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Tuesday, November 16, 2004
BY DAVE HUTCHINSON
Star-Ledger Staff
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- On the Jets' ill-fated third-and-goal from the Ravens' 3-yard line with eight seconds left in regulation Sunday, things began to unravel early.
And the result -- a wasted timeout, no last shot at the end zone before the game-tying field goal and 20-17 overtime loss at Giants Stadium -- can't be laid completely at the feet of new starting quarterback Quincy Carter, according to two of his teammates.
The situation began to grow dire when, with roughly 20 seconds remaining on the 40-second play clock, the play still hadn't arrived. A videotape of the game shows right guard Pete Kendall -- who was furious but tight-lipped after the game -- glaring at the sidelines.
With approximately 14 seconds remaining on the play clock, coach Herman Edwards started pointing at it.
With seven seconds remaining on the play clock, the Jets broke the huddle. Finally, with one second left, a frantic Edwards burned his final timeout and decided to kick the tying field goal instead of taking a shot at the end zone. Edwards said he didn't want to take a delay-of-game penalty and lose five yards because that would have restricted the type of plays offensive coordinator Paul Hackett could have called for the last attempt at a TD.
One player, speaking on the condition of anonymity, was asked if it would be accurate to say the play came in late to Carter.
"Yeah, that would be accurate," the player said.
Said a second player, "It's not Quincy. I'm telling you, it's not Quincy."
That would leave offensive coordinator Paul Hackett to blame. There appears to have been some type of breakdown from Hackett, who relays the play to wide receivers coach Jim Hostler, who then gets the play to Carter. Edwards also had to sign off on the play.
As is his wont, Edwards shouldered the blame for his team and coaches yesterday.
"My job as the head coach obviously is to make sure the players are in positions where they can make plays and they can be successful," Edwards said yesterday. "I didn't do a good enough job of that in this game. I feel I really let the team down.
"It was a tough one to lose. But we'll get over it. We have to focus on Cleveland."
Following the game, Edwards suggested that Carter was at fault on the third-down play. He said the quarterback got the play -- a second consecutive bootleg call -- with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock. It was plenty of time to call the play in the huddle, get the team to the line of scrimmage and snap the ball.
Yesterday, however, Edwards changed his story.
"We have to get the play into Quincy faster," he said. "Obviously, he didn't have enough time on the clock. There was one second left on the play clock. We didn't allow him enough time to get it all deciphered, what we wanted him to do."
Hackett declined requests for interviews yesterday.
Carter, who made his first start in place of Chad Pennington (rotator cuff), again dodged questions about what actually happened. While not pointing a finger at anyone, he suggested where one might look for the culprit.
"One of the main things I do as a quarterback, what I've done since I've been in this league, is as soon as I break the huddle I look at the play clock," Carter said.
"At that moment, with us having motion on that particular play, the first thing I wanted to do was look at Herm and see if he wanted to use a timeout because I knew it was going to be a little tight for us to get the play off, and we elected to use a timeout."
The clock management fiasco actually began with 55 seconds to play. At that point, Carter ran for nine yards and a first down at the Ravens' 4-yard line on a quarterback draw.
But inexplicably, the Jets didn't run another play until 18 seconds were remaining, and they ran just two more after that, including the game-tying field goal. That's three offensive plays in 55 seconds.
"It's not the 55 seconds," Edwards said. "You got 18 seconds with two timeouts. You can get three plays off on the 3-yard line."
Through it all, Carter -- who will start Sunday against the Browns in Cleveland -- never displayed a sense of urgency and probably shares some responsibility. He never hurried his team to the line of scrimmage or shouted animated instructions.
"That's just his personality," the second player said. "In the huddle, he's cool and calm. You can't read anything into that."
Against the Ravens, Carter completed 13 of 22 passes for 175 yards, no touchdown and no interceptions. He was sacked five times. Carter also led the Jets to a 14-0 second-quarter lead before the bottom fell out.
"This is the most devastating loss we have had this season," running back Curtis Martin said. "There is a question mark, so that is what really makes this one difficult."
Notes:
Pennington was ruled out against the Browns and likely won't play for another three weeks, if then. He hasn't started throwing and hasn't had a second MRI. ... DE Shaun Ellis (groin), S Jon McGraw (abdominal) and TE Chris Baker (hand) are probable. Safety Rashad Washington (foot) is questionable. ... Edwards praised DE Bryan Thomas (six tackles, 1.5 sacks), who subbed for the injured Ellis.
http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1100584212125640.xml
BY DAVE HUTCHINSON
Star-Ledger Staff
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- On the Jets' ill-fated third-and-goal from the Ravens' 3-yard line with eight seconds left in regulation Sunday, things began to unravel early.
