EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Zach Charbonnet ran for an 8-yard touchdown with 5:31 left, Leonard Williams returned an interception 92 yards for a game-winning score and the Seattle Seahawks beat the New York Jets 26-21 on a cool, windy day Sunday for their third straight win.

Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass to AJ Barner for the Seahawks (7-5), who were sloppy early but then took sole possession of first place in the NFC West as Arizona lost to Minnesota.

Aaron Rodgers and the Jets (3-9) led most of the way and looked energized early in their first game back from the bye week break. However, they remained goalless in the second half.

Charbonnet’s score came from a drive aided by four penalties against the Jets, of which the Jets incurred 12 penalties.

On fourth-and-six play, New York incurred a too-many-on-the-field penalty when returner Xavier Gipson ran onto the field expecting a punt. But with punter Michael Dickson dealing with a back injury, the Seahawks kept their offense on the field. On the next play, Qwan’tez Stiggers – filling in for some injured cornerbacks – was called for pass interference.

On a fourth-and-1 later in the drive, it appeared the Jets had stopped Charbonnet, but Solomon Thomas was called for a horse-collar tackle. Will McDonald lined up in the neutral zone on third down, and Charbonnet scored on the next play to give Seattle a 26-21 lead.

Rodgers and the Jets had a chance for a comeback win, but Williams — a first-round pick of the Jets in 2015 — was sacked on third down. Rodgers’ desperate attack from the Seahawks 34 went well past Garrett Wilson and sealed the defeat.

All of this came after a crazy first half that included a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by New York’s Kene Nwangwu, Williams’ interception return and three fumbled kickoffs by the Seahawks, two of which were recovered by the Jets.

Smith, the 39th overall pick by New York in 2013, finished 20 of 31 for 206 yards and the score in his first game as a starter against the Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Rodgers was 21 of 39 for 185 yards and touchdown passes to Davante Adams and Isaiah Davis, but also had the pick-6. New York, which fired general manager Joe Douglas last week, has lost three straight games, eight of its last nine games, and is 1-6 under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.

The Jets took a 6-0 lead late in the first quarter when Rodgers threw a pass to Adams for an 8-yard touchdown. Anders Carlson’s extra point was blocked by Williams, who kept the drive alive with a costly penalty.

On third-and-8, Williams sacked Rodgers but grabbed the quarterback’s facemask and was dismissed. Two plays later, Malachi Corley gained 7 yards on an end-around — aided by a Rodgers block on Josh Jobe — to set up Adams’ score.

New York got the ball back right at kickoff when the ball was knocked out of Dee Williams’ hands by Nwangwu, who was promoted from the practice squad for the game, and Brandin Echols recovered.

Four plays later, Davis scored his first NFL touchdown on a 4-yard run and Breece Hall scored the 2-point conversion to give the Jets a 14-0 lead.

Barner’s 12-yard TD catch from Smith cut Seattle’s deficit to 14-7 early in the second quarter.

Nwangwu followed with another big play on special teams, returning a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown – the fourth scoring kickoff return of his career – to give the Jets a 21-7 lead.

Laviska Shenault then botched the kickoff and Carlson recovered — the third mishandled kick of the game for the Seahawks and the second that the Jets recovered.

The Jets were deep in Seahawks territory when Rodgers’ throw to Wilson was intercepted by Williams and the 300-pound defensive end nicknamed “Big Cat” scampered down the left sideline for a 92-yard touchdown.

According to ESPN Research, it was the longest interception return for a score by a defensive lineman since at least 2000. It was also Williams’ first career touchdown and second interception – and first with the Jets since 2017.

But Jason Myers’ attempt at an extra point was blocked by Quinnen Williams and Seattle trailed 21-13.

Myers’ 54-yarder barely cleared the crossbar, increasing the lead to 21-16 with 4:15 left in the first half.

Injuries

Seahawks: Dickson injured his back in the second half.

Jets: RT Morgan Moses left in the first quarter with a shoulder injury. … Echols left the company in the fourth quarter with dehydration. … CB Sauce Gardner suffered a hamstring injury.

Next

Seahawks: Take on NFC West rival Cardinals next Sunday in Arizona.

Jets: Travel to Miami to face AFC East rival Dolphins next Sunday.

——

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLbr/)