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This has been rough season physically for Jets nickel back Michael Carter, and this player coming in and out of the lineup due to injuries, has certainly contributed to the Jets wildly inconsistent pass coverage in 2024.
Carter had a high ankle sprain in training camp and has been dealing with a back issue on and off all season, and his back acted up in Jacksonville in the third quarter and he had to leave the game.
His replacement, journeyman Kendall Sheffield, got beat on a 19 yard TD pass on a crossing route early in the fourth quarter.
Over the summer, the Jets made Carter the highest-paid nickel back in the NFL, with a three-year deal for $30.75 million with $19 million guaranteed.
That investment hasn’t worked out well so far. Now it’s not Carter’s fault he got hurt. Not at all. But from a bottom-line standpoint, the injuries has prevent him from having much an impact.
Nickel back is a very physically demanding position, sometimes resembling a linebacker in some of the position requirements with a lot of run support responsibilities playing so close to the defensive line.
And that position has beaten the hell out of the Duke product this year . . .
Aaron Rodgers, who some Mensa candidates think the Jets need to replace next year, threw three touchdowns in the team’s win over Jacksonville, and you could argue it was four, but WR Davante Adams stopped short of the end zone on a long catch, to help burn some clock, and Breece Hall ran it in on the next play, so it was a rushing TD instead.
One of Rodgers’ better plays was his 22-yard TD pass to WR Garrett Wilson in the first quarter. One of the things that masters of the QB position are good at is manipulating safeties with their eyes to pull them out of position, and that is what Rodgers did on this play. He looked left to Adams on the left side, drawing a Jaguars safety over there and then turned his head right to hit a wide-open Wilson in the middle for a touchdown.
Good stuff . . .
Jets rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu continues to impress and had one of his better run blocks in the Jets’ win over Jacksonville.
Early third quarter, RB Breece Hall had an 18-yard run to the left side. Fashanu had a great block on DE Josh Hines-Allen on the left side opening a big hole.
His pass protection was also very good in this game.
The guys looks like a keeper. He’s not only got great natural ability, but he’s a hard-worker and wired the right way . . .
If the Jets don’t tighten up their pass defense, and play with more discipline, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nakua could light them up on Sunday.
If Mac Jones was able to make hay against them, what is a much more accomplished QB like Staford going to do?
There was 41-yard crossing route to Jags wide receiver Brian Thomas in Jacksonville, where two defenders went to cover tight end Brenton Strange in the left flat and nobody followed Thomas who cut across the middle wide open.
Rams head coach/offensive play-caller Sean McVay must be licking his chops, and his right hand man in calling plays is former Jets assistant Mike LaFleur, who knows the Jets defense well, and you know he’s going to be motivated after getting fired by Jets owner Woody Johnson a couple of years, so expect a great game-plan for the Rams in this game.
The Jets have some major issues in their pass coverage, in part due to a static scheme, and also in part due to some dubious personnel decisions by the former GM and head coach.
The Jets might need another 30-plus point outing from Rodgers and company on offense.
December 16, 2024
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