N.Y. Jets: Flying High After Overtime Victory Against Titans

From the desk: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK FOUR

Titans  24

JETS    27

OVERTIME

Zack Wilson Has His Moon Landing

Sunday's victory over the Titans was impressive in so many ways.  

Still playing minus Mekhi Becton, the offensive line did a stellar job of protecting their rookie quarterback, yielding just one sack for eight yards.  Tennessee managed just one other QB hit.  Linebacker Harold Landry III accounted for both plays.  Otherwise, Zack Wilson remained untouched.

In return, Wilson led the Jets in a second-half comeback with two fourth-quarter touchdown passes, first to Jamison Crowder on second and goal from the three, then to Corey Davis for 53-yards.  It gave the Jets a 24-17 lead.  

In overtime, Zack led the Jets on a 13-play 71-yard drive resulting in the decisive field goal.  He completed four of six attempts for 57 yards on connections for nine, 29, eleven, and eight yards, respectively.  

Corey Davis caught four of seven targets for a game-high 111 yards, and Jacksonville castoff Keelan Cole secured three of four targets for 92 yards.  That's two receivers for two hundred yards - Boom!

Rush Hour

The Jets perhaps rushed the ball better during that overtime drive than they did all game.  Interspersed in Zack Wilson's heroics, the Jets ran five times, four times for positive rushes of two, eight, five, and two yards.  Otherwise, the Jets backfield rushed twenty times for 53 yards.  Braxton Berrios (receiver) added 15 yards on two attempts.  Overall, the Jets ran for just four first downs.  One came in the overtime drive, and on a 2nd and ten, they rushed for eight yards to make it third and short.  On the very next play, Zack Wilson connects with Keelan Cole for 29 yards.

Williams & Williams, & Co.

Brothers Quinnen and Quincy Williams join together for 19 tackles and total disruption of Ryan Tannehill and the Titans' offense.  Quincy had ten solo tackles and one sack, Quinnen made six solo tackles with two sacks and two other QB hits, and C.J. Mosley was simply out of control.  All told, the Jets sacked Ryan Tannehill seven times with 14 other QB hits.  

Sure Tannehill still threw for nearly 300 yards, and Derrick Henry ran for 157 yards ...

But, hey, the Jets win!

Congratulations, Robert Saleh.

N.Y. Jets: Zero Altitude

From the desk: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK THREE

Jets               0

BRONCOS  26

FINAL

After Being Shut Out at Denver, It's Back to the Hangar for Salah's Jets

Zack Wilson said it himself; he's never seen stuff like this before.  Welcome to the NFL, where they're allowed to do things they aren't at the college level.

In my Pigskin picks, I said, "Zack Wilson's first trip into the mile-high altitude of Denver will not be a fun one.  Denver's defense can do many of the same things the Patriots did to them in week two," and they did.

The Jets scored 14 points in week one, six points in week two, and no points in week three against Denver, a literal spiral down to zero.

Insofar as last week to this week, look no further than the run game.  For a team that absolutely, positively needs a decent running game to help facilitate play/action for Zack Wilson, the Jets rushed just 13 times against the Broncos for just 43 yards, and that simply will not do.  You have to give opposing defenses other things to worry about.  Otherwise, your quarterback will get sacked five times for 41 yards and throw two more interceptions.

Wilson finished the day 19/35 for 160 yards.  The Jets achieved just eleven first downs and therefore managed barely over 24:00 minutes of possession.

But the Jets are in a bind because they're missing Mehki Becton from the offensive line, and the difference in performance has been stark, still below par, but more so now.

Eight penalties for 89 yards didn't help either.

N.Y. Jets: The Education of Zack Wilson Continues

From the desk: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK TWO

Patriots 25

JETS        6

FINAL

Hard To Survive Four Turnovers

The good news for the Jets, who absolutely, positively need a functioning running game to advance Zack Wilson's development, is Tevin Coleman, Ty Johnson, and Michael Carter joined together on 28 rushes for 133 yards, an average of 4.7 yards per run.  This, minus the services of Mehki Becton.

