TAMPA, Fla. — The Jets seemed to be on the brink but managed to tear through the season in an unexpected way.
After nearly 50 minutes of uninspired play, they sprang to life, scoring three touchdowns in the final 11 minutes against the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. This surge briefly gave them a one-point lead just after the two-minute warning.
But then, in a twist of fate, former Jet Chase McLaughlin kicked a 36-yard field goal for a walk-off win, delivering a crushing 29-27 defeat to his old team. Earlier, McLaughlin had seen a kick blocked by Wil MacDonald IV, adding to the drama of the game.
Stepping in for Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor threw a pivotal touchdown in the fourth quarter that had the Jets rallying from 23-6 to 26-20. It felt, at first, almost irrelevant. Garrett Wilson scored on an 11-yard pass at 10:16, giving them a glimmer of hope.
Then came a controversial moment: Allen Lazard caught a 4-yard touchdown pass, but many thought it looked iffy. The replay suggested the ball might have slipped as Lazard caught it, hitting the ground. Yet, after further review, the officials upheld the touchdown.
Despite their comeback, the Jets hoped for one more chance to seize control of the game. However, Baker Mayfield’s 33-yard run put the Buccaneers in field goal range, shifting the momentum back in their favor.
Things got a bit messy when the Buccaneers faced a delay of game penalty on fourth down, which may have mattered when McLaughlin nailed his kick. Ultimately, Mayfield marched the Buccaneers downfield for the winning score.
The Jets were still reeling from a pick-six thrown by Taylor just before halftime, which had placed their defense in a tough position at 20-6. There were also missed opportunities—a drop by Tyler Johnson and penalties by Michael Clemons and Sauce Gardner—coupled with a lack of pressure on a Buccaneers offensive line that was missing three starters.
Now, the Jets find themselves at 0-3 for the first time since 2021. Historically, only about 2% of teams that start 0-3 have turned their seasons around to make the playoffs since 1990.