And the result -- a wasted timeout, no last shot at the end zone before the game-tying field goal and 20-17 overtime loss at Giants Stadium -- can't be laid completely at the feet of new starting quarterback Quincy Carter, according to two of his teammates.
The situation began to grow dire when, with roughly 20 seconds remaining on the 40-second play clock, the play still hadn't arrived. A videotape of the game shows right guard Pete Kendall -- who was furious but tight-lipped after the game -- glaring at the sidelines.
With approximately 14 seconds remaining on the play clock, coach Herman Edwards started pointing at it.
With seven seconds remaining on the play clock, the Jets broke the huddle. Finally, with one second left, a frantic Edwards burned his final timeout and decided to kick the tying field goal instead of taking a shot at the end zone. Edwards said he didn't want to take a delay-of-game penalty and lose five yards because that would have restricted the type of plays offensive coordinator Paul Hackett could have called for the last attempt at a TD.
One player, speaking on the condition of anonymity, was asked if it would be accurate to say the play came in late to Carter.
"Yeah, that would be accurate," the player said.
Said a second player, "It's not Quincy. I'm telling you, it's not Quincy."
That would leave offensive coordinator Paul Hackett to blame. There appears to have been some type of breakdown from Hackett, who relays the play to wide receivers coach Jim Hostler, who then gets the play to Carter. Edwards also had to sign off on the play.
As is his wont, Edwards shouldered the blame for his team and coaches yesterday.
"My job as the head coach obviously is to make sure the players are in positions where they can make plays and they can be successful," Edwards said yesterday. "I didn't do a good enough job of that in this game. I feel I really let the team down.
"It was a tough one to lose. But we'll get over it. We have to focus on Cleveland."
Following the game, Edwards suggested that Carter was at fault on the third-down play. He said the quarterback got the play -- a second consecutive bootleg call -- with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock. It was plenty of time to call the play in the huddle, get the team to the line of scrimmage and snap the ball.
Yesterday, however, Edwards changed his story.
"We have to get the play into Quincy faster," he said. "Obviously, he didn't have enough time on the clock. There was one second left on the play clock. We didn't allow him enough time to get it all deciphered, what we wanted him to do."
Hackett declined requests for interviews yesterday.
Carter, who made his first start in place of Chad Pennington (rotator cuff), again dodged questions about what actually happened. While not pointing a finger at anyone, he suggested where one might look for the culprit.
"One of the main things I do as a quarterback, what I've done since I've been in this league, is as soon as I break the huddle I look at the play clock," Carter said.
"At that moment, with us having motion on that particular play, the first thing I wanted to do was look at Herm and see if he wanted to use a timeout because I knew it was going to be a little tight for us to get the play off, and we elected to use a timeout."
The clock management fiasco actually began with 55 seconds to play. At that point, Carter ran for nine yards and a first down at the Ravens' 4-yard line on a quarterback draw.
But inexplicably, the Jets didn't run another play until 18 seconds were remaining, and they ran just two more after that, including the game-tying field goal. That's three offensive plays in 55 seconds.
"It's not the 55 seconds," Edwards said. "You got 18 seconds with two timeouts. You can get three plays off on the 3-yard line."
Through it all, Carter -- who will start Sunday against the Browns in Cleveland -- never displayed a sense of urgency and probably shares some responsibility. He never hurried his team to the line of scrimmage or shouted animated instructions.
"That's just his personality," the second player said. "In the huddle, he's cool and calm. You can't read anything into that."
Against the Ravens, Carter completed 13 of 22 passes for 175 yards, no touchdown and no interceptions. He was sacked five times. Carter also led the Jets to a 14-0 second-quarter lead before the bottom fell out.
"This is the most devastating loss we have had this season," running back Curtis Martin said. "There is a question mark, so that is what really makes this one difficult."
Notes:
Pennington was ruled out against the Browns and likely won't play for another three weeks, if then. He hasn't started throwing and hasn't had a second MRI. ... DE Shaun Ellis (groin), S Jon McGraw (abdominal) and TE Chris Baker (hand) are probable. Safety Rashad Washington (foot) is questionable. ... Edwards praised DE Bryan Thomas (six tackles, 1.5 sacks), who subbed for the injured Ellis.
http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1100584212125640.xml