Jets Turn Over Game To Carolina
The New York Jets finished with six turnovers on Sunday that Carolina gratefully converted into twenty points. They finally won the games 30-3.
Will Witherspoon returned an interception 35 yards for a TD and Chris Gamble had an interception and a fumble recovery. But Lucas' interceptions were key:-
Carolina led 10-3 when Bollinger, the fourth string quarterback, moved his team to within range of the Carolina end-zone. He had an open shot at a touch down when Coles blew past Lucas but then had to wait for Bollinger's pass - which hung in the air - so that Lucas could catch up and intercept in the end zone.
"He beat me on that, but I didn't quit on the play," Lucas said. "I took it away from him and they kind of gave up after that because they felt they couldn't score.
Bollinger, who was sacked four times, threw four interceptions and finished 11-of-21 for 98 yards, insisted the Jets didn't give up. "I wasn't going to back down - we were still in the game," he said. "But obviously from there it didn't go my way. I made some bad decisions but mostly just bad throws...they didn't miss any beats. They made the plays when they had the chance."
Then it was Davis' turn to go in from a yard out with his 12th touchdown of the season, giving the Carolina Panthers a 17-3 lead in the fourth quarter.
After that the Jets crumbled.
Justin Miller fumbled away the kickoff and Gamble recovered to set up a field goal by John Kasay that made it 20-3. Bollinger seemed rattled under pressure and threw his third pick - to Gamble - on the next series to set up Kasay's third field goal.
Bollinger could do nothing right from then on and was picked off by Witherspoon, who ran it in for the score.
"It's almost unbelievable, you sit there and say, 'This is not happening,' " said New York running back Curtis Martin. "It seems like it didn't stop."
New York coach Herman Edwards seemed defeated afterward, defensive about Bollinger's play and the effort his injury-plagued team is giving. "That's a young quarterback, he doesn't have a lot of experience, he's doing as good as he can do," Edwards said. "That's all you can ask of any of these guys. If you have a problem with that, it's too bad."
