Jets, Sam Darnold endure more heartbreak against Raiders

The New York Jets could have won Sunday for the first time since Dec. 29, 2019. They would have won had the Raiders not improbably scored from 46 yards out with five seconds remaining in the eventual 31-28 loss.

Embattled Jets quarterback Sam Darnold went one step further.

“We should have won,” he proclaimed moments after seeing his team fall to 0-12. “It is what it is.”

More coulda, woulda, shoulda.

On the bright side, with the loss the Jets remain in the poll position for the No. 1 pick in a 2021 NFL draft that could feature several supremely talented quarterbacks — most notably Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence.

Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick in 2018, fell to 11-23 as the Jets’ starter despite his best individual effort of the season: 14 of 23 for 186 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and a 4-yard rushing score.

But instead of celebrating his first victory in nearly a year, Darnold was left with no choice but to lament his team’s latest embarrassing loss with another generic cliche: “We’ll let this one sting today and tonight, look at the tape, learn from it tomorrow, the move on to our next game.”

Just like the Jets did last week. And every other week during the 2020 season.

Darnold, 23, once was viewed as the so-called savior for the dysfunctional Jets. But injuries, illness and woefully inconsistent play have dimmed his outlook. He started Sunday for the eighth time this season and was effective in the first half, capping scoring drives with TD passes to slot receiver Jamison Crowder and throwing accurately to other receivers.

But he turned over the ball on three consecutive possessions, sandwiching strip-sack fumbles around an ill advised throw to Raiders cornerback Trayvon Mullen.

“He did some good stuff,” Jets coach Adam Gase said. “I’m sure when we go back and watch it, we can clean a few things up, put ourselves in better position. … It’s unfortunate we had the two sack fumbles. The pick we can definitely clean up, but there was a lot of good stuff.”

Like the way Darnold played in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 24-13, he helped engineer a nine-play, 96-yard scoring drive that featured a 17-yard scramble, the short TD run and a successful two-point conversion. He completed an 18-yard pass on the Jets’ ensuing possession to set up the go-ahead score, a 1-yard run by running back Ty Johnson with 5:34 yard to play.

The Raiders followed by turning the ball over on downs on New York’s 9-yard line, and the Jets went three-and-out, forcing the Raiders to use their final timeout.

But with 13 seconds to play, New York became the first team this season to send eight pass rushers after the quarterback in the final 30 seconds of a game, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr calmly stepped up in the pocket and delivered a picturesque pass to wideout Henry Ruggs for the game-winning, 46-yard score.

“That situation just has to be a better call,” Jets safety Marcus Maye said.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

“We’ve had a few games this year where we haven’t had a chance,” Darnold said. “To be able to have game like that, that you should have won at the end, those definitely hurt. More than any.”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.