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Santa Clara, CA – Dan Leberfeld checks in from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara with some thoughts and Whispers coming out of the Jets’ OT win over San Francisco . . .
To the Jets’ credit, they came back from a 14-point deficit to defeat the 49ers 23-17 in overtime.
But let’s be honest, the Jets probably wouldn’t have won this game if not for the 49ers being a very poor team with a QB who is playing himself out of the league (four yards passing in the second half). They won this game on the back of Bilal Powell who was outstanding, and this begs the question what took so long for him to get some quality PT?
Bryce Petty did some good things, including an awfully impressive two-point conversion to pull the Jets within 17-14. He was not going to be denied as he scrambled into the end zone.
However, let’s not put Petty in Canton just yet. He is very uncomfortable in the pocket, whether it’s going through his progressive scans or feeling the pass rush.
He did some of his best work when plays broke down and he played street-yard ball. Perfect example of this was in overtime on his 26-yard pass to Robby Anderson.
Ben Ijalana got beat by defensive end DeForest Buckner, forcing Petty to scramble left out of the pocket, and he heaved a pass down field that Anderson caught.
Petty was scrappy, but he has a lot of work to do, and this game far from solidifies a hold on the Jets’ 2017 QB job.
“I’m not going to say he went out there and played lights out or he played at a level that a top-tier guy would play at,” said Brandon Marshall. “This is his second start and his second year. I’m just glad he made the plays when he was supposed to.”
Petty has got to get better at reading defenses.
But to his credit, he showed a lot of mettle and moxy in helping the Jets win this game . . .
Finally, the Jets got somebody else involved at outside linebacker – former CFL star Freddie Bishop, and he looked pretty good out there.
Mike Catapano failed to seal the edge on a 20-yard run by Carlos Hyde. He was pulled after this play and was replaced by Bishop, who earned a lot more playing time going forward. He showed some juice coming off the edge.
This isn’t Catapano’s fault. He’s a great kid who plays with a lot of heart. To play him at outside linebacker is unfair to him. It doesn’t fit his