? Upon replacing Fitzpatrick, Smith wasn't awful, especially considering he was thrust into playing for the first time in 11 months, and that his center—Wesley Johnson, who played for the injured Nick Mangold (neck)—had never taken an NFL snap. Smith launched a terrible second-quarter pass into double coverage that was picked off by Charles Woodson, the Raiders' ageless safety, and he should have gone out of bounds at the end of a 29-yard fourth-quarter run in which he got popped hard by cornerback David Amerson. But other than that? He did OK throwing underneath, and he could have

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done more to throw the ball away at times. His final stat line: 27 of 42 passing for 265 yards, two touchdowns, and that one interception. He was sacked three times. Smith eventually had to leave the game for two plays late, but he came back.

• Ugh. On the Raiders' first possession, Murray managed to rip off a 26-yard run even though the Jets had 12 players on the field. It was that kind of day, you guys.

• Antonio Cromartie ... Yikes. Cromartie, the Jets' cornerback, had a rough go of things. He was among the would-be tacklers who whiffed on Crabtree on Crabtree's touchdown, but he also got smoked by Andre Holmes for a 49-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, and Crabtree faked him out of his shoes on a 24-yard catch and run in the third. Cromartie got a gigantic break with just less than eight minutes remaining, when Holmes beat him handily for what would have been a first down, but dropped the ball.

• Why? With 3:19 left and the Jets on their own 21 down by two touchdowns, Bowles elected to punt. Seriously. Even weirder? The Raiders threw the ball twice on their ensuing possession and had to punt it back 24 seconds later. Maybe Bowles knew the Raiders would mysteriously keep throwing.

• What's next? Now 4-3 with back-to-back road losses, the Jets return home next Sunday to face the 2-5 Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. It's the first of four straight games against teams with losing records.

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Jets' Antonio Cromartie after loss at Oakland Raiders: 'I feel like I played like [expletive]' (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 2, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/jets_antonio_cromartie_after_loss_at_oakland_raide.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie didn't mince words after his team lost 34-20 Sunday at the Raiders.

His coach, Todd Bowles, had just told reporters Cromartie "had a bad game, just like the rest of them," on an uncharacteristic off day for the Jets' defense.

Cromartie was asked about Bowles feeling like the veteran corner played poorly.

"Me too," Cromartie said, echoing Bowles' opinion. "I feel like I played like [expletive], to be honest with you. I didn't play up to par at what I need to play at, or to what my teammates expect me to play."

Missed tackles were a huge issue for the Jets on Sunday, as they allowed a season-high 451 yards. They hadn't allowed more than 353 this season. The Jets' defense entered Sunday as one of the NFL's best. Then they allowed a season-high 34 points to the Raiders and their second-year quarterback, Derek Carr, who torched them for four touchdown passes.

Cromartie had a particularly awful first half.

On wide receiver Michael Crabtree's 36-yard catch-and-run touchdown that put the Raiders up 14-3, Cromartie was one of three defenders to miss a tackle attempt, along with weak-side linebacker Demario Davis and cornerback Marcus Williams.

The Raiders went up 21-3 on their next possession. The touchdown was a 49-yard pass to Andre Holmes, who beat Cromartie down the sideline. Cromartie protested for an offensive pass interference penalty after the play.

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"I think he pushed off, but the ref didn't call it, so you can't look at it that way," Cromartie said. "I felt like I was in position to go up and make a play, but he got separation at the end. I felt like his arm was extended, to get the separation. But it wasn't called."

On Crabtree's touchdown, Cromartie said, "he got in my blind spot, and then he just cut underneath me. I was supposed to squeeze it, and I got to it late and missed the tackle."

Cromartie also tweaked his hip — the same hip that bothered him in recent years — when he slipped in coverage against Crabtree in the third quarter. (Another missed tackle.) But Cromartie downplayed the injury, which he played through.

"I'm not concerned at all," he said. "I tried to plant and I probably turned wrong. It wasn't nothing serious. Just a little pinch."

Cromartie said his hip "really didn't bother me" for the rest of the game.

"Honestly, it's not even an issue right now," he said. "I feel like I can go out and play full speed and make the plays I need to make."

He didn't make enough of them Sunday.

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Latest on injuries to Jets' quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media November 2, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/latest_on_injuries_to_jets_quarterbacks_ryan_fitzp.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Jets will return home from their 34-20 drubbing at the hands of the Raiders at O.co Coliseum on Sunday as one wounded bunch, with their only two experienced quarterbacks right at the top of the list.

"I think it [was] a little blow for us," cornerback Darrelle Revis said. "And on top of that, a lot of guys got banged up."

Starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, who left the game after just six plays, has a torn ligament in his left (non-throwing) thumb. Head coach Todd Bowles said Fitzpatrick would have an MRI on Monday, but the early prognosis does not appear to be promising, given that the Jets already know there's a tear.

