Jets Call Timeout, Nullify Own Game-Tying Touchdown, Lose Game [UPDATE]

The Jets called an illegal timeout to cancel out their own game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter, and ended up losing to the Packers. It was a very Jets sequence.

Let's go to the video. Geno Smith throws a beautiful strike to Jeremy Kerley to potentially tie the game, PAT pending. No, wait. The official says the Jets called a timeout before the ball was snapped. Head coach Rex Ryan clearly says he didn't call a timeout, and he's the only one who can on the sideline. As the replay shows, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg runs down to apparently tell Ryan to call the timeout. The official doesn't turn around, but hears someone calling for the timeout, and waves his hands to kill the play. And just like that, Smith's beautiful touchdown throw means nothing. NOTHING.

Though the Jets did convert on fourth down on the next play, they didn't score, and lost, 31-24.

Update: Defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson is taking the blame for the timeout. Watch again, and you'll see him walk up to the official's right side. Richardson says he was only trying to help. From NJ.com:

[B]efore the official waved his arms, Mornhinweg spread his own arms out and took a couple steps down the sideline, toward the official. Then the official turned to his left, and looked in Mornhinweg's direction. The official did nothing. No timeout signal. Just a glance toward Mornhinweg.

A split second later, Richardson spoke into the official's ear. The official turned right, presumably because he heard Richardson, and acknowledged the request for a timeout.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan was standing between Mornhinweg and Richardson on the sideline. Ryan made no gestures or obvious requests for a timeout, or to wave off a timeout request. Mornhinweg calls the offensive plays, so this was his timeout call – at least initially. Then Mornhinweg apparently changed his mind and decided to let the play roll on.

"I saw Marty calling the timeout and I was into the game," Richardson said. "I knew it was crunch time. I didn't know if he wanted the timeout or not. I just knew he called it. I helped him out a little bit. I whispered in the referee's ear 'timeout,' and he called it before the ball was thrown. It's just bad timing on my part. I feel like I let the team down. It just happens when you're into the game like that, though."

[CBS]