Empty handed
Adams still looking for first interception
Jamal Adams has had some good moments as a rookie this season, but he has yet to record an interception for the Jets.
Adams came close again Sunday on a Philip Rivers pass that floated, but then dropped quickly. Adams got his hands on it just before it hit the ground, but it would have been a difficult catch.
“I’m leaving a lot of plays out there. I can tell you that,” Adams said. “That’s the frustrating thing for me. To be honest, I’ve let probably six or seven picks out there. I just didn’t capitalize on that one. It was a low ball. I can’t really do anything on it. If it comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I could care less about it. I just want to win.”
Adams had some tough matchups with Chargers tight ends in the Jets’ 14-7 loss at MetLife Stadium. Antonio Gates had six catches for 81 yards and one touchdown. On the touchdown, he scored despite Adams having good coverage on the play.
“He bodied me. He made a play. He’s a Hall of Famer, man,” Adams said. “It happens. I’ve learned from a while ago, back when we played the Patriots here, you know Gronk [Rob Gronkowski], he scored on me. Those things happen.
“Antonio Gates is an outstanding player. I grew up watching him. He’s definitely deadly in the red zone. Respect goes out to him. Philip made a hell of a throw. I was there. I just didn’t get the ball out. Sometimes things you just can’t control. I could have been in better position. That’s nitpicking. Touchdown was on me. You can blame that on me. You can write about it and I’ll be sure to read it.”
DE Leonard Williams left the game at halftime with a back injury and did not come back. Coach Todd
Bowles said Williams would undergo tests on his back. Williams said the back felt OK, and he was optimistic about playing next week.
“It’s a little early to tell, but I should be ready,” Williams said. “It’s nothing too serious. Just a little tight. They didn’t want to put me back in and risk anything.”
The Jets opened the game up with an onside kick that worked. Marcus Maye recovered Chandler Catanzaro’s kick.
“Some things on film,” Bowles said when asked why they did it. “We had numbers. We thought it would be a good idea.” RT Brandon Shell suffered a concussion on the final play of the first half, when he tackled Chargers receiver Keenan Allen after Allen intercepted a Bryce Petty desperation heave. With Shell out, the Jets had three backup offensive linemen in the game. Both RG Brian Winters (abdomen) and C Wesley Johnson (hip) did not play. Jonotthan Harrison started at center and Dakota Dozier started at right guard.