Backup Geno Smith, who completed 27 of 42 passes for 265 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, injured both his left (non-throwing) shoulder and his abdomen. Smith, however, said he was "pretty confident" he'd be able to play next week at home against the Jaguars, but even that appeared to be uncertain as the Jets packed up their stuff for the long flight home.

That would leave rookie Bryce Petty—a project being groomed for the future—as their only healthy quarterback. Head coach Todd Bowles conceded that the Jets "may have to" look elsewhere for additional help. Tuesday is the trade deadline, and Pro Football Talk reported during the game that the Jets had already begun inquiring about other options.

"We'll see [about] the health of Geno, the health of Ryan, and we'll go from there," Bowles said. "It's early. We'll wait till we get some tests back [Monday], and we'll act accordingly."

The Jets were already without center Nick Mangold (neck) and strong safety Calvin Pryor (high ankle sprain). And in addition to Fitzpatrick and Smith, wide receiver Brandon Marshall also injured a toe on one foot and an ankle on the other, while cornerback Buster Skrine left the game after re-aggravating his right

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shoulder injury. And cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie (hip) and Dexter McDougle (ankle) also got hurt, though both returned to play.

I think that about covers it.

Fitzpatrick said his injury was less about pain than about his ability to grip the ball.

"I think if it was any other finger, it would have been OK," Fitzpatrick said. "Unfortunately, being my thumb, I wouldn't have been able to take a snap or hand the ball off.

"It's uncharted territory for me, so I don't know what to expect."

The Jets had de-activated Petty before the game, so when Smith took a hit toward the end of the game that knocked him out for two plays, Fitzpatrick went back out there. But had Smith been injured more seriously earlier on, the Jets would have had to scramble by using one of their running backs "and run zone-read," Bowles said.

Smith first injured his left shoulder in the fourth quarter when Raiders cornerback David Amerson drilled him along the sideline at the end of a 29-yard run. He hurt his abdomen when he got hit the midsection with about a minute left.

Smith conceded he should have tried to get out of bounds on the Amerson hit, especially with the Jets not having any backups available.

"I should have run out of bounds," he said.

In the locker room, Smith had what appeared to be a bruise on his left shoulder. He said he had X-rays and that he would still have to be monitored and get treatment. But that injury didn't knock him out of the game.

"I was able to play through it," Smith said. "It was nothing too concerning."

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After 2 straight losses, game vs. Jacksonville Jaguars a critical juncture for Jets' season (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 2, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/after_2_straight_losses_game_vs_jacksonville_jagua.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — The first one you could understand. Two Sundays ago, the Jets lost 30-23 to the Patriots in New England, where quarterback Tom Brady and Co. are nearly unbeatable. No shame there.

The second one looked more troubling. The Jets fell to 4-3 Sunday with a 34-20 loss at Oakland in which their defense played miserably and they lost their starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick.

He has torn ligaments in his left (non-throwing) thumb. It's unclear how much time he'll miss. But this looks like it could be a significant blow to the Jets, even though his replacement, former starter Geno Smith, didn't play horribly Sunday.

Moreover, the Jets' top wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, is also dealing with injuries to his left ankle and right toe.

Todd Bowles, the Jets' rookie head coach, has now lost two straight games for the first time. How will he handle this adversity, as the Jets try to remain a playoff contender in the season's second half?

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The Jets can begin answering that question next Sunday at home against the 2-5 Jaguars, who are coming off a bye week, but look entirely beatable.

It's a huge game for the Jets, since 5-3 feels worlds different than 4-4 at the season's midpoint, a week into November.

"It's big to win in November and December," said Buster Skrine, the Jets' slot cornerback. "This is the time when you set yourself up for the playoffs. We've got nine games left in the season. It's a long way. We could go 13-3."

They don't need to go 13-3 to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010. They don't even need to win the AFC East over the Patriots, of course.

But they do need to take advantage of their upcoming schedule. After facing the Jaguars, the Jets host the 3-4 Bills, and visit the 3-5 Texans.

The Raiders, at 4-3, look much improved. They're a potential contender for a wildcard spot in the AFC, so Sunday's win over the Jets could be an important leg up for the Raiders in their pursuit of a playoff berth.

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Brandon Marshall injuries: How bad are they for Jets' wide receiver? (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media November 2, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/brandon_marshall_injuries_how_bad_are_they_for_jet.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — When it came to the ankle and toe injuries he sustained during the Jets' 34-20 loss at the Raiders on Sunday at O.co Coliseum, wide receiver Brandon Marshall played it coy.

Marshall hurt a toe on one foot, and an ankle on the other, and he left the game for a handful of plays in the fourth quarter before eventually returning. He had X-rays done, but he declined to reveal the results, and he also declined to say which injury was more of a concern.

