Originally Posted by JustinHarrell
Sloppy Brett Favre throws 2 picks, rolls ankle; Jets fall to Chargers 48-29
BY RICH CIMINI
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
SAN DIEGO - An ugly, almost embarrassing game for the Jets, who imploded Monday night in a 48-29 loss to the Chargers, ended with this sobering snapshot in their cramped locker room:
Brett Favre sitting in front of his locker stall, his left ankle wrapped in an Ace bandage. It was difficult to tell which hurt him more, the ankle or his two costly interceptions.
"I think they're okay," Favre said of the X-ray results, "aside from the old ankle."
YOUR BRUSH WITH BROADWAY JOE?
Favre said he "rolled" his ankle in the third quarter, although he stayed in the game until his mercy pulling with two minutes left in the disaster at Qualcomm Stadium. He has played with worse injuries during his amazing streak of 256 consecutive starts - assuming this is just a routine sprain - so it's hard to imagine him sitting out next week against the Cardinals.
It was that kind of night for the Jets (1-2), who committed three first-half turnovers and gave a gift touchdown with an onsides kick that backfired - four blunders that resulted in 28 points for the Chargers (1-2). The 48 points were the most allowed by the Jets since the 1995 opener, Rich Kotite's debut.
"We can't play this way," Eric Mangini said, seething. "Too many self-inflicted wounds."
The nation received its first prime-time viewing of Favre in a Jets uniform. Unfortunately for the Jets, they, too, acted like it was their first time in the presence of the future Hall of Famer.
After a week of heavy criticism for conservative play-calling, Mangini loosened the reins on Favre and the result was a mistake-filled meltdown before a raucous crowd and millions of TV watchers who probably were left with the same impression: Maybe he should've stayed retired.
Facing the NFL's 31st-ranked pass defense, Favre was out of sync with his receivers and threw both interceptions in the first half, Antonio Cromartie returning the first 52 yards for a touchdown. Favre (30-for-42, 271 yards) made two other ill-advised passes that almost were intercepted, underscoring his lack of familiarity with the playbook - although he insisted that wasn't the case.
"I feel much better with the offense," said Favre, who threw touchdown passes to Laveranues Coles (7 yards), Chansi Stuckey (4) and Dustin Keller (13) - the latter two in garbage time. "There are no excuses from my end tonight to say, 'I'm still learning the offense.' I, as well as the rest of the offense, made some mistakes. ... Bad plays."
The Jets made it easy for the Chargers, giving their high-powered opponent great field position because of three turnovers. A first-quarter fumble by Thomas Jones, coupled with Favre's two interceptions in the second quarter, resulted in 16- and 45-yard touchdown drives by the Chargers.