Jets' defense unable to overcome slow start in Seattle

SEATTLE — The Jets’ defense started off the new year in frustrating fashion on Sunday as the Seahawks needed only one play to put the visitors in a hole.

Rookie running back Ken Walker III ran 60 yards on the first play of the game, and things only got worse from there in a 23-6 loss to Seattle that eliminated the Jets from playoff contention.

Two plays after Walker’s long run, former Jets second-round draft pick Geno Smith connected with tight end Colby Parkinson for a 12-yard touchdown pass.

On Seattle’s third drive, the Jets’ defense watched as Smith hit running back DeeJay Dallas with a shovel pass for a 41-yard gain. Smith then threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Mabry that put Seattle ahead 17-3.

The Seahawks totaled 346 yards, 148 through the air and 198 on the ground.

For a defense that entered Sunday’s contest ranked third in the NFL in yards per game allowed, it was a disappointing afternoon.

“It wasn’t necessarily shocking. It was disappointing because there are things we do in our sleep. Just basic fundamental football,” coach Robert Saleh said. “They moved us and we just couldn’t create any negative yardage in the run game. But I don’t know if the run game killed us today as much as those three busts that we had in the first quarter.”

Things got a little bit better in the second half as the Seahawks managed only a pair of field goals, but it made little difference as the Jets lost their fifth straight game.

“We’ve just got to execute better,” rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner said. “We just try so hard, man, we don’t like giving up [any] plays. Coach [Jeff Ulbrich] said the fatal flaw on the defense is thinking you’ve got to be perfect. You’ve got to be able to think next play and just move on.”

Gardner was responsible for perhaps the lone bright spot for the Jets’ defense, holding standout wide receiver DK Metcalf to one reception for 3 yards.

It was little comfort to Gardner as he watched the team’s hopes of a postseason berth go up in smoke.

“If we’d still have gotten a win, that’d be another bonus and another thing to talk about,” he said. “But we’re a team. We can’t just single someone out and say ‘this is the bright side.’  ”

In the end, it was a feeling of tremendous disappointment in a Jets locker room that had such high expectations after a 5-2 start to the season.

“It hurts really bad,” edge rusher Carl Lawson said. “Emotions are hot right now, so I can’t really give the best answer, but you’ve got to go back to the table and just continue to evaluate.”