Jets Cornerback Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Enters Concussion Protocol After 13-6 Panthers Loss
Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner suffered a concussion during a brutal 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Nothing screams Same Old Jets quite like losing to a Panthers team that’s been about as consistent as a broken alarm clock. It’s a serious concern as he is one of their pillars on their defense.
What Happened to Gardner During the Panthers Game?
Gardner’s injury occurred in the second half of what can only be described as an offensive masterpiece—if you’re into watching paint dry or grass grow. The hit sent him straight to the blue medical tent, then eventually to the locker room for further evaluation.
Head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed after the game that Gardner has officially entered the NFL’s five-step concussion protocol. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, really. With the Jets already struggling to find their identity this season, losing their lockdown corner is exactly what they needed. But hey, at least the practices are “damn good” right, Aaron Glenn
Gardner’s Path Back to the Field
Gardner will need to be cleared by an independent neurologist to return to action. The concussion protocol isn’t exactly known for its speed—it’s more like waiting for your cable guy to show up during that four-hour window they gave you.
The Jets face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, October 26th, giving Gardner just over a week to work through the protocol. That might sound like plenty of time, but concussion protocols don’t operate on anyone’s schedule except the brain’s. And frankly, given how this Jets season has gone, expecting good news might be asking too much from the football gods.
If Gardner can’t go, Jarvis Brownlee steps into the spotlight as the next man up at outside corner. No pressure there, right? Just covering Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins all game.
Impact on the Jets Defense
Let’s be brutally honest about what Gardner means to this Jets defense. He’s not just their best cornerback—he’s been one of the few bright spots in what’s been a roller coaster season. Heck he even got paid with how great he is on the field.
The Jets defense has already dealt with issues, and losing Gardner is tremendous. They’re facing a Bengals offense that can put up points when healthy, and Joe Flacco being elite. Going into that matchup without your top corner is like showing up to a knife fight with a rubber band. Then again, this team has an inept owner and probably would make the rubber band a paper clip.
The Bigger Picture for New York
This Gardner situation perfectly encapsulates the Jets’ season so far. Just when something positive happens, something else falls apart faster than a house of cards in a hurricane. They can’t seem to catch a break, and now their defensive anchor might be sidelined during a crucial stretch of games.
Gardner’s health obviously takes priority over any football considerations. Concussions aren’t something to mess around with, regardless of how much his absence might hurt the team’s chances. The NFL has made significant strides in player safety, and these protocols exist because they’ve learned from past mistakes.
Looking Ahead
The Jets find themselves in familiar territory—hoping for good news while preparing for the worst. Gardner’s status for next week remains up in the air, floating somewhere between optimism and reality like most of this franchise’s hopes and dreams. If he clears protocol quickly, great. The Jets get their star corner back and can focus on actually winning some football games. If not, they’ll need to adjust their defensive game plan and hope Brownlee can step up when his number gets called.
Jordan Love ‘Disdain’ Led to Packers’ Controversial Call
All things considered, it’s probably not what the Packers should have done. And it was not coach Matt LaFleur’s first instinct, not with this team trailing by three points and facing a fourth-and-two from the Arizona 29-yard line with 2:32 to play. In fact, LeFleur had sent out the field-goal unit for a try of about 46 yards.
But as he sent out kicker Lucas Havrisik, the fill-in for the injured Brandon McManus who set a franchise record by making a last-second 61-yarder at the end of the first half, LaFleur caught sight of quarterback Jordan Love.
Then he called a time out and called Havrisik back in, deciding to be aggressive and go for the first down there. After the game, LaFleur was asked why.
“I saw the disdain on the quarterback’s face,” he said.
Jordan Love felt the Packers could convert the first and push for the go-ahead touchdown. He was right. The Packers completed a 15-yard pass, and three plays later, they scored a touchdown to take a 27-23 lead, the final score of the game in Arizona.
Jordan Love Found Tucker Kraft
The key play was the 15-yard throw from Love on that fourth down just before the two-minute warning. It went to Tucker Kraft, who beat Dadrion Taylor-Demerson on the left sideline for the 15-yard catch.
Kraft, Love said was not the first option. But he was the open one, and Kraft made his fifth catch of the day (for 58 yards)
“We had two plays called, and the play we called really wasn’t designed for Tuck but we got three options right there,” Kraft said. “The first two they did a good job, and Tuck did a great job going up and being able to win. It’s all one-on-one, it’s all man across the board. Someone’s gotta win there, and Tuck did.”
The Packers ran three plays to Josh Jacobs to punch in the touchdown.
Packers Now 4-1-1
But while the Packers looked sloppy and overmatched for much of the game, the fourth-down decision was the talk of the postgame.
“It’s a tough one,” Love said. “You’re sitting there and you’re thinking what the situation is. Three points ties it up, but you sit there and you’re like, man there is a lot of time left. They can go down there and kick a field goal with that for the win with that much time and the time outs.”
For the 4-1-1 Packers, it was a major decision, Love said.
“It’s big time,” he said. “Obviously I think for Matt to go for that in that situation, and to have confidence in us to go make a play and for us to go out there and do it, that’s one of those decisions that is gonna suck if we don’t get it but when you do, it made us able to go out there and get the win. It’s big time, big-time play by Tuck to go out there and get that. And obviously to finish it off with the touchdown is huge.”
Packers’ Jordan Love Credits Coach
Love said he loved the decision and while LaFleur credited Love’s disdain for the Packers’ aggressiveness, Love said the choice belonged to LaFleur.
“It was quick. I could see us deciding what we were gonna do, obviously sent the kick team came out and we were still thinking about it,” Love said. “Matt ultimately decided we were gonna go for it, so he called that time out. But that’s really all Matt having that confidence.”
LaFleur explained the willingness to gamble.
“Scared money don’t make money,” the coach said.