"I was able to finish the game, and I have a high—what is it?—tolerance for pain," Marshall said. "I'll be OK."

Marshall also appeared to get his knee looked at, though he did admit there were no issues with his knee.

Asked if he'll need any additional tests done, Marshall said, "You'll have to ask coach that. More than likely."

Even with the injuries, and even with quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith both getting banged up, Marshall caught nine passes for 108 yards—his fifth 100-yard game of the season.

Fitzpatrick tore a ligament in his left (non-throwing) thumb, and Smith injured his abdomen and his left (non-throwing) shoulder. Cornerback Buster Skrine also left the game after re-aggravating a right shoulder injury, and cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie (hip) and Dexter McDougle (ankle) were injured but later returned to action.

Oh, and the Jets already were without center Nick Mangold (neck) and strong safety Calvin Pryor (ankle).

Marshall, meanwhile, couldn't yet say whether he would play next Sunday at the Jaguars at home.

"I'll be all right," Marshall said. "We'll see how the week goes. It's a long week, so [there's] a lot of time to heal."

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Jets' Darrelle Revis: Oakland Raiders' Amari Cooper 'a special player' (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media November 2, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/jets_darrelle_revis_oakland_raiders_amari_cooper_a.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Raiders won the overall matchup Sunday, trouncing the Jets, 34-20, in a game that could have major playoff tiebreaker implications at the end of the season, now that both teams are 4-3.

But the most-anticipated individual battle at O.co Coliseum—Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis vs. Raiders rookie wideout Amari Cooper—was a much closer contest.

Revis is arguably the game's best cornerback. Cooper is the No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft and an emerging star in an offense quarterbacked by Derek Carr, himself a player on the come.

For nearly every play—though not every play—Revis shadowed Cooper, who lined up pretty much everywhere. And Cooper finished with five catches for 46 yards on nine targets. That yardage total was Cooper's lowest this season. The five catches were his second-lowest mark; he twice had four-catch games earlier this season.

Cooper flashed some of his game0breaking ability after the catch, but he also didn't do too much damage by getting behind Revis or beating him for anything more than a 13-yard gain.

It was two of the game's best doing their thing. And afterward, Revis had plenty of praise for Cooper.

"He's awesome, man," Revis said. "It was fun watching him out there. They had a great game plan moving him, and a lot of places to give him the ball. Awesome. The sky is the limit for him. A special player, he is."

Carr finished with 333 yards passing and four touchdowns. But it was wideouts Michael Crabtree (seven catches, 102 yards, one touchdown) and Andre Holmes (49-yard touchdown), and running back Taiwan Jones (59-yard touchdown) who did all the damage, with others guarding them.

Revis was asked about Crabtree, too.

"They played well today," Revis said. "Like I said, Amari is a special player. They try to move him around a lot in the offense to try to get him the ball in many ways. Crabtree had a great game today, too. I don't know how many yards he had total. Overall, Derek Carr is playing very hot right now. They're doing [well]."

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What the heck happened with that pathetic showing by Jets' defense at Oakland Raiders? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 2, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/jets_defense_raiders.html#incart_river

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Jets' defensive players looked stunned in the locker room after Sunday's 34-20 loss at the Raiders, a game in which they played miserably — and so much unlike themselves.

This was — and could still be — one of the NFL's best defenses, a unit capable of making up for the Jets' offensive shortcomings. This remains — now more than ever — a group the Jets need, since quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is out for an undetermined amount of time with torn left thumb ligaments.

But the Jets' defense, particularly their linebackers and secondary, flopped Sunday against the Raiders and their second-year quarterback, Derek Carr. He completed 23 of 36 passes for 333 yards and four

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touchdowns. The Raiders gained 451 yards — 98 more than the Jets had allowed in any previous game this season.

"We didn't make any plays," said Jets head coach Todd Bowles.

It'll be an ugly Monday at One Jets Drive, as the defense reviews film from this game, in which the Raiders scored more points against them than anybody has in 2015. Worse still for the Jets were their missed tackles Sunday. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie estimated the Jets had 20. He was only slightly exaggerating.

"That's one thing we take pride in, making tackles," said slot cornerback Buster Skrine, who left Sunday's game after aggravating his sprained right shoulder. "Today was an off day for our secondary. We don't plan on having many games like this, or any more games like this."

Said Cromartie: "No matter what's going on with the offense, we as a defense have got to carry this team as much as possible."

How bad was it for the Jets' defense Sunday?

This bad: The Raiders scored touchdowns on their first three drives, and four of their first five, to take a 28-6 lead with 11:06 left in the third quarter. Those drives covered 78, 76, 78, and 93 yards. All ended in Carr touchdown passes.

