BALTIMORE – Jerricho Cotchery played the game of his NFL life yesterday. Too bad it came in a loss.
Cotchery, the Jets’ quiet but highly-productive receiver, caught seven passes for a career-high 165 yards in a 20-13 loss to the Ravens.
“He’s just a special guy,” Eric Mangini said of Cotchery. “I admire his competitiveness and his toughness. You just love to coach guys like that.”
Among the Jets’ top three wide receivers yesterday, Cotchery was the only one not to have a debilitating drop in crunch time like Justin McCareins and Laveranues Coles did.
“A lot of teams are paying a lot of attention to Laveranues, so that’s where I have to do my work,” Cotchery said. “Kellen (Clemens) noticed that and I was able to get open on a few routes.”
His 44-yard catch in the fourth quarter led to a Jets touchdown. His 50-yard catch-and-run set the Jets up with their chance to tie the game in the final moments.
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The consecutive field goal streak for Jets kicker Mike Nugent ended at 19, three short of tying Pat Leahy‘s record of 22. Nugent made his first attempt, a 50-yarder in the second quarter, and then was wide left on a 52-yarder later in the quarter.
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The Jets, who yielded four sacks yesterday, have now allowed nine in two games this season and their defense has not yet recorded a sack . . . C Nick Mangold made his first NFL reception in the third quarter, grabbing a deflected Clemens pass.
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Though he did hurt them in places, the Jets held Willis McGahee to fewer than 100 rushing yards for the first time in six games. McGahee, who rushed for 97 yards on 26 carries, entered yesterday having rushed for 705 yards on 138 carries in his career against the Jets. He had rushed for 100 or more yards in each of his last five meetings with the Jets, averaging more than 132 yards per game.
In each of his first three seasons in the NFL, McGahee has rushed for his season high against the Jets – 132 yards in 2004, 143 yards in 2005 and a career-best 150 last season.
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CB Justin Miller, who had a miserable opening game, getting torched by Patriots’ WR Randy Moss before being benched, injured his right knee on a second-quarter kickoff and didn’t return.
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Ravens’ WR Derrick Mason on McCareins dropping the potential tying TD late in the game: “I was surprised. I think he was surprised, too. It was probably a lack of concentration, but I’m glad he had a lack of concentration. After the game, I patted him on the back and said, ‘Oh man, you should have had it.’ “
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CB Andre Dyson, who was inactive in the opener with a foot injury, played, though he didn’t start. Darrelle Revis started his second straight game.