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One angle to keep in mind that makes the next game perhaps even more challenging for the Jets than last week is that Buffalo’s offensive line is much better than Pittsburgh’s.
This is a big deal because the Jets’ pass rush, led by Will McDonald’s two sacks, was excellent last week, one of the best parts of their outing against the Steelers.
But even with the great work of the Jets’ front, the team’s defense still gave up four passing touchdowns to Aaron Rodgers.
Obviously, that isn’t ideal. There were perhaps some blown coverages over the course of the Jets-Steelers game.
Now they have a QB, Josh Allen, coming to MetLife, coming off a miraculous 41-40 come-from-behind win over Baltimore. Allen is the reigning NFL MVP.
The Steelers’ line had a rough game last week, especially their left tackle Broderick Jones, who had a very bad game.
The right tackle had some issues as well.
The Bills’ line returns intact from last year, and is one of the best in the league. Obviously, their left tackle, Jets nemesis Dion Dawkins, is much better than Jones, at least right now.
So it will be quite challenging for the Jets’ pass rush to create the same kind of havoc.
And if they can’t, this might expose a back seven that struggled last week, even with a terrific pass rush. And keep in mind, now they face a QB who is much better at extending plays than Rodgers, so even if they do get a good rush, he often will create a “second play” and complete a pass.
If the Jets don’t improve the pass coverage of their back seven from last week, they will have a hard time winning this game . . .
As some like to say, “Football is chess on grass.”
And you saw a perfect example of great chess playing in the second quarter of the Jets-Steelers game by offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand.
In the second quarter, the Jets scored a TD on an 8-yard run up he middle by Braelon Allen.
On the play before that, Justin Fields burned the Steelers defense with a read option off right tackle, gaining 15 yards, going from the 23 to the 8. He faked a handoff to Braelon Allen to the left side, and he took off right tackle for a nice gain.
On the next play, they ran another read-option, but this time, instead of taking off to the right with the ball, Fields handed the ball to Allen, who went up the middle for a touchdown.
“[The Steelers] paused because they thought Justin Fields was going to keep the ball again,” said Steelers radio analyst Max Starks, a former NFL offensive lineman.
Terrific job by Engstrand juxtaposing these two calls back to back, and great execution by Fields and Allen . . .
Mason Taylor didn’t practice today due to an ankle injury.
Taylor suffered a high ankle sprain in early August, and it’s been lingering ever since.
It’s usually a 6-8 week injury, so he is only a month removed from it, and playing on it in the opener, perhaps exacerbated it. That isn’t meant as a criticism of any of the medical people. Many players play with this injury, sometimes with the help of a Toradol shot. However, just because you are back on the field playing, doesn’t mean you are 100 percent.
And looking back at the film of the Jets’ loss to Pittsburgh, there was a play that might have been illustrative of Taylor playing through this injury.
Late in the first quarter, after a Fields TD pass to Garrett Wilson, putting the Jets up 9-7, they attempted a two-point conversion, but an Allen run up the middle was unsuccessful. One of the reasons this run failed was Pittsburgh defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk pushing Taylor back into the runner.
Perhaps Taylor had issues anchoring on his injured ankle. It certainly looked that way . . .
As you probably know by now, the Jets cut the punt returner Xavier Gipson, who fumbled a kickoff on Sunday, leading to a Steelers score.
Some will perceive this as Aaron Glenn sending a message.
It’s possible.
This is something the former regime would never do.
I’m not saying the Jets should have cut Gipson – I never cut players or fire coaches in print. I think that is inappropriate. However, when you cut a player after a bad play, you certainly get the locker room’s attention with the pseudo message – “Screw up and you could be next.”
But keep in mind, the new regime has no equity in Gipson, who they inherited.
Do you think they would have cut 2025 draft picks Arian Smith or Malachi Moore if they had some bad plays in the opener – absolutely not.
Also, I could list a bunch of players who had really bad plays against the Steelers, just as bad as this fumble, and they are still with the team (see back seven pass coverage).
But you know what, if you are going to send a message by cutting a player, this is probably a good position to do it at.
There is no shortage of kick returners on planet earth, with plenty on the street as free agents, and the Jets added one of those guys in former Detroit Lion and Cincinnati Bengal Isaiah Williams.
September 10, 2025
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