Tight end Tyler Conklin emerging as valuable Jets weapon

Tyler Conklin scored both of the Jets’ touchdowns. 

And he was the intended target on two of the Jets’ three interceptions — not that he had a chance to break up either errant pass. 

The emerging tight end was in the middle of everything Sunday as he turned a team-high 10 targets into six catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns during the Jets’ 22-17 loss to the Patriots at MetLife Stadium. At one point in the second half, only Conklin, rookie Garrett Wilson and running back Michael Carter had receptions. 

“It feels good to get in the end zone,” Conklin said. “But touchdowns feel better when you come out with the win also.” 

The timing between Conklin and quarterback Zach Wilson couldn’t have been better in the second quarter on an 8-yard out route when Wilson fired a ball into a tight window with only eight-tenths of a yard of separation from coverage, according to NextGenStats. Conklin showed his athleticism late in the fourth quarter, sneaking behind the defense, jumping to secure a high throw in the end zone and hanging on as he was shoulder-bumped to the ground. 

“I feel like they brought me here because they know what I can do,” Conklin said. “I would love to be a big part of the pass game, which I think I have been. I’m willing to do whatever I need to do for this team to be successful, whether that’s run game, pass game, protection.” 

There wasn’t much that Conklin could do to prevent the two interceptions by safety Devin McCourty. He was triple-covered along the sideline and a scrambling Wilson didn’t get his throwaway out of bounds. On a third-and-long later, Wilson overshot a forced throw into traffic in the middle of the field. 

“We got off-schedule multiple times,” Conklin said. “Zach is elusive and can get out of the pocket. He was out there trying to make plays, will us to big plays and helping us win. It just didn’t work out in our favor.” 

Conklin’s message to Wilson after the interceptions was “letting him know we are behind him and s- -t happens.” 

“Zach is going to keep getting better and better every week, getting more comfortable,” Conklin said. “As a unit, we have to keep building more chemistry.” 

With about 85 percent of MetLife Stadium filled by kickoff in response to the Jets’ pleas for fans to get in their seats early and make a difference, Gang Green punted and then stalled at the 10-yard line and settled for a field goal on their first two possessions. 

“The atmosphere was awesome,” Conklin said. “We want to win more than anybody. We want to win for the organization and the fans. It’s so easy to look back at a football game and say: ‘What if this play would’ve happened or that play would’ve happened?’ That’s the beauty of football and the misery of football.” 

— Additional reporting by Mark W. Sanchez