The New York Jets made one comeback but couldn’t pull out the second against the Kansas City Chiefs
The New York Jets pulled themselves out of the woods…but an enchanted evening at MetLife Stadium was not to be.
With Taylor Swift and several celebrity friends welcomed to New York to take in Travis Kelce’s latest effort, the Kansas City Chiefs withstood a surprisingly spry effort from the Jets, but they emerged as the lucky ones in a 23-20 decision in Gang Green’s first Sunday Night Football game since the 2011 season.
The defending champion Chiefs (3-1) scored on each of their first three possessions to start things off. New York limited the damage to a Harrison Butker field the first time, around but Isiah Pacheco and Noah Gray earned long scores to create the hosts’ early three-possession deficit. Pacheco went for 48 yards on the fifth play of a 69-yard outing, while Gray took a 34-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes.
Isiah Pacheco runs like rent is due!!
— Full-Time Dame 💰 (@DP_NFL) October 2, 2023
Yes way, Noah Gray 🔥
📺: #KCvsNYJ on NBC⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/cLJQ8MOopx pic.twitter.com/eyHuyuZomZ
— NFL (@NFL) October 2, 2023
But one red mistake got the Jets back in the game: a facemask penalty in the Chiefs’ own end zone that yielded a two-point safety. Things took an exciting turn from there, and Kansas City was hardly ready for it.
Behind a surprisingly bejeweled effort from Zach Wilson, the Jets got themselves back in the game with a Greg Zuerlein field goal and a touchdown pass to C.J. Uzomah. Kansas City earned another Butker field but a one-possession game was created at halftime thanks to the six-pointer and rare cases of Mahomes doing something bad that landed in the arms of Ashtyn Davis and C.J. Mosley.
Ashtyn Davis picks off Patrick Mahomes#Jets
pic.twitter.com/xVgnUEYv5v— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) October 2, 2023
C.J. Mosley's turn to get an INT 👀 @TreyDeuce32RTR
📺: #KCvsNYJ on NBC⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/cLJQ8MOopx pic.twitter.com/R5tN9IU8MT
— NFL (@NFL) October 2, 2023
.@ZachWilson with the touch! @cj_uzomah with the grab!
WE RIGHT BACK IN IT!!!#KCvsNYJ on NBC pic.twitter.com/UPhjmI41Oh
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 2, 2023
Jets fans truly felt like they were destined for the best day when their opening possession went 75 yards in 10 plays en route to eight points. Allen Lazard picked up where fellow former Packer Aaron Rodgers left off with a 10-yard tally before Wilson ran in the accompanying two-pointer to tie the game.
Zach Wilson finds Allen Lazard and the Jets have TIED the game ✈️
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/nINOE4jG7g
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 2, 2023
Alas for New York, feelings they knew all too well surfaced over the next 10-plus minutes: the defense managed to allow only another Butker field goal, but a Wilson fumble on the ensuing possession permanently shifted momentum to the red side. Kansas City was more or less allowed to run the clock out from there on out, partly assisted by a questionable defensive holding penalty against Sauce Gardner.
Zach Wilson’s first real mistake tonight.
Comes at a really bad time. Fumble.
pic.twitter.com/ZkpyeYDFH4— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 2, 2023
𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗘 𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗟𝗦𝗘: This was holding by #Jets CB Sauce Gardner.pic.twitter.com/ITrxg5aiaw
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 2, 2023
The Jets (1-3) will stage the latter half of an AFC West doubleheader next Sunday in the Rockies when they face the white horses known as the Denver Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