How sloppy were the Jets' basic defensive fundamentals in Oakland?

This sloppy: On Carr's second touchdown pass, a 36-yarder to wide receiver Michael Crabtree, Cromartie, weak-side linebacker Demario Davis, and cornerback Marcus Williams whiffed on tackle attempts. Carr's fourth touchdown pass, a 59-yarder to running back Taiwan Jones, was an even longer catch and run than Crabtree's. Jones made Williams, Davis, and free safety Marcus Gilchrist miss.

In between, for Carr's third score, receiver Andre Holmes burned Cromartie for a 49-yard deep ball touchdown catch — a lowlight of Cromartie's awful Sunday.

Across the locker room after the game, the Jets bemoaned those missed tackles. From making contact with the ball carrier but not wrapping up, to taking incorrect angles, the Jets did pretty much everything wrong Sunday.

"Little things like that cause you to lose games, as you can see," said defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson. "We came out with no energy. We came out flat. They gashed us."

Said middle linebacker David Harris: "That's not us. They had way too many yards after the catch."

The Jets' defensive energy was clearing lacking, along with their fundamentals.

Rookie end Leonard Williams said they "just didn't play as hard as we could've." Bowles, the defense's architect, vowed to fix the mistakes.

"We didn't tackle," he said. "We didn't stop anybody. We didn't do anything right. I have issues with the energy. I think the effort was there. I didn't think we played with a whole bunch of energy. I can't account for [the missed tackles], but we're going to work at it this week. It's surprising a little bit, but I've got confidence in these guys, and we'll correct it."

Cornerback Darrelle Revis expects a consistent message this week as the 4-3 Jets try to avoid losing three straight games, next Sunday at home against the Jaguars.

"We've just got to wrap up and tackle better," he said. "Coach has been on us about that previously. Now it's something that we really have to harp on even more."

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Raiders 34, Jets 20: Instant analysis (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News November 1, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-raiders-instant-analysis-article-1.2419951

What we learned: Ryan Fitzpatrick might be a journeyman on his sixth team in 11 years, but he’s invaluable to Todd Bowles’ team. Fitzpatrick hurt his left hand/thumb on a scramble six plays into the game. The veteran quarterback had found success with his feet through the first six games, but this run proved costly.

Fitzpatrick talked to team doctors and trainers on the sidelines a few times, but didn’t get an X-ray in the first half. Todd Bowles told CBS at halftime that Fitzpatrick has a “ligament issue.”

Fitzpatrick actually returned for two plays after Geno Smith was drilled with one minute left.

Game ball: Don’t look now, but the Raiders have a foundation quarterback in Derek Carr, who carved up the Jets’ touted defense for four touchdowns. Carr lit up the Jets for three first-half touchdown passes on the Raiders’ first three drives to set the tone for the rest of the day.

What this means: Geno Smith will get yet another chance to prove that he can be the starter for a franchise that has given him ample opportunity to show that he can be relied on. Smith, of course, was in line to be the Week 1 starter before the Punch Heard ‘Round the NFL courtesy of IK Enemkpali shelved the third-year signal caller in August and cost him his job.

Smith, who hasn’t played since the season finale in Miami last year, clearly wasn’t on the same page with top weapon Brandon Marshall in the first half. Smith threw a second-quarter interception looking for Marshall, who was blanketed downfield.

Good sign: Smith looked more comfortable after intermission en route to a pair of second-half touchdowns. However, he made some terrible choices in the last five minutes (see: taking a sack with just over two minutes to go) that made you shake your head.

Smith left for two plays late in the game after getting drilled in the chest by Ray-Ray Armstrong.

Bad Sign: Bowles’ second-ranked defense was horrific. The Jets gave up three touchdowns and 232 yards on the Raiders’ first three drives to dig an insurmountable hole. The Jets gave up 252 total yards in the first half. 252!

Oakland’s first-half scoring drives of 78, 78 and 76 yards were sprinkled with Jets penalties, sloppy coverage and terrible tackling. Antonio Cromartie was beaten on two of David Carr’s three touchdown passes before intermission.

Michael Crabtree’s 36-yard catch and run for a score in the second quarter was a snapshot of the Jets’ defensive struggles. He was wide open thanks to poor coverage by Cromartie before breaking three tackles on his way to the end zone. Buster Skrine was beaten on the first touchdown.

It got worse on the Raiders first drive of the second half when Taiwan Jones embarrassed Demario Davis, Marcus Williams and Marcus Gilchrist on a 59-yard catch & run for a touchdown.

The Jets’ top-ranked run defense, which had allowed 72 yards per game, was also terrible. Latavius Murray became the second running back this season to top the 100-yard plateau against Gang Green.

Bowles’ defense didn’t force a punt until 7:44 left in the fourth quarter.

