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Early in the fourth quarter, on third-and-10, Justin Fields was sacked by Nick Bosa.
Fields took a major hit on this blindside sack, and that was the last we saw of him in the game. He was diagnosed with a concussion following this play.
On the play, Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor missed a block attempt on Bosa.
Taylor’s blocking wasn’t great in the opener either.
Like a lot of rookie tight ends, he needs some work on his blocking . . .
Jets’ offense was so bad for the first quarter and a half, and down 20-0, they went with a series that was all runs – three by Hall and three by Fields, and kicked a 51-yard field goal.
“They can’t do anything playing traditional offense, so they are going to see what Justin Fields can do with his legs,” said Bills radio analyst Eric Wood. “It looks like when the Jets ran traditional plays under center, they’ve had no success.”
Bills coach Sean McDermott and his defensive coordinator Bobby Babich had a great game plan for Justin Fields, creating confusing looks where the QB wasn’t consistently trusting his eyes.
They were also sending a lot of defensive back on run blitzes, clearly not that worried about the Jets’ passing attack, and that is one of the reasons the Jets’ rushing offense took a big step back from the Pittsburgh.
An example of one of these run blitzes was on a reverse to WR Arian Smith that cornerback Christian Benford stopped for a 10-yard loss.
McDermott and Babich were clearing challenging Fields and Jets OC Tanner Engstrand to beat them through the air, and they clearly couldn’t do it.
But I have no issue with how Fields played today. None. These kinds of games were on the film from his first four years. I have a strong belief that you don’t blame a player for doing what he did on film before his arrival. It’s kind of what you signed up for, isn’t it?
If you are looking for articles ripping Fields for his inconsistent accuracy or for holding the ball too long, you are on the wrong website.
I don’t blame him one iota for his struggles.
As Bill Parcells once said, “If a player shows you who he is, believe him.”
But like I wrote last week, the Jets will win games this year with Fields, but it will likely be against NFL MAC teams, not NFL SEC teams . . .
The following isn’t a defense of Michael Clemons, just the same honest assessment of the player I’ve offered about the player, that the team (old and new regime) clearly doesn’t agree with.
He gives you everything he’s got, he’s tough as boot leather, and strong as an ox, but he’s not blessed with speed, quickness, flexibility, or balance. None of that is his fault. It is the hand he was dealt.
I wrote in the past that he should be an offensive tackle at 6-5, 290 with arms like vines. He’s built like an offensive tackle, not a defensive end, at least not the kind of defensive end you generally see in 2025 in a much faster game than 25 years ago.
When he crashes into a QB, like he did Josh Allen on a third-and-19, it’s really not all a lack of discipline, but more a lack of ideal body control. Imagine D’Brickashaw Ferguson or Olu Fashanu trying to sack a QB – athletic offensive tackles, but not guys with the body control for defensive end.
I’m telling you, Clemons is an offensive tackle playing defensive end.
On the same drive as the roughing the passer, he was pancaked by an offensive lineman opening the hole that Josh Allen ran through for 40 yards. A man as powerful as he is, should not be taken to the ground this easily, but it’s not a power issue, but more a balance issue.
So as much as people want to destroy this man for his struggle, I blame the scouting process a little more than the player.
Why would any scouts view this man as a 4-3 defensive end? I challenge anybody out there to point out another 4-3 defensive end in the NFL built like this man, or as devoid of flexibility (which is not his fault). To me, the problem here is more of a scouting issue than a player issue. He’s miscast . . .
I asked Aaron Glenn after the game if he was thinking of getting more involved on the defensive side of the ball after the first two games, but he was escorted off the podium before answering.
September 14, 2025
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