Content available exclusively for subscribers
This is what you call a team win.
The Jets scored 31 points, without one passing touchdown.
Their pass rush was great, harassing Russell Wilson all afternoon. The veteran QB was never comfortable.
Aside from a fumbled punt, their special teams were good, with Lance Zeirlein going five for five on field goals, and Thomas Morstead doing some excellent punting.
And of course, their running game was sensational with Breece Hall going for 177 yards, including a 72-yard TD run. Their run blocking was super, especially the interior trio of center Connon McGovern and guards Laken Tomlinson and Joe Tippmann. Those three guys were forklifting defensive linemen, opening up huge holes up the middle.
Tippmann looks like he’s headed for a lot of Pro Bowls, whether it’s at guard or center. He is a tremendous NFL run blocker already.
Tippmann went down with a knee injury late in the game.
In the locker room after the game, Tippmann said he was “good” and seemed to be walking around fine.
So the Jets dodged one here with Tippmann. It didn’t look good initially when he went down . . .
Not sure about forcing passes to Garrett Wilson with standout corner Pat Surtain on him. Late in the game, already in field goal range, on third down, Zach Wilson forced a pass to Wilson in the red zone, and it was picked by Surtain.
The other corner is Demarri Mathis, who is okay, but nowhere near Surtain’s level why are you forcing passes Garrett Wilson, with lesser players are covering the likes of Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. Garrett is a heck of a player, but so is Surtain . . .
For the fourth game in a row, the Jet struggled stopping the run with Denver going 22 times for 139 yards.
Quinnen Williams is a heck of an interior pass rusher, but could improve a little as a run defender.
Interior pass rush is important, but you do need your star DT to also be a top-shelf against the run . . .
At the end of the half, the Jets couldn’t stop the clock to attempt a field goal to make a 13-11. Some might criticize Zach Wilson for not spiking the ball fast enough, but that wasn’t the biggest problem here. It was throwing a pass to C.J. Uzomah in bounds on the left side, and since it didn’t stop the clock, they ran out of time to lineup for the field goal. The pass wasn’t worth it because they were already in field goal range . . .
After Becton was helped off the field in the fourth quarter with what looked like a knee injury, he wasn’t attended to on the sideline. He just walked around and eventually came back in after walking it off . . .
Late tight-end releases off the line have been problem for the Jets in recent weeks. New England’s Pharoah Brown snuck off for a touchdown and today that happened with Adam Trautman in the fourth quarter. Both players were wide open.
Perhaps since the Jets are so aggressive rushing upfield, this kind of delayed-release tight end play can throw them off . . .
