Jets 37, Raiders 27
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Rookie quarterback Geno Smith bounced back from the first benching of his career by accounting for 269 yards and two touchdowns -- one rushing and one passing -- as the New York Jets snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Oakland Raiders 37-27 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Smith, who was benched at halftime of the Jets' 23-3 loss to Miami last Sunday, went 16 of 25 for 219 yards and a touchdown and rushed five times for 50 yards and another score as the Jets (6-7) kept their long-shot playoff hopes alive. The touchdown pass was the first for Smith since Oct. 20, a span of 22 quarters.
Running back Chris Ivory rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown and wide receiver Jeremy Kerley had four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. Safety Antonio Allen blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown while kicker Nick Folk converted all three of his field-goal attempts.
Quarterback Matt McGloin was benched in the first quarter but came back after just one series and finished 18 of 30 for 245 yards and two touchdowns for the Raiders (4-9), who scored 24 second half points but lost their third in a row as they clinched a losing season for the ninth time in 11 years -- a stretch in which they've never finished above .500.
Oakland running back Marcel Reece, pressed into starting duty because Rashad Jennings and Darren McFadden were inactive due to injury, rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Rob Streater had seven catches for 130 yards and a score.
The Jets outgained the Raiders by just 35 yards (173 to 135) in the first half but capitalized on Oakland's many mistakes to take a 20-3 lead into the locker room.
With the Jets up 3-0, Smith was picked off inside the New York 40 by linebacker Kaelin Burnett, but the Raiders failed to get a first down and kicker Sebastian Janikowski missed a 52-yard field goal attempt.
Three plays later, Smith threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kerley, who out-leaped wide receiver Santonio Holmes -- who appeared to be the intended receiver -- as well as a trio of Raiders.
The Raiders, who had just one first down in two series with McGloin, replaced him with Terrelle Pryor, but Pryor was pulled immediately after directing a 14-play, 58-yard drive that ended with Janikowski's 41-yard field goal.
McGloin's first series back ended when he was intercepted by safety Ed Reed at the Raiders' 11-yard-line, but the Jets had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Folk.
Oakland went three-and-out on its next possession and the Jets expanded the lead to 20-3 when Allen busted through the line, blocked Marquette King's punt and fell on the ball in the end zone. It was the second touchdown of the season for Allen, who returned a Tom Brady interception for a score on Oct. 20.
The Raiders scored on all four of their second-half drives, but the Jets responded with points on their first three possessions.
On the second play of the third quarter, Reece raced untouched up the middle for a 63-yard score to pull Oakland within 20-10.
Smith promptly directed the Jets on a 72-yard scoring drive that he ended by running uncontested into the end zone on an 8-yard touchdown run.
The Raiders closed the gap to 10 again on another big play when McGloin's pass intended for tight end Jeron Mastrud sailed over Mastrud's head as Reed collided with Jets cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson. Streater, several yards down the field, caught the ball and waltzed into the end zone.
McGloin's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mychal Rivera with 2:24 left made it 37-27, but the Jets recovered Janikowski's onside kick.
NOTES: Each team had mild surprises among its inactives. The Jets scratched WR Stephen Hill (knee), who missed the first game of his career after being downgraded to questionable on Friday's injury report. QB David Garrard was also an inactive for the Jets one week after Geno Smith and Matt Simms generated just three points in a loss to the Dolphins. ... Raiders starting RB Rashad Jennings (concussion) was also inactive, 10 days after he was injured against Dallas. Jennings practiced in limited fashion last week and was listed as questionable. ... Jets OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson started his 125th straight game, the longest such streak in Jets history. ... The Raiders made a series of roster moves on Saturday, when they placed FS Usama Young (neck) and LB Kaluka Maiava (calf/ribs) on injured reserve, waived DL Brian Sanford and signed LB Marshall McFadden, CB Chance Casey and S Shelton Johnson off the practice squad.