Eagles embarrass error-prone Jets, 45-19

PHILADELPHIA -- The first six words that rolled off Rex Ryan's tongue perfectly summarized the Jets' plight against the Eagles Sunday.

"Obviously," Ryan said in the aftermath of their 45-19 defeat at Lincoln Financial Field, "a horrendous performance by us."

Especially considering what was at stake.

Entering the game, the Jets basically were in charge of their own playoff fate, not needing any true help from other teams in the AFC postseason picture provided they won their last three games.

They won't be doing that, but thanks to Detroit's last-second victory over Oakland on Sunday, the Jets (8-6) still hold the final wild-card spot and essentially continue to control their own destiny in some respects despite being tied with the Bengals.

Barring a lot of complicated things happening in certain tiebreaking scenarios, if the Jets win their last two games, they likely will reach the playoffs for a third consecutive season under Ryan. The Jets hold the tiebreaker advantage over Cincinnati with a better record against common opponents

Which still doesn't explain what happened Sunday.

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"It's very tough," cornerback Darrelle Revis said. "We knew what situation we were in coming into this game of trying to win this one, and win the next two. But now we are in another situation where we have to dig ourselves out of a hole. So we have to win these next two games to solidify where we are going to be in the playoffs."

They won't be making any postseason plans if they play the way they did against the Eagles, though. LeSean McCoy ran for 102 yards and three touchdowns, igniting an Eagles offense that netted 21 points off three turnovers -- two by Santonio Holmes -- and took a 28-0 lead with 9:57 left in the first half.

The Jets didn't score until Nick Folk's 39-yard field goal with 6:27 left before halftime. They posted minus-5 passing yards and two turnovers in the first quarter, getting outgained 129-38 in the initial 15 minutes.

The Jets' first five drives ended with a fumble, a punt, an interception, a punt and a fumble.

"We just put ourselves in a bad spot offensively and defensively," said Mark Sanchez, who completed 15 of 26 passes for only 150 yards. Sanchez also took a big hit in the third quarter but didn't miss any snaps.

"It's hard when you get the ball down in the red zone and then give it right back to them and make your defense go out there after two plays. You can't do that,'' he added. "We already said we are better than that. It's just embarrassing. It's not good, it's terrible football. We just didn't play our best, speaking from an offensive perspective, and when you do that, it makes it tough on the defense."

Still, the defense didn't exactly put the clamps on the Eagles (6-8).

Michael Vick threw for 274 yards and a touchdown and also scrambled for a score in only his second game back after missing three with broken ribs.

Vick's 11-yard run with 12:18 left in the second quarter gave the Eagles a 21-0 cushion, and McCoy's 9-yard run three plays after Sanchez's fumble at the Jets' 18 pretty much put this one away, even though the Jets cut the deficit to 28-13 before halftime behind Sanchez's 25-yard touchdown strike to Holmes and Folk's 28-yard field goal.

"I don't know what happened," linebacker David Harris said. "It happened so fast; before you looked up, it was 28-0. Any time you get down in a hole that deep, it's tough to come back. They just beat us."

Now the Jets have to make sure they're not saying the same thing again Saturday when they host the Giants in a game that has significant playoff implications for both teams.

"It's going to be ridiculous," Ryan said. "That's a war. Whoever loses is probably out. I mean, we're both fighting for our playoff lives.

"But to say there won't be extra incentive is not right. There's going to be extra motive, extra incentive. You go to the same restaurants. But we know what it's all about. You want to own your town, you've got to win that game."