Jets Q & A: Personal fouls, quarterbacks and more

Q: What happened between the two teams at the end of the game?

A: Things started to get heated and a little chippy with the Jets’ frustration over losing again showing itself.

Broncos coach Vic Fangio directed his team to go right to the locker room following Denver’s 37-28 win over the Jets at MetLife Stadium Thursday night.

The Broncos were upset that Brett Rypien, making his first NFL start, took a couple of hard hits throughout the game, and particularly late.

The Jets had been called for a sixth personal foul in the waning seconds for roughing the passer. Fangio tried to avoid the situation turning really ugly. He shouted for them to leave the field instead of shaking hands.

"There were just a couple of personal fouls there at the end," Fangio said, adding that his players were getting really upset about it. "I just wanted to avoid any confrontation at the end of the game and having it get ugly. I tried to get our guys to leave quickly just to avoid anything happening. I thought it was the prudent thing to do."

Fangio and Adam Gase didn’t shake hands after the game because of this. The two worked together with the Bears six years ago. Gase understood the situation.

"I saw those guys start going off and I heard Vic yelling at his guys, saying get in the locker room," Gase said. "I saw what was going on.

"I think he was trying to make sure we didn’t have any kind of melee. It was getting heated."

Q: What happened with Mekhi Becton’s shoulder?

A: Becton didn’t start because of a shoulder injury he sustained last week, and was only an in-case-of-emergency replacement.

Becton’s replacement at left tackle, Chuma Edoga, injured his shoulder four plays into the game and had to leave. In came Becton, but he was compromised and in visible pain. He played 17 snaps before leaving for good. He was replaced by Conor McDermott.

The Jets don’t play for another 10 days so they hope it’s enough time for Becton to get healthy.

"He went as long as he could," Gase said. "He couldn’t go anymore. Just the shoulder, He didn’t have enough strength."

Q: Did Gase consider going for it on fourth-and-1 from the 19 late in the fourth?

A: He did. Gase said he was going to call a quarterback sneak – which he almost never does – and let Darnold get the first down.

Remember, two games ago, a big deal was made about Darnold not being able to run a QB sneak on fourth-and-1 because Gase wouldn’t let him audible on that particular play.

In this case, Gase decided against the QB sneak because Darnold had injured his shoulder early in the game and he didn’t want him to get hurt. Gase settled for the field goal that gave the Jets a 28-27 lead.

"I’m hoping for a stop," Gase said.

The defense didn’t come through. They gave up a field goal and the Jets never led again.

Q: What would have happened if Darnold didn’t return because of his shoulder injury?

A: Gase was a little nervous. Darnold was slammed into the turf on his right shoulder in the first quarter and it didn’t look good.

For the first time this season, veteran Joe Flacco was QB2. Flacco had been rehabbing from offseason neck surgery and was just cleared for contact last week.

The former Super Bowl MVP sounded pessimistic earlier this week about being active. But clearly something changed. He came in the game and played parts of two series before Darnold returned.

"I was trying to blueprint out how the rest of the game was going to go," Gase said. "With Joe, I was trying to make sure to call it right. Now if something happens to him, we’re going to emergency quarterback."

Darnold and Flacco were the only two active QBs. It’s possible the Jets would have gone to receiver Jeff Smith, who played QB at Boston College. Smith made his season debut Thursday after spending the first three games on IR with a shoulder injury.

Q: What did the Jets do during the National Anthem this week?

A: They stood on the sideline and linked arms, except for Becton and Cager. They kneeled.