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Bad Sign II: Brandon Marshall left with six minutes left in the game after suffering a left knee injury. The Jets’ top receiver was injured after an incompletion. He walked off slowly after doctors examined his left knee and didn’t appear to be getting any additional medical attention on the sideline.

Next week: The lowly Jaguars (2-5) roll into town two weeks after beating Rex Ryan’s Bills in London. Former Jets general manager John Idzik, who was fired after two forgettable seasons that included airplane banners from disgruntled fans, resurfaced as the special assistant to the general manager (whatever that means) in Jacksonville. He would love nothing more than to literally give the middle finger to his former employer. (He might do that win or lose.)

Idzik isn’t the only one on the Jags’ pay roll who isn’t exactly enamored with the Jets these days. Offensive line coach Doug Marrone, who opted out of his deal as the Bills head coach after last season in a controversial move, interviewed for the Jets’ opening before Woody Johnson wisely decided to go in another direction. Who knows? Maybe the Jaguars’ players will carry Marrone off the field if Jacksonville pulls off the upset.

On the field, the Jags appeared overmatched before the Jets laid an egg in Oakland. Quarterback Blake Bortles against the Jets defense still looks like an unfair fight, but nothing is a lock after the Jets’ embarrassing performance on Sunday.

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Ryan Fitzpatrick hurt, Geno Smith not the answer for Jets in 34-20 loss to Raiders (Seth Walder) New York Daily News November 1, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/fitzpatrick-hurt-geno-not-answer-jets-loss-article-1.2419958

OAKLAND -- And in the seventh game, Geno Smith returned to the field...and that was only the start of the Jets' problems against the Raiders on Sunday.

Out of nowhere, the Jets (4-3), with a backup quarterback and a suddenly sieve-like defense, were smoked by the Raiders (4-3) 34-20. The dismantling of the Jets, by a team they were favored to beat on the road, is a punch to the gut for a squad that looked destined for the postseason after starting the year hot.

The issues from Sunday could cause lingering concerns for the Jets.

Fitzpatrick left with what Bowles told CBS was ligament issues in his hand. Should that injury cause him to miss more time, the Jets would clearly be looking at a downgrade at quarterback with Smith playing. However, Fitzpatrick actually re-entered the game for a couple of plays late in the fourth quarter when Smith also was injured.

And while the Jets previously looked like they might be virtually unchallenged for a wild card spot, the Raiders' victory puts them in the playoff conversation and technically ahead of the Jets at the moment due to the head-to-head victory.

On top of that, the Raiders appeared to find weaknesses in what had been the second-ranked defense in the league as Derek Carr had a monstrous day .

Smith wasn't terrible for much of the game, throwing touchdown passes to Eric Decker and Kellen Davis. But the QB also threw a pick in the first half and made some poor decisions down the stretch that made it difficult for the Jets to mount a comeback.

Fitzpatrick's surprising scrambling ability has boosted the Jets' offense all year, but it came back to bite them in the first quarter. After escaping a sack and rushing for 12 yards and third-down conversion,

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Fitzpatrick injured his non-throwing hand after being hit by Charles Woodson. And with that, Smith entered the game. Fitzpatrick had his left thumb and part of his hand wrapped, and never appeared close to returning to action. He was officially ruled out shortly after halftime, though he later returned when Smith was hurt, too.

But the vaunted Jets defense was not able to hold that lead for long.

The Raiders marched down the field on their first possession for a 10-play, 78-yard drive that ended in a five-year touchdown pass to Andre Holmes, who beat Buster Skrine for the score.

And while the Jets tried to figure out their offense with a backup quarterback, the Raiders showed they weren't afraid of the stars in the Jets' secondary. Darrelle Revis had to respect Amari Cooper by giving him a cushion, Michael Crabtree began giving Antonio Cromartie problems, and the Jets were hurting run defense with strong safety Calvin Pryor injured and replaced with cornerback Marcus Williams. With 9:37 left in the second quarter, Derek Carr hit a wide-open Crabtree downfield before the wide receiver broke tackle attempts by Demario Davis, Cromartie and Marcus Williams to waltz into the head zone to put Oakland ahead 14-3.

"Bro wtf," Pryor tweeted after the Crabtree touchdown.

And the Raiders weren't done. On their next drive Carr kept it coming, hitting Holmes down the right sideline after he beat Cromartie, for a 49-yard touchdown that put Oakland ahead 21-3. The Raiders reached the end zone in each of their first three drives.

The already-raucous crowd at O.co Coliseum soon got more to cheer about. On the Jets' very first play from scrimmage on the ensuing drive, Smith decided to chuck it deep to Marshall -- a gamble that didn't play off as safety Charles Woodson came over and made the pick.

But for the first time on Sunday, the Jets were finally able to get a stop against the Raiders offense off the interception, stopping Oakland at the Jets' 34-yard line. A missed field goal from Sebastian Janikowski kept the deficit at 21-3.

