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The Jets deserve credit for beating the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but
it probably should not have been so close, with the Jets holding on for a 23-16 win.
The Browns were without their top four receivers, WR Rashard Higgins, WR KhaDarel Hodge, WR Jarvis Landry, and WR Donovan Peoples-Jones due to COVID-19, and two of their best offensive linemen, left tackle Jedrick Wills and right guard Wyatt Teller, due to non-COVID-19 medical issues.
That is a lot to overcome.
And not having their top four receivers, was like a late Christmas gift for the Jets, who have struggled in pass coverage this season, so taking Landry, Higgins, Peoples-Jones and Hodge out of the picture, was a major game-changer.
As was the absence of Wills, the Browns’ 2020 first round pick, selected 10th overall (right before Mekhi Becton), and Teller, an excellent run blocker. The Jets’ front absolutely dominated backup left tackle Kendall Lamm, and reserve right guard, rookie Nick Harris. Jets defensive end Basham gave Lamm fits all afternoon, and John Franklin-Myers and others beat up on Harris, with JFM’s efforts including a second quarter sack, and also pushing Harris back on skates in the fourth quarter, getting in Baker Mayfield face, and knocking down his pass attempt.
So with all these issues with the Browns’ offense, why did this game come down to the wire, needing a late PD by safety Mattias Farley, to prevent a late TD to tie the score (with the extra point)?
Simple. The Jets’ offense didn’t do enough to put away a reeling team. They needed a knock out punch or two from their offense, and it didn’t happen.
Sam Darnold completed 50 percent of his passes. As a long-time NFL QB once said to me about this kind of completion percentage: “It’s hard to sustain drives when every other pass is hitting the ground.”
Darnold’s accuracy was wildly inconsistent today; there were a number completion opportunities that were off-target.
Yes, Darnold had two touchdown passes against Cleveland, but on both plays, the targets were wide open, first Chris Herndon in the second quarter, and then Jamison Crowder in the third quarter.
He’s fine when primary reads are wide open, but on a play where you need the QB to go,: “One, two, three, check down” with his reads, this doesn’t happen enough.
It’s not his fault he struggles going through his progressions. It’s not a lack of effort. It’s a really hard thing to do, and a lot of young quarterbacks struggle with it. Reading defenses is like trying to master Quantum Physics. It’s so hard. Sure as heck I couldn’t do it.
Today against Cleveland, was kind of the same script we have seen from the QB many times before – too focused on his first read, and often when the first read wasn’t open, he abandoned the pocket. He did have some decent scrambles, and street-yard throws, after leaving the pocket, but he needs to win a lot more from the pocket if he wants to take that next step as a QB.
How does Denzel Mims have no catches?
As CBS analyst Jay Feely said during the Jets’ recent loss to Seattle, Darnold probably needs a fresh start somewhere else:
“I think Sam Darnold going somewhere else and starting fresh is probably the best thing for him,” said Feely.
And maybe Darnold’s recent games against the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams and Browns will help with his trade value. Sometimes people in other cities see the highlights, and view things a little differently then those up close.
The bottom line is the Jets deserve credit for winning, but this game shouldn’t have been a nail-biter.
December 27, 2020
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