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As you all know by now, Justin Fields played one series in Green Bay, and led the Jets on a 10-play, 79-yard TD drive.
A great start for the man that the Jets’ new football brass has entrusted to handle the all-important QB spot in a QB-driven league.
While the Jets brass, and many of the team’s faithful were thrilled with what they saw from #7, what is the objective truth about what we saw?
What I’m about to write is not intended to take away anything from what Fields accomplished on this drive. Bottom line – he did a great job, and the result of the possession speaks for itself.
If the Jets can bottle this drive and repeat it myriad times this season, they could challenge for a playoff spot.
This is exactly the formula they need to use with their new quarterback: run the ball with the running backs and the quarterback, along with one-read throws behind good pass protection.
This drive was a perfect storm.
We are not going to go in the exact order of the plays on this drive, as we break down this drive, which was QB nirvana for Fields’ skill set.
Let’s start with the two key runs on this drive, one by a running back and one by the QB himself.
In the middle of the drive, tailback Braelon Allen went for 14 yards up the middle.
There were several good blocks on this play, but one of the best was by Allen’s Wisconsin teammate, Joe Tippmann, who was playing left guard with John Simpson (back) out. Tippmann neutralized defensive tackle Colby Wooden, opening up a big hole.
Look, I’m not looking to bench Simpson, who is a solid player, but this configuration of Josh Myers at center and Tippmann at left guard, has to be enticing to some in the building. Tippmann could be an all-pro guard, and it would take the stressful shotgun snapping off his plate, which sometimes leads to the yips.
The drive wrapped up with Fields, on a third-and-five from the Packers’ 13-yard line, scrambled for a touchdown.
Another perfect storm scenario – several Packers defensive linemen rushed too far upfield (a problem the Jets constantly had with their old “all gas, no break’ approach on defense), allowing Fields to escape up the middle. This was an ideal scrambling scenario because the Packers were playing man-to-man coverage. Generally, QB sneaks work much better against man-to-man coverage, where defenders are trailing receivers, compared to a zone defense, where everybody keeps their eyes on the QB and where he is looking.
Now, let’s look at the three successful passes on this drive that helped the Jets matriculate down the field.
All three throws were over the short middle right in Fields wheelhouse – essentially right in front of him – no head turning necessary.
First to WR Tyler Johnson for a six-yard gain on third-and-five.
Then two passes to fullback Andrew Beck, one for 12 yards and the second for 24,
Once again, not looking to take anything away from the solid work Fields did on this drive, but all three of these passes were on wide-open receivers right front and center over the short middle against a Packers soft zone.
Awesome first drive for the Jets’ new signal-caller.
Jets OC Tanner Engstrand called a great drive.
Fields executed the calls well.
Just warning people – don’t think that this perfect storm is going to happen all the time.
This was a well-executed drive against a vanilla defense in the preseason opener.
After this game, it’s highly unlikely that teams are going leave that short middle as wide open to the Jets’ passing game as they did on this drive.
But definitely a good start.
August 11, 2025
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