Jets tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins was involved in one of the biggest plays of Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Patriots when officials watching video in New York ruled he fumbled a ball out of the end zone after the play was initially ruled a touchdown.
The result of the play was a touchback, giving the Patriots the ball with their 10-point lead still intact in the fourth quarter and the Jets’ renewed comeback efforts fell short before the final whistle. Seferian-Jenkins juggled the ball on his way down to the turf and the officials ruled he did not re-establish possession before the ball went out of bounds in the end zone, which referee Tony Corrente called a “pretty obvious” ruling once they saw the full complement of replays available.
Seferian-Jenkins said after the game that he didn’t think he fumbled, but also took responsibility for letting the officials have their moment.
“I have to have better ball security,” Seferian-Jenkins said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. “If I take care of the ball the way I’m supposed to, and I don’t let it move or anything like that, we don’t have this discussion.”
Seferian-Jenkins had eight catches for 46 yards and a touchdown that did count, but those plays won’t be the ones that linger after a tough divisional loss.