The New York Jets had the Green Bay Packers on the ropes in Week 2, only to watch a game they had multiple chances to steal slip away in overtime, 20-17.
That alone would have been painful enough. But the loss also dropped the Jets into a slice of NFL history nobody had ever fallen into since at least 1941.
As ESPN’s Rich Cimini shared on Twitter/x, the Jets became the first team on record to lose despite holding the edge in yards, penalties and turnovers. Cimini noted that New York held Green Bay under 200 yards, 199 to be exact, while the Packers were hit with 133 penalty yards and the Jets finished with a positive turnover margin of +1.
Before this game, teams in that exact spot were 44-0. Now they are 44-1.
"They became the first team on record (since 1941) to lose a game with ... Holding opponent to less than 200 yards (199); Opponent having 100+ penalty yards (133); Positive turnover margin (+1). Entering today, teams were 44-0 in that spot," Cimini shared.
The numbers make the loss sting even more for a Jets team that looked like it was in position to open 2-0. Instead, New York is 1-1 heading into Week 3 against the Detroit Lions, tied with the New England Patriots in the AFC East.
The frustration doesn’t stop there. The Jets also saw their interception drought continue for another game, adding another layer of annoyance to a defeat that already felt like one they let get away.
They beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 and played well for much of Sunday’s game against the Packers, but the result is what matters, and it leaves New York with a loss that stands out for all the wrong reasons. Among the setbacks that will pile up over a season, this one already looks like a tough candidate for the most embarrassing.
In Other News...
Packers Fans Got Caught In Foxs Most Infuriating Broadcast Mess
Fox Sports turned a busy Week 2 Sunday into a strange viewing experience for fans following the Packers and the rest of the early slate, as audio feeds did not match the games on screen for multiple contests. For Green Bay viewers in particular, the problems were compounded when the network briefly lost its scorebug during overtime of the Packers-Jets game, adding another layer of confusion to a broadcast day that was already off the rails.
The network did get the audio issues corrected before the primetime Cowboys-Commanders matchup, but the afternoon left plenty of viewers wondering how so many technical glitches lined up on the same broadcast window. Even by NFL TV standards, it was the kind of mess that overshadowed the football for a while, and Packers fans had every reason to feel caught in the middle of it. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Nearly Faced A Wild In-Game Fix During Jets Win
In a game that was already tight all afternoon, the Packers got pushed to the edge up front when injuries thinned out their offensive line against the Jets. The situation got so thin that the staff had to consider a wildly unconventional fix, with Tucker Kraft even in the conversation as a possible emergency option at tackle while the group tried to hold together.
Jacob Monk ultimately got the green light to play, which kept Kraft where Green Bay needed him most, and the Packers were able to lean on rookies Jager Burton and Anthony Belton to help steady the line. It was the kind of survival-day football that can decide a September win, and Green Bay barely got through it with a 20-17 victory. [Read more 🡒]
Two Packers Drew NFL Discipline After The Vikings Game
The Packers latest trip through the rivalry with Minnesota carried the usual physical edge, and the league office noticed. Green Bay came away with a pair of fines tied to actions from that game, with linebacker Lukas Van Ness and safety Evan Williams both cited for plays the NFL judged to be over the line.
Van Ness was fined for a hit to the head or neck area of a quarterback, while Williams was penalized for unnecessary roughness on a defenseless player. The dollars from those fines will be funneled to the Professional Athletes Foundation and the NFL Foundation, which use the money to support athlete health and wellness programs. [Read more 🡒]