The Jets grabbed another field goal just before the half to go into the locker room down 21-6.

When the second half, the Raiders didn't let up. They opened the third quarter with a six-play, 93-yard drive that culminated in a check-down pass to Taiwan Jones that the running back took 59-yards to the house. Davis, Williams and Marcus Gilchrist all missed tackles on the play.

Finally, the Jets were able to break through on offense. Smith was able to lead a long drive that was highlighted by Smith hitting Brandon Marshall down the right sideline for a 28-yard gain. A few plays later, Smith found Decker in the end zone for a four-yard touchdown that reduced the Raiders lead to 28-13.

Smith did get the offense going a bit, and in the fourth quarter completed a 71-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Davis. Smith had a 29-yard run on the play and received a monster hit by David Amerson when the QB didn't go out of bounds.

Thanks to the Raiders' continuing to pass the ball, the Jets' remained in the game, down 14 late. In the last minute, Smith was hurt after being drilled by Ray-Ray Armstrong and had to come out of the game. Fitzpatrick, who had previously been ruled out, came back in the game for a couple of plays before Smith returned.

Despite the quarterback carousel, the Jets weren't able to score again.

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Jets defense underperforms as Raiders QB Derek Carr throws for 333 yards and four touchdowns (Seth Walder) New York Daily News November 1, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-defense-disappoints-loss-raiders-article-1.2420114

For most of the season, the Jets' mighty defense has stifled opposing offenses.

Not on Sunday.

While it was overshadowed by the Gang Green's quarterback problems, the normally elite defense was chewed up by second-year QB Derek Carr, who threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns.

Asked about the defense underperforming, despite all the high-paying contracts they doled out this offseason, Todd Bowles said, "We're not worried about the money, we give up four touchdowns, period, it's disappointing. Whether it's to a 10-year quarterback, a second-year quarterback or a first-year quarterback. It wasn't just the secondary, and we didn't play well as a team."

Antonio Cromartie had a particularly rough game, giving up a touchdown to Andre Holmes and then missing a tackle on what eventually was a Michael Crabtree touchdown.

"I felt like I played like sh-t, to be honest with you," Cromartie said.

Bowles said he did not consider benching Cromartie, despite the poor play.

"No, I mean...Buster (Skrine) was playing at half-mast anyway because he has a shoulder. And we already have Marcus (Williams) in the ball game. So we were kind of limited there."

The Jets missed injured strong safety Calvin Pryor and Williams, a cornerback, played there in his stead and had a bad game as well. So did Demario Davis, who was the first defender to miss a tackle on Taiwan Jones' 59-yard touchdown off a check-down pass. Williams and Marcus Gilchrist also missed tackles on that play.

In fact, missing tackles was an issue across the board for the Jets, and the Raiders made them pay.

"We missed way too many tackles," David Harris said. "That's not us."

"We didn't play well as a defense," he said. "Defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs, defensive coaches. We didn't play well."

"Nobody expects this to happen, but it did," Harris added. "Way too many points. Way too many third-down conversions. Way too many big plays. Way too many rush yards. Too many missed tackles. That's the outcome you get when that happens."

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Jets feel pain of Ryan Fitzpatrick's injury in loss to Raiders (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News November 1, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-jets-feel-pain-ryan-fitzpatrick-injury-article-1.2420177

OAKLAND – The Autumn Wind actually did pillage for fun and knock the Jets ’round and upside down Sunday in a humiliating defeat that left Todd Bowles with a quarterback problem that could derail his season.

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The net result in the Jets’ 34-20 loss to the Raiders: One battered thumb down.

Ryan Fitzpatrick’s future remains in doubt after suffering torn thumb ligaments on his left (non-throwing) hand on a third-down scramble six plays into a forgettable day for a team that lost its second consecutive game to fall to 4-3.

The bearded Ivy Leaguer, who will have a MRI Monday before the team determines a timetable for recovery, might be a journeyman on his sixth team in 11 years, but he had been invaluable to the Jets’ fast start this season.

Players expressed confidence in Geno Smith, who suffered shoulder and abdomen injuries himself in relief, but there’s no sugarcoating it: Losing Fitzpatrick for an extended period of time will be devastating for a team that appeared to have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs for the first time in five years.

“It’s obviously going to hurt,” Eric Decker said. “He’s been our leader this year. Just got to wait and see what happens.”

Fitzpatrick admitted that he couldn’t grip the ball with his left hand, take a snap under center or hand the ball off with his damaged thumb. Torn ligaments, by the way, don’t magically heal overnight.

“It’s just kind of a fluke thing,” said Fitzpatrick, who was injured as Charles Woodson hit him on a 12-yard scramble. “Knew something wasn’t right there.”

