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The Jets’ Offense Sputters Without Jones - New York Times

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Aug. 17 — There was a hole in the offensive backfield, a haze obscuring Chad Pennington’s vision and an altogether messy look to the Jets’ offense Friday night.

Five days after Thomas Jones, their No. 1 running back, went down with a calf injury, the Jets found out how much they might miss him for the next couple of weeks. They struggled to adapt to his absence at Giants Stadium, losing to the Minnesota Vikings, 37-20.

Minnesota had 21 points by halftime, the most the Jets have allowed in a preseason game since 1992.

“It’s obviously disappointing,” Coach Eric Mangini said. “And I told them after the game, if anybody has the impression that this is O.K. because it’s preseason, they’re wrong. And they’ve got to understand that next week we’re going to work very hard to get these corrected — extremely hard to get these corrected.”

A week ago, with Jones alongside him in the backfield, Pennington did not attempt a pass in a 31-16 victory against the Atlanta Falcons. Without Jones, Pennington passed early and often and errantly. He completed 7 of 10 passes for 40 yards, but two of his misses were interceptions. Each was returned for a Vikings touchdown in the first quarter.

The backup quarterback Kellen Clemens also threw an interception, and the Jets lost a fumble, bringing their turnover total to four.

“They’re very good at what they do, and that means that those decisions have to be that much sharper,” Mangini said, referring to Pennington’s two bad passes.

Leon Washington stepped in for Jones and perhaps cast some doubt on his ability to be an every-down back. He rushed 11 times for 52 yards in the first half, including a key 13-yard run on the Jets’ first scoring drive.

But it did not take long to notice Jones’s absence. The Vikings seemed content to wait for Pennington to make a mistake.

On the fifth play of the game, Pennington threw to his left, toward Chris Baker, but Darren Sharper cut in front of Baker for an interception and ran 40 yards for a touchdown.

Undeterred, Pennington threw six times (completing five) on an 11-play drive that produced a 19-yard field goal by Mike Nugent.

Trouble struck again on the Jets’ third possession. Pennington tried to throw as he was being pulled down from behind by the Vikings’ Ray Edwards. The pass floated into the waiting arms of linebacker Chad Greenway, who ran 16 yards untouched into the end zone.

Pennington directed the Jets to a second field goal, cutting Minnesota’s lead to 14-6, before leaving the game early in the second quarter.

There was modest intrigue for the Jets even before kickoff — a man wearing a No. 24 jersey roaming the 35-yard line on the west side of the field. The rookie cornerback Darrelle Revis, who ended his holdout two nights earlier, was in uniform and hungry to make his debut. He defended on a few warm-up plays but clearly had not finished reading his playbook; on one play, he cut inside just as Justin McCareins, the receiver he was covering, turned toward the sideline for an easy reception. He did not play in the first half.

Minnesota scored its third defensive touchdown in the third quarter when Pete Kendall — reluctantly playing center — snapped the ball over the head of Clemens. The ball bounced toward the end zone, and defensive end Brian Robison scooped it up behind Clemens, then bounded in for the touchdown and a 34-13 lead.

The play only underscored the rift between the Jets and Kendall, who is unhappy with his contract.

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