It was the perfect play call against the perfect defense at the perfect time. And it might have cost the Jets more than merely a game on Sunday. It might have cost them a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season.
The Jets’ 20-17 loss to the Lions, their third in a row dropping them to 7-7, was damaging. But the way they lost the game was soul-crushing.
They let a second-year tight end, who entered the game with 13 receptions for 141 yards this season, smoke them on a 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown with 1:49 remaining before 75,076 stunned green-clad customers at MetLife Stadium.
Yet, there was Brock Wright, on a fourth-and-1 from the Detroit 49-yard line and the game on the line, squirting free from the right side of the line — but not until after he totally sold to the Jets’ defense that he was staying in to block for a running play.
No one covered Wright, who floated to the left side of the field while the rest of the defense was floundering to the right, caught the short pass from Jared Goff and rambled 51 yards down a largely wide-open left side of the field for his second TD of the season.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh called the issue on that play a problem with “eye discipline in man coverage.’’ When asked who was supposed to follow Wright, Saleh said, “I’m not going to get into the details on that one.’’
Replays showed that it was most likely one of two players — safety Jordan Whitehead or linebacker Quincy Williams. Both players shot past Wright toward Detroit running back Justin Jackson.
Wright, meanwhile, was left uncovered.
“It’s fourth-and-1, we’re going to play aggressive because we have to stop the run,’’ cornerback D.J. Reed said. “If we stop the run, we win the game.’’
But the Lions, of course, didn’t run it.
“They ran what you call a ‘leak’ play, we were in a Cover One, the tight end got out and just made a play,’’ linebacker C.J. Mosley said.
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Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said the defense was “whole-heartedly playing for a [quarterback] sneak,’’ adding, “That’s what they’ve shown on tape when they go for it in situations like that.’’
Jets players said they saw nothing in film study during the week that resembled that play. Yet after the game, Goff said the Lions scored against the Bears on that exact same play — on Nov. 13 against the Bears.
Reed said his film study showed that the Lions like to go to receiver Josh Reynolds in those situations.
“He’s their guy on fourth-and-1,’’ Reed said. “So, I was anticipating a receiver doing that. I wasn’t anticipating a tight end doing that. I don’t think anybody was.’’
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said it was all about Wright selling the block.
“We figured he’d be pretty open and it worked out that way,’’ Campbell said.
The play was perfectly executed, because the Lions receivers ran deep routes down the right side, clearing out the left side for Wright by drawing the Jets’ defenders with them.
“Give credit where it’s due,’’ Reed said. “That was a good play, but as a defense we put that on us. We’re a top defense in the NFL. We put that on our chest. We’ll take that to the chin, watch the tape and learn from it.’’
Mosley, the leader of the defense and a captain, was livid on the sideline after the play.
“I felt like we played really good the whole game and it sucks really bad that one play changed the whole game,’’ Mosley said. “[Wright] wasn’t a particular guy that we were looking for. They just drew up the right play at the right time. Kudos for them for that one. It’s a very, very tough pill to swallow.’’
Jets edge rusher Carl Lawson, who wasn’t on the field for the fateful play, said his thoughts when he saw Wright break free uncovered “was the reaction of anyone who was rooting for us — ‘damn it.’ It was really upsetting.’’
