Jets HC Robert Saleh blew it late against Lions by not using timeout

The New York Jets' season is starting to slip away thanks to a third straight loss (20-17 to the Detroit Lions) on Sunday, and some brutal clock management by head coach Robert Saleh played a big role in this latest defeat.

The critical moment: With the Jets trailing by three with less than a minute to play, Zach Wilson completed a pass to rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson for a 10-yard gain. He was tackled in bounds near midfield with the clock continuing to run.

The Jets still had all three timeouts remaining at this point.

They did not use one, allowing more than 20 seconds to run off the clock as they attempted to line up and run the next play (an incomplete pass). 

Those 20 seconds and the decision to not use a timeout would be pivotal just a few plays later. 

The Jets were able to get themselves into the fringes of field goal range when Wilson converted a fourth-and-18 play in the games closing seconds. But that field goal was a 58-yard attempt for Greg Zuerlein which is a huge ask for any kicker. He missed as time expired, and the Jets lost a tough three-point game to drop their record to 7-7 and lose for the fifth time in their past seven games.

They went back into the locker room with one timeout still remaining. 

Had they used that timeout after Wilson's catch earlier in the drive, they might have had another play or two to get Zuerlein into a more manageable field goal range. 

Saleh said after the game they probably could have used the timeout.