Quartet of Sanchez INTs ends Jets’ playoff hopes

NASHVILLE — The Jets' playoff chances slipped through Mark Sanchez's hands.

The quarterback had his worst game of an awful season, turning the ball over five times in a 14-10 loss to the Titans at LP Field that eliminated the Jets from playoff contention.

For the second straight season, Rex Ryan's crew will be watching the playoffs on TV.

"It's a devastating loss, out of the playoffs, and it hurts beyond belief," Ryan said. "I think the thing that really hurts the most is we've got no one to blame but ourselves."

Particularly Sanchez.

The embattled quarterback threw four interceptions, three in the second half, bringing his season total to 17 and fumbled on the team's final offensive play.

Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

DOWN FOR THE COUNT: Mark Sanchez lays on the turf after getting sacked during the Jets' 14-10 loss to the Titans, which ended Gang Green's playoff hopes. Sanchez was sacked three times and turned it over five times.

Ryan declined to name a starting quarterback for Sunday's game with the Chargers, reviving the team's quarterback controversy.

The Titans gave the Jets several chances to win. The last one came with 47 seconds left in the game when the Jets — seemingly finished — saw Titans punter Brett Kern woefully shank a punt that went out of bounds at the Titans 25. On the first play, Nick Mangold's snap to Sanchez in the shotgun formation was low and bounced off his hand. Running back Bilal Powell kicked it and Titans linebacker Zach Brown recovered, essentially ending the Jets season.

"It doesn't feel good hurting your team like that," Sanchez said.

Even after playing terribly all night, the Jets had a chance to win, but Sanchez and Mangold could not connect.

"It's all riding on it all right there," Ryan said. "You're still alive, think you have a chance to win the football game and then for that last play to happen ... it was as bad as it gets."

Each of Sanchez's four interceptions seemed to be worse than the last. His final one came with 2:25 left. He lofted a throw off his back foot toward tight end Jeff Cumberland that safety Michael Griffin picked off near the goal line.

"I made a couple of mistakes that I shouldn't have made again," Sanchez said. "It doesn't feel good, and I've got to learn from them and play better for us to win."

The 6-8 Jets now have two weeks to play out the string. Who will the quarterback be?

After the game, the Jets' defensive players were biting their tongues when asked about Sanchez. The defense gave up a 94-yard touchdown to Titans running back Chris Johnson in the second quarter when nose tackle Sione Po'uha guessed the wrong gap. They then gave up a touchdown drive in the third quarter, but allowing 14 points should not mean an automatic loss.

"Guys, no questions," cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. "I'm going to tell y'all the truth. This [bleep] has got to stop. Just being real."

He declined to comment further.

Linebacker Calvin Pace said it was a team loss, but acknowledged there has been a lot of pressure on the defense to carry the team since Sanchez has been the Jets quarterback.

"I think where we are in our season we don't have a lot of room for error," Pace said. "It would have been great to keep that to 7, 10, 3. That's what we have to be at right now."

Pace said the defense understands its burden.

"I would love to come out and to know you have 50 points behind you," Pace said. "It's not the case right now."

Now, the Jets face another long winter of self-examination. What should they do with Sanchez? Will general manager Mike Tannenbaum be back? What about offensive coordinator Tony Sparano?

At 6-8, the Jets will be playing for pride for the first time under Ryan.

They showed very little last night.

The Titans were nearly as bad as the Jets with both teams playing putrid offense in a dismal game. The Jets were just a little bit worse. After figuring out ways to win over the dismal Cardinals and Jaguars, they folded.

The Titans held a 7-3 lead at halftime after Johnson's 94-yard dash to the end zone. The Jets took a brief 10-7 lead after converting good field position into a touchdown. The Jets defense gave it right back when quarterback Jake Locker scored on a 13-yard run.

Still, the Jets had chances to win in the fourth quarter, when Sanchez threw two interceptions and coughed up the final fumble.

"We don't have anybody to blame but ourselves," Pace said. "That's the thing that stings the most. We just blew it, man, just blew it."

Pace said the Jets defense has carried the team since he's been here. It was then pointed out that in his first season, 2008, the team had a good offense led by Brett Favre.

"That's a good point," Pace said. "Since Rex has been here."

Or since Sanchez has been here.

brian.costello@nypost.com

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