In my pre-game, I said:

We all know Bill Belichick will take away what little rushing ability the Jets have, play cover-two, and force Zack Wilson into making mistakes between the numbers.  The million-dollar question is, will Zack Wilson get baited into Belichick's traps.  He played last week with a less than full complement of ball handlers.  Some of those players should be available on Sunday.

We know how that turned out.  

Gang Green held the Patriots to 101 yards on the ground, only 186 yards passing, and even sacked Mac Jones three times.  Zack Wilson was 19/33 (57.5%) for 210 yards but forced too many passes and wound up throwing four interceptions, albeit two were tipped, which still doesn't detract from the fact he threw into heavy traffic.

The Jets even won time-of-possession, out-passed the Patriots by 76 yards, out-ran them by 51 yards, not to mention nine first downs on the ground.  But it's still too tricky surviving four turnovers.

The education of Zack Wilson continues.

N.Y. Jets: No Better Time To Underestimate The Patriots Than Now

From the desk: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK TWO

Patriots

vs.

JETS

Old Football Curmudgen Versus Rookie Head Coach

Week One - The Patriots were moving in for the kill last week against Miami when they fumbled away the ball with less than five minutes left in the game.  The Dolphins ran out the clock to win 17-16 at New England.  

That was one of two lost fumbles for the Patriots.  We know that's not happening again, at least not this upcoming Sunday.  

Rookie Mac Jones was 29/39 for 281 yards and a touchdown.  Four different receivers caught at least five passes, and he was sacked just once.  Damien Harris rushed for 100 yards by himself, and the Patriot defense held the Dolphins under twenty points while allowing only 259 total yards.

This is what the Jets face in Week Two.

Not coincidentally, the Jets managed 252 total yards against Carolina, but only 45 yards came on the ground.  Making matters worse, this week and moving forward, they'll be without standout offensive lineman Mekhi Becton.  That obviously negatively affects both the passing and running game.  The Jets yielded six sacks last week, but Zack Wilson stayed poised and threw two TD passes.

We all know Bill Belichick will take away what little rushing ability the Jets have, play cover-two, and force Zack Wilson into making mistakes between the numbers.  The million-dollar question is, will Zack Wilson get baited into Belichick's traps.  He played last week with a less than full complement of ball handlers.  Some of those players should be available on Sunday.

Otherwise, Sam Darnold and Mac Jones performed very similarly last week.  Carolina amassed 381 total yards against the Jets defense in just over 31:00 minutes in time of possession.

Then there's the coaching.  This is Sensei versus Grasshopper, Bill Belichick against Robert Saleh, an old football curmudgeon opposed by a rookie coach.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger ...

Hang in there, Jets fans.

N.Y. Jets: Stuck on the Tarmac After Week One Loss

From the desk: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK ONE

Jets             14

PANTHERS  19

FINAL 

Sam, I Am, Defeats Former Team; Zack Wilson Has Representative Debut

You know, down deep inside, Sam Darnold is reveling at the moment.  Facing his former team, Sam threw 24/35 (68.5%) for 279 yards, with a touchdown pass to his favorite former teammate Robby Anderson and one rushing touchdown on a draw play.  His new teammate Christian McCaffrey rushed for 98 yards on 21 rushes and caught another nine passes for 89 yards.  Yeah, Sam is happy.

Jets fans, not so much ...

Give Matt Ammendola the game ball!

It was that kind of game.

In the second half, right tackle Mekhi Becton sustained a right knee injury and needed to be carted off the field.  That's a huge blow.  Otherwise, the entire offensive line had a bad day at the office.  We know everyone is expecting the Jets to run.  In turn, they rushed 17 times for just 45 yards.  Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Zack Wilson was sacked six times and hit another ten times.

Under duress, Zack Wilson still threw 20/37 for 258 yards with two TD passes and one interception.  He and Corey Davis connected five times for 97 yards and both touchdowns.

Time of possession was decently close.  Carolina held the ball for just over thirty-one minutes.  The Panthers achieved 18 first downs while the Jets made 14 first downs.  The Jets defense did a much better job in the second half, holding the Panthers to three points.  But they recorded just one sack and managed eight other hits on Darnold, hardly disruptive.

The real problem on defense was Christian McAffrey -- the young Jets had no answer.