The Jets are likely bracing for the reality that Smith will have to lead them. “It’s uncharted territory for me,” Fitzpatrick said of his injury. “So I don’t know what to expect.”

Smith was predictably unpredictable against the Raiders. Pushed to the margins in August thanks to IK Enemkpali’s right cross that broke his jaw and shelved him for the entire preseason, Smith was understandably rusty for much of the rest of the first half.

He looked much more comfortable at the start of the second half before making some poor choices in the fourth quarter that conjured up memories of the Geno Coaster.

“Every chance I get to step on the field is a way for me to prove my worth to whoever is watching,” said Smith, who went 27-for-42 for 265 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in his first game since the season finale in Miami last year. “I just want to go out there and win a game.”

Fitzpatrick brought a semblance of calm to the offense that only comes with experience. He had thrived this season, in part, due to his familiarity with Chan Gailey’s system from their days in Buffalo. Although Smith took the majority of first-team reps during the off-season program (practice in shorts), it will take time to build the same chemistry with Marshall and Decker in this scheme.

Fitzpatrick’s rapport with Brandon Marshall and Decker was one of the most underrated elements of the Jets’ offensive success through the first six games. Although Decker insisted that “there’s no starting over” with Smith, the Jets will need to hit the re-boot button with the more inexperienced quarterback now.

Smith, who is 11-18 as a starter, has the physical tools to thrive, but inconsistency and poor decisions at inopportune times have been his bugaboo. Sunday was a microcosm of his career.

The good: Smith engineered a 9-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that included a perfect 28-yard completion to Marshall and four-yard touchdown to Decker. He later made a pinpoint 1-yard touchdown strike on the run to Kellen Davis.

The bad: Even though he was the only healthy remaining quarterback for this team, Smith absorbed a violent hit to his left shoulder from cornerback David Amerson after curiously choosing to stay in bounds

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during a 29-yard scramble down the sideline. He had X-rays on what he called a bruised shoulder after the game.

Smith inexplicably took an 11-yard sack on what he called a “bonehead play” with just under three minutes to go.

“It’s been a long offseason for him listening to all the noise,” said Marshall, who had nine receptions for 108 yards on 18 targets. “It was a tough camp for him for the obvious reasons. For him to come in and fight through it, I’m just so proud of the kid. There’s a lot of people that would fold.”

Smith said that he’s learned plenty from Fitzpatrick, who provided wisdom on the sideline in between drives, but it’s unrealistic to expect that he’ll be able to have the same understanding of the intricacies of Gailey’s offense.

“Nothing’s really changed,” Smith said.

Only everything has.

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WALL STREET JOURNAL

Jets, Geno Smith Revert to Old Habits in Oakland Loss (Daisuke Wakabayashi) Wall Street Journal November 1, 2015

http://www.wsj.com/articles/jets-geno-smith-revert-to-old-habits-in-oakland-loss-1446428260?tesla=y

OAKLAND, Calif.—For one afternoon in Oakland, the 2015 Jets reverted to their 2014 form.

Geno Smith replaced an injured Ryan Fitzpatrick on the first drive of the game Sunday and the Jets defense proved incapable of stopping—or even slowing—the Oakland Raiders offense in a 34-20 loss.

The stout defense that the Jets had played in the early part of the season apparently didn’t make the trip across the country. The team covered and tackled like a Big 12 defense, with an effort more typical of opponents of the Red Raiders of Texas Tech University than the Raiders of Oakland.

The Raiders punter Marquette King wasn’t pressed into action until the fourth quarter as the Jets gave up 451 yards, setting a season-high.

Contributing to the 2014 vibe was the man taking snaps under center. On the opening drive of the game, Fitzpatrick escaped a near-sack and scrambled 12 yards for a first down. But Fitzpatrick injured his hand on the play, pressing Smith into duty for the first time this season.

Smith, the expected starter before the season, had been relegated to backup ever since a teammate broke his jaw in a locker-room fight during the preseason. In his absence, the Jets’ offense had thrived under Fitzpatrick.

But Smith looked rusty from the outset. After leading the Jets to a field goal on the opening drive, the offense sputtered. He overthrew Brandon Marshall on one drive for a three-and-out; missed Decker on the next possession to force a punt, and then hung a deep ball in the air too long, allowing a 39-year-old Charles Woodson to roam over from his safety position for an interception.

Jets head Coach Todd Bowles said afterwards that the initial diagnosis on Fitzpatrick is a torn ligament in his left thumb. The team will do more tests on Monday to determine how long Fitzpatrick may be sidelined.

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For their part, the Raiders demonstrated confidence in their passing game early and often. The Raiders went after Darrelle Revis on their first possession of the game, targeting rookie receiver Amari Cooped on a deep ball. The pass drifted out of bounds, but the message was clear: we’re not scared to trespass on Revis Island.

