CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rookie Brandon Codrington returned a kickoff 63 yards and a punt 31 yards to set up scores and the New York Jets beat the Carolina Panthers 15-12 on Saturday night in a game in which both teams rested almost all of their starters and several key reserves.
Austin Seibert kicked four field goals, including a 52 yarder, and Greg Zuerlein added another for the Jets.
The Jets’ Aaron Rodgers and Panthers’ Bryce Young sat out after both received extensive snaps during a joint practice Thursday, which got heated at times. The primary backup QBs — New York’s Tyrod Taylor and Carolina’s Andy Dalton — also sat.
That gave the sparse crowd at Bank of America Stadium a long look at a pair of rookies starting at quarterback, with Andrew Peasley for the Jets and Jack Plummer for the Panthers. And both struggled.
Peasley played the entire first half and finished 7 of 11 for 33 yards and was sacked once. His fourth drive was his best, moving the Jets 49 yards in 17 plays to set up a 36-yard field goal by Zuerlein to tie it at 3 before halftime.
Adrian Martinez, the UFL MVP last season, played the second half for the Jets and overcame an interception that led to Eddy Pineiro’s second field goal before leading three scoring drives.
Plummer played into the fourth quarter for Carolina and was held to 42 yards on 11-of-18 passing. His best play came on a third-and-27 when he managed to shrug off a Jets defender draped all over him to avoid a 10-yard loss and shoveled the ball ahead to Dillon Johnson for a 5-yard gain.
Carolina running back Dillon Johnson scored on a short run on the final play for the game’s only touchdown.
Codrington’s 63-yard kickoff return to start the second half came with the NFL’s new kickoff rules in place. He broke through the initial line of defense before being tracked down from behind.
Later, he fielded a punt near the right sideline, reversed field and avoided tacklers before turning up the field for a big play.
SITTING OUT
The Panthers rested 38 players; the Jets 32.
INJURIES
Jets: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse (groin) and WR Irvin Charles (hip) left in the first half and didn’t return.
Panthers: CB Anthony Brown (thumb) and LB Tae Davis (foot) left in the second half and didn’t return.
UP NEXT
Jets: Host the New York Giants next Saturday.
Panthers: At Buffalo next Saturday.
