Three days did nothing to suppress Jets special teams coordinator Brant Boyer’s raw emotions.
Fielding questions for the first time since the Jets allowed the tie-breaking 84-yard touchdown return to Marcus Jones with five seconds remaining Sunday in a 10-3 loss to the Patriots, Boyer still was agitated by the stunning finish.
“I feel terrible about how it happened,” Boyer said after Wednesday’s practice. “These guys have played their butts off all year. For that to happen specifically at that time is inexcusable, and it’s 100 percent on me.”
Boyer declined to say if Braden Mann was supposed to punt the ball out of bounds to help get the game to overtime. He also was tight-lipped on whether the officials missed a block-in-the-back penalty against the Patriots that would’ve taken the touchdown off the scoreboard and forced a 44-yard field goal attempt “because I’ll get fined.”
“It doesn’t matter where that ball is kicked,” Boyer said. “We have to cover it. … When the chips are down … our group has got to come through in the clutch.”
Boyer knew the punt coverage was in trouble “right away” because “they had guys outside of our guys.”
“The whole team fought and scratched and clawed,” Boyer said. “To come down to that, I feel for all these guys.”
It looked like the Jets were setting up a laterals-based miracle return on the ensuing kickoff, but an indecisive Elijah Moore stepped out of bounds after time expired.
“The last two plays I’m not happy with at all,” Boyer said. “I’m on fire about that to be honest with you.”
The outlook for Sunday is optimistic for receiver Corey Davis — who was a full practice participant after missing the last three games with a knee injury — and right guard Nate Herbig (shin). Herbig remains limited but the Jets “feel really good” about his chance of playing.
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LB Quincy Williams (ankle) and LT Duane Brown (shoulder) were limited. TE Kenny Yeboah (calf) and DT Sheldon Rankins (elbow) did not practice, and coach Robert Saleh sounded pessimistic about their game-day availability.
OT George Fant’s return to the practice field was a sight for sore eyes. On injured reserve since Sept. 27, Fant has up to three weeks to be activated or shut down for the season.
Fant was supposed to be the starting left tackle when training camp opened. Then he moved to right tackle after Brown signed to replace the injured Mekhi Becton. He started the first three games at left tackle when Brown was sidelined. Now he is likely to take over soon at right tackle for Cedric Ogbuehi as long as Brown remains healthy.