New York Jets Get Buffaloed in Season Opener

From the desk of: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK ONE

Jets    17

Bills    27

FINAL

All Systems Fail ...

Note to Joe Douglas: once is an event; twice is a coincidence; three times is a trend.

Adam Gase and Le'Veon Bell previously miscommunicate during camp regarding the issue of his strained hamstring.  First game of the season and they again fail to communicate.  Bell re-aggravates his hamstring in the second quarter.  A little stubbornness on his part and a lack of conviction on the coach's part wrongly keeps Le'Veon in the game and gives the Jets their first controversy of the regular season, not to mention a questionable back field heading into game two.

That's not to say Bell's presence would have made a difference.  Before exiting the game Bell rushes six times for fourteen yards and makes two receptions for 32-yards, for a grand total of eight touches and forty-six yards.  Subbing for Le'veon Bell, Frank Gore rushes six times for 24-yards.  The Jets close out the first quarter with a ten play, 75-yard drive in which they settle for three.  However, they go into halftime down nineteen points.  In the third quarter Sam Darnold connects on a short pass with Jamison Crowder who breaks away from the field for a 68-yard touchdown.  The Jets second and last sustained scoring drive comes too late, eleven plays for 86-yards, punched in from the two by Josh Adams.

Last year the Jets finish the regular season with a 7-9 record.  They get off to a 1-7 start then finish well with a 6-2 record.  However, they finished dead last in offense.  One game into 2020 and the Jets appear nowhere near improved.

Both Buffalo and the Jets have the ball for eleven drives, but the Jets only hold the ball for 18:44 minutes and 53 plays.  They generate half as many first downs as Buffalo and gain just 254 total yards versus 404 net yards for the Bills who hold the ball for 41:16 minutes and 81 plays.

Sam Darnold is 21/35 for 215-yards, with one interception and one touchdown.  Take away Crowder's catch and Darnold is 20/34 (58%) for 147-yards with an INT.

The secondary yields its first 300-yard game of the season.  On the ground the Jets hold Devin Singletary and Zack Moss to 41-yards on 18 attempts.  But they have no answer for Josh Allen who scrambles 14 times for 57-yards and a touchdown.

Last season's second half surge proved too little too late.  Just like Sunday's fourteen second-half points against Buffalo again proved too little too late.  Sam Darnold is now in year three.  He indeed has a lot to learn.  But if Sam does not demonstrate marked improvement this season what's the sense in keeping Adam Gase around?

If I'm Joe Douglas I'm already searching for his replacement.  It's the proactive thing to do.  And it would get the Jets away from this vicious cycle of hiring alternating general managers and head coaches.  Best thing Joe Douglas can do is make this team his.  No coaching changes this season, but make sure it's Adam Gase's last with the Jets before he gets him fired too.