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The Jets defense got the job done, including Mo Wilkerson who beat Lehigh rookie Will Rackley for a safety early in the game . . .
Sione Pouha obviously did some quality film study on QB Luke McCown and his low release point.
On second down of the first series, he tipped a pass at the line, and it fell incomplete. He did this again later on.
On third down, Mo Wilkerson beat Jaguars rookie guard, Will Rackley, out of Lehigh, and he sacked McCown for a safety.
Kudos to Wilkerson for this play, but let’s not put him in Canton yet.
Rackley is a rookie guard from a 1-AA school where he played offensive tackle. Not only is he making a huge jump in competition, this was his second regular season game at an entirely new position – guard. He’s lost right now.
Wilkerson beat Rackley again, and combined with Mike DeVito to stop Maurice Jones-Drew on the line, on the second play of the second series. This possession was a three-and-out. Calvin Pace had a nice play on this possesion; he stunted from the outside, to the middle of the line, and hit McCown as he was throwing.
Rewinding for a second, Pace had a terrific play on MJD’s first carry of the game, stopping him on the line.
Pace took advantage of a right tackle, who should probably be a backup, Guy Whimper. Just ask New York Giants fans. He was a disappointing draft pick for them.
On the Jags third possession, they got the ball in good field position because Marquice Cole interfered with Cecil Short attempting to make a fair catch. On second down, Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 16-yards off left tackle. This was a well-blocked play, including a pancake block by former Jets defensive lineman, Zach Potter, who is now a tight end.
On the play after MJD’s long run, Pace got in-between two would be blockers, and stopped the runner for a loss of two.
One play Pouha would want back was when he was pancaked on an MJD run up the middle, for 11 yards, at the two minute warning.
Jamaal Westerman was off-sides on the Jaguars second possession. So far, he’s been a little underwhelming.
Bryan Thomas had an excellent play early in the third quarter; he strung out a sweep left to MJD perfectly, and stayed really low, and stopped the 5-6 runner for a loss of three.
David Harris finished with four tackle, but he was playing with a painful toe injury, and clearly wasn’t himself. An example of this was on Jags first run of the second half, a 16-yard scamper to the left side by MJD. Harris was locked up by fullback Greg Jones, and MJD ran right by him.
Early in the second quarter, Bart Scott had an effective blitz up the middle, and hit McCown as he threw, causing an incompletion.
The Jets secondary played a great game.
They dominated a passing attack down two of their top three weapons – TE Marcedes Lewis and WR Jason Hill, as they should have.
One receiver who actually was in the receiver rotation last week, Jamar Newsome, was actually cut yesterday.
Eric Smith played a solid game. Late in the first quarter, he had a PD on a crossing route to WR Mike Thomas, on third down, and this forced the Jags to kick a field goal. Late in the second quarter, Smith picked off a pass over the short middle to Thomas.
Antonio Cromartie had two picks. In the middle of the second quarter, McCown threw into triple coverage, down the deep left side, to Thomas, and Cro grabbed it. Then late in the third quarter, McCown rolled to his right, and and attempted a pass to Thomas, and Cro picked it off, and returned the ball to the one.
Then, on the next series, McCown forced another pass to Thomas, and didn’t see Josh Mauga in underneath coverage, and the linebacker picked it off.
Thomas does start for Jacksonville, but the way McCown continually forced the ball to him, he was making him into Jerry Rice. He’s a #2 receiver – not a star.
