The Jets Get A Much-Needed Bounce-Back Win
Coming off three straight losses and falling to 1-3, the Jets needed a bounce-back win. And after battling the Cleveland Browns for 60 minutes in the rain, they got exactly what they needed. Although it wasn't the prettiest win, a win is a win. Both defenses seemed to be winning their respective battles, and the poor weather conditions may have played a role. However, the Jets’ defense didn’t just battle—they conquered. In this article, I will go over what happened on both sides of the ball while addressing areas for improvement and consistency after the Jets’ Week 5 victory.
The Defense
The New York Jets’ defense as a whole looked great this week, but the pass rush stood out the most. The defense tallied eight sacks, the most by any team in a game this season. Second overall draft pick David Bailey registered three of his own while also recording a QB hit, five QB hurries, and a team-high seven defensive stops (defined by PFF as ‘tackles that constitute a failure for the offense’). In addition to this, the pass rush as a whole achieved a sack percentage of 19.51%, which was the highest in the league for Week 5.
Bailey wasn’t the only player who had a great game either. LB Jamien Sherwood, who has recently been under criticism, received the Jets’ highest PFF grade this week. Other notable performances came from ED Will McDonald IV, who recorded a sack, a QB hit, a QB hurry, and a forced fumble, as well as S Dane Belton, who continues to look like a great free-agent addition. The Jets’ defense was able to hold the Browns’ offense to just under 200 net yards, with 102 coming through the air and 96 on the ground. These totals ranked the Jets third in both opponent total yards allowed and opponent passing yards allowed for Week 5.
To say the Jets’ defense has gotten better since Aaron Glenn took over play calling may be an understatement. Through five weeks, the Jets’ defense ranks near the top of the league in several categories: fifth in yards allowed, fourth in yards allowed per game, fourth in passing yards allowed, and sixth in points allowed per game. If it weren't for the stellar defense and some good fortune against the Browns, the Jets could have been sitting at 1-4 heading into a tough divisional game.
The Offense
The offense had its moments, but overall, it was a pretty lackluster performance. However, there were still some positives, and RB Braelon Allen is one of them. The backup RB got another opportunity to start this week with Breece Hall still out due to injury, and he did not disappoint. Allen saw a career-high 24 carries, which he turned into a TD and a career-high 116 yards. On top of this, he had a 22-yard run, the longest run of his career. In my opinion, the Jets should utilize the Hercules-like RB more often. His downhill ability, combined with Breece Hall’s skill set, could make the Jets’ RB duo a dangerous one.
The next positive performance on the offensive side of the ball came from WR Garrett Wilson, something that doesn’t surprise Jets fans anymore. Wilson stands out most weeks, and he continued to do so this week, catching seven passes for 104 yards and a TD. On the Jets’ opening drive, Wilson had 70 receiving yards and notably extended a six-yard catch into a 32-yard touchdown to give the Jets the lead. Overall, the offense did enough to help the Jets win the game, but I believe they’ll need to be more consistent moving forward, especially against stronger opponents.
Looking Forward
As I mentioned earlier, a win is a win, but there are still some things I would like to see moving forward. One of the most glaring areas for improvement is offensive consistency. The offense scored a total of 17 points this week, but they struggled through the middle part of the game, as the first touchdown came on the opening drive and the next didn’t come until the fourth quarter. The Jets had a total of 13 drives, with seven of them resulting in punts. Ever since Week 2, the offense seems to have periods where they can barely do anything. Moving forward, I would like to see the Jets put together longer drives that result in points on the board. Additionally, I want to see more first downs. The offense averages 16.6 first downs per game, which ranks them near the bottom of the league at 26th.
One small individual area for improvement is Geno Smith’s accuracy. While it's not the biggest problem, there have been times this season when Geno has missed the mark on some easy throws. More importantly, though, the offense needs to do a better job limiting sacks. Geno was sacked four times this week, bringing his total to 16 for the season, which ranks third in the NFL. Furthermore, Geno has lost a league-high 134 yards to sacks. Between the pass protection failing and Geno holding onto the ball too long, these numbers must come down so the offense can find more success. The offense should be getting some players back from injury soon, so hopefully, this contributes to more success as well.
As I pointed out before, the defense was stellar this week. However, there are just a few things I’d like to see them do more consistently for the rest of the season. To start, the Jets’ pass rush struggled in recent weeks, so I’d like to see them build on this week’s strong performance. Although I don’t expect the Jets to record eight sacks in every game, it will be important for them to get to the opposing QB and generate as much pressure as possible. Finally, I want the Jets to continue forcing turnovers, something they did twice against Cleveland.
Final thoughts
The Jets narrowly defeated the Browns this week, and it wasn’t exactly a convincing win. However, all that matters is that the Jets keep winning. They now sit at 2-3 and will be tested in a tough divisional matchup against the Patriots. The Jets have only beaten the Patriots twice in the past 10 years, but they will look to finally turn the page.
If you're interested in being notified when the next article comes out, be sure to scroll down to the "Free Subscription" form and subscribe, we hope you enjoyed!
Comments