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The Jets are living right . . .
Not taking anything away from their impressive three wins this year, but some things broke their way in these games that, along with their strong will, helped them win these games.
Against Cleveland, aside from the perfect storm at the end of the game which we’ve been over, the Browns losing Jadeveon Clowney in the third quarter of that game was huge for the Jets. The Jets were having a really hard time blocking both Clowney and Myles Garrett, so after Clowney left, they doubled Garrett, and their offense started to function better.
Against Pittsburgh, they faced the Steelers sans their best defensive player, and perhaps the NFL’s best defensive player, outside linebacker T.J., the NFL’s reigning sack king. They also faced Mitch Trubisky, who is not an NFL starter, then rookie Kenny Pickett in his first NFL action in the second half and he threw three picks.
Against Miami, the Dolphins were playing their backup QB, who got hurt on the Dolphins’ first offensive play, so they faced raw seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson, who was forced into action and isn’t ready. Also, the Dolphins were without both starting corners (Xavien Howard and Byron Jones), they were missing their starting right tackle (Austin Jackson) entering the game, and then lost starting left tackle Terron Armstead in the first quarter. So both starting offensive tackles, both starting cornerbacks, and playing a seventh-round rookie QB most of the game.
Hat-tip to the Jets for winning these games, but man, have things been falling into place for them.
But you know what, the Jets have had a lot of bad luck over the years, so maybe it’s their turn to have some of the good kind . . .
Jermaine Johnson was seen leaving the stadium in a walking boot on his right ankle, so it might be a high ankle sprain, so don’t expect him in Green Bay, but Bryce Huff is more than capable of filling in. What Huff has, which is so important for pass rushers, is the flexibility to bend the corner. This isn’t easy. It’s one of the things that makes Von Miller so great. He dips under tackles. Not comparing Huff to Miller, that would be ridiculous, but just talking about an important characteristic for edge-rushers.
Johnson has had some issues setting the edge, and he has company. Even in this impressive win for the Jets on Sunday, they struggled against the run again, with Raheem Mostert rushing for 113 yards.
With Green Bay, and backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon up next, they better bring their A-Game against the run in Lambeau next week.
Overall, they gave up 137 yards on Sunday to a team with two backup offensive tackles for most of the game . . .
Kwon Alexander had a heck of game tying for the team lead in tackles with 10, and had a big-time hit on Tyreek Hill in the third quarter, and also stopped Raheem Mostert on a pitch left on fourth-and-one for a loss of four in the fourth quarter . . .
After Robert Saleh addressed the media in the press conference room at MetLife, Zach Wilson was brought in, but a lot of reporters left to go to the locker room which had just been open.
This might sound rude, but you need to go where the story takes you.
Wilson didn’t have a huge impact in this game. He was 14-21 for 210 yards and no touchdown, and 76 of those passing yards came on a pass to a wide-open Breece Hall on a blown coverage. He did have a rushing TD as well.
Reporters needed to get into the locker room to talk to the likes of Breece Hall, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Sauce Gardner and RB Michael Carter (two touchdown runs).
But if the Jets are going to beat the Green Bay Packers next week, they will need a well-attended Wilson press conference after the game.
In other words, Wilson having a great game.
Becaus you can beat Skylar Thompson-led team without much from your QB, but facing Aaron Rodgers, you will need your QB to bring more to the table to keep up with the future Hall-of-Famer on the scoreboard . . .
I messed up.
I wrote the other day I didn’t think the Jets would play Alijah Vera-Tucker at right tackle, but they did.
I didn’t read the tea leaves right. Sorry about that.
I wouldn’t have done it, because they have four right tackles on the roster, but they won 40-17, so clearly it worked out well.
October 9, 2022
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