Smith leads Jets to victory over Raiders
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Geno Smith did it all for the New York Jets’ suddenly resurgent offense.
A week after being benched, the rookie quarterback threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score. The Jets set a season high for points and stopped a three-game skid with a 37-27 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
Chris Ivory had a touchdown run, Nick Folk kicked three field goals and Antonio Allen blocked a punt and returned it for a score to help the Jets (6-7) in the AFC playoff hunt. Smith ended a miserable stretch that included getting benched last week by throwing his first touchdown toss since Week 7. He finished 16 of 25 with an interception, and ran five times for 50 yards.
The win also prevented the Jets’ first four-game losing streak under coach Rex Ryan.
Matt McGloin threw two touchdown passes and fullback Marcel Reece, starting because Oakland was down three injured running backs, had a 63-yard touchdown run for the Raiders (4-9).
Oakland has lost three straight overall, and 13 in a row in games played in the Eastern time zone.
With the Jets leading 3-0 after Folk’s 41-yard field goal, Smith threw his 20th interception, to Kevin Burnett. The sparse crowd at MetLife Stadium booed loudly, but Sebastian Janikowski missed a 52-yard field goal.
Despite Smith’s turnover, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg went right back to the pass on the next drive. Smith lofted a pass that a leaping Jeremy Kerley came down with for a 25-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
It was Smith’s first TD pass since Oct. 20 against New England and his second in eight games. It was also New York’s first touchdown of any kind in nine quarters.
Terrelle Pryor came in at quarterback on Oakland’s third offensive series, possibly to take advantage of his athleticism and offset the Raiders’ lack of running backs with Darren McFadden, Rashad Jennings and Jeremy Stewart all inactive with injuries.
Pryor led a drive capped by a 41-yard field goal by Janikowski. Then McGloin returned and, on third-and-9 from the 3, Ed Reed got his 62nd career interception and first as a Jet to give New York the ball at the 4. Folk made a 23-yard field goal.
Allen blocked Marquette King’s punt, recovered it and returned it for a touchdown to put New York ahead 20-3.
Oakland got on the scoreboard right away in the second half as Reece zipped up the middle for a 63-yard touchdown. The Jets came right back as Smith ran left and had a clear lane into the end zone for an 8-yard score — his fourth of the season.
McGloin connected with Rod Streater on a 48-yard touchdown pass on a ball threaded between Reed and Antonio Cromartie, who smacked into each other.
But Ivory blasted into the end zone from 15 yards, slipping out of three tackle attempts and dragging a fourth Raiders defender over the goal line for a 37-20 lead. The play was set up by Smith’s 32-yard scramble.
McGloin connected with Mychal Rivera on a 1-yard touchdown with 2:24 remaining. McGloin was 18 of 31 for 245 yards and two scores.