Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) is brought down by Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) and outside linebacker Nic Scourton (11) at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 19, 2025.
Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — Justin Fields entered Sunday as the Jets‘ starting quarterback. By the end of the game, he was on the bench, and Tyrod Taylor was under center. None of it mattered. And now Gang Green is 0–7.
Combined, Taylor and Fields were sacked six times in Sunday’s 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Over the last two games, Jets quarterbacks have been sacked 15 times — as big an indictment of New York’s porous offensive line as it is of the quarterbacks’ overall poor play.
On the first drive, the hapless Jets set the tone for the atrocious afternoon at the Meadowlands to come when Fields, on 4th and 5 at the Carolina Panthers’ 33-yard line, attempted to throw the ball. He missed Josh Reynolds, and the New York offense began with a turnover.
Fields threw for just 46 yards as he completed six of 12 passes.
Fields was briefly replaced by Taylor as the former was evaluated for a concussion in the second quarter. In the second half, Fields — who was cleared of injury — was nonetheless sidelined; Sauce Gardner, the Jets’ defensive star, wasn’t as lucky, as he was diagnosed with a concussion.
Justin Fields benched after another lackluster showing
The first drive was only just the start.
On New York’s second drive of the afternoon, Fields was sacked for a loss of four yards. After two eight-yard plays (a pass and a handoff), Fields airmailed a throw to Josh Reynolds.
In the second quarter, Fields was hit hard by Panthers safety Nick Scott, causing a fight to break out. Fields was briefly sent to the medical tent, but returned later in the quarter.
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The Jets tied the game at three on the drive, as Nick Folk nailed a 34-yard field goal.
New York’s next drive lasted just four plays, as the Jets gained 11 yards.
On the ensuing drive after the Panthers scored a touchdown to regain the lead, Fields was sacked for a loss of seven. Later in the drive, Fields was sacked for a loss of 10 as the first half came to an end.
When the Jets’ offense took the field for their first drive of the third quarter, Taylor was under center, as Fields stood on the sideline.
“We needed a spark at the time,” head coach Aaron Glenn explained after the game. “I felt it was the right time to do it.”
Taylor takes over
On the second drive of the third quarter, Taylor escaped three Panthers defenders and found Tyler Johnson with a deep pass for a 20-yard gain.
Taylor then attempted two more deep throws. The first was incomplete for Allen Lazard. Next, he attempted to find Reynolds in the endzone, but the pass was intercepted by Jaycee Horn.
With 4:28 left in the fourth quarter, Taylor tried to find Reynolds, but was once again intercepted by Horn.
Taylor completed 10 of 22 passes. He threw for 126 yards, with two interceptions.
Panthers’ offense does just enough
Though New York held Carolina to just 13 points Sunday, the Panthers’ offense did all it needed to get the win.
Bryce Young threw 15-for-25 and 138 yards, with one touchdown. After he left Sunday’s game with an anke injury, Andy Dalton completed four of seven and totalled 60 yards.
The Panthers settled for a Ryan Fitzgerald 30-yard field goal on the first drive of the game as they picked up 54 yards on 13 plays.
On Carolina’s fourth drive of the second quarter, Chuba Hubbard brought the Panthers to first and goal with a 26-yard gain. Young completed a three-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Legette to put the Panthers ahead. Fitzgerald knocked in the extra point to give his team a 10-3 lead.
Fitzgerald added a 29-yard field goal early in the third quarter, as the Panthers took a 10-point lead. They never looked back.
The Jets will head to Cincinnati next Sunday afternoon to face the Bengals. They have 10 more chances to win a game this year — and increasingly, they are looking like a team destined for the worst kind of football history.
Meanwhile, Glenn did not indicate who would start at quarterback next week.
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