For most of the game, however, the Raiders didn’t need to test Revis because the rest of the defense proved plenty vulnerable. Derek Carr threw three touchdowns in the first half including a 36-yarder to Michael Crabtree when three Jets players converged on the wideout but none managed to tackle him.

The Raiders scored again on the opening drive of the second half with Taiwan Jones taking a short pass for a 59-yard touchdown. The Jets did their best to not impede Jones’ path to the end zone with four Jets players failing to tackle him. In all, Carr complated 23 of 36 attempts for 333 yards and four touchdowns and Latavius Murray ran for 113 yards on 20 carries.

“We had issues with everything. We didn’t do anything well,” said Bowles. “It’s a blow but we’ve got to bounce back.”

Smith looked better in the second half, tossing a pair of touchdowns to Eric Decker and Kellen Davis. The second touchdown to narrow the Raiders’ lead to 34-20 was set up by a 29-yard scamper by Smith down the sideline before getting blasted out of bounds by Raiders cornerback David Amerson. Smith got up smiling. But the hole that the Jets had dug for themselves was too big.

With the Jets chasing the game late in the fourth quarter, Smith was briefly knocked out of the game after taking a big hit in the fourth quarter. He returned after two plays, but Bowles said Smith is also nursing injuries to his shoulder and abdomen.

With the victory, the Raiders accomplished what the Jets had hoped to do on Sunday: eclipse last season’s win total. Oakland’s fourth victory of the season topped last year’s season win total of just three games.

The Jets face another conference opponent hoping to improve on last year’s hapless performance next weekend when the Jacksonville Jaguars travel to MetLife Stadium.

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METRO NEW YORK

3 things we learned in the Jets' loss to the Raiders (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York November 1, 2015

http://www.metro.us/new-york/3-things-we-learned-in-the-jets-loss-to-the-raiders/zsJokb---WSo1M96xaAhM/

And like that, the New York Jets' promising season unraveled a little bit, with a 34-20 loss at the Oakland Raiders dropping them to 4-3 on the season. It was the second straight loss for the Jets after a tough result last weekend at the New England Patriots.

It was a game as ugly as the scoreline for the Jets. A thumb injury to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick saw him yanked from the game in the first quarter as Geno Smith, the incumbent starter, stepped onto the field for the first time all season. Smith was understandably rusty at first as he threw into double-coverage and was picked off in the second quarter.

On their first four possessions, the Jets opened the game with a field goal then punted twice before Smith threw the interception.

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To his credit, Smith settled down in the second half. He orchestrated a third quarter touchdown drive where he completed all six of his pass attempts for 68 yards, capped off by a four-yard touchdown pass to Eric Decker.

On the other side of the field, Raiders second-year quarterback Derek Carr finished 23-for-36 for 333 yards and four touchdowns.

Three Things We Learned from Week 8:

Crabtree’s Not Too Shabby – A touchdown catch in the second quarter where he steam-rolled would be tacklers Demario Davis and Antonio Cromartie helped pace Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree to a big day. With all the talk about Amari Cooper, it was the veteran Crabtree who put in a star-worthy performance against the vaunted Jets secondary. Crabtree finished with seven receptions for 102 yards, his second highest receiving total of the season. Cooper, who was shadowed by Darrelle Revis most of the game, had five catches for 46 yards. It was the lowest receiving yardage of his young NFL career.

Cromartie’s Terrible Game – Carr linked up twice in the first half to beat Cromartie in coverage for touchdowns, part of a big first half where the Raiders raced out to a 21-6 lead. Cromartie is showing diminishing returns in his second stint with the team as his physical skill-set seems to be on the decline. He was never a strong player technically and shied away from physical, press coverage. Now that his wheels are slowing down, he’s getting exposed far more.

Getting Run Over – The Jets came into this Week 8 game with the league’s top run defense, allowing 71.5 yards per game. But against the Raiders, they looked confused and were physically pushed off the line of scrimmage by a tough Oakland offensive line. Latavius Murray burst out, topping 100 yards by the third quarter to finish with 20 carries for 113 yards.

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SUNDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

FOOTBALL

ATLANTA FALCONS — Released DB Sean Baker from the practice squad.

HOCKEY

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING — Recalled G Andrei Vasilevskiy and F Tye McGinn from Syracuse (AHL).

SOCCER

SAN ANTONIO SCORPIONS — Announced coach Alen Marcina will not return for the 2016 season.

COLLEGE

ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE — Suspended the officiating crew that worked the Miami-Duke football game for two league games for “a series of errors” on the final play.

MISSOURI — Suspended junior QB Maty Mauk for the rest of the season for disciplinary reasons.

VIRGINIA TECH — Announced the retirement of football coach Frank Beamer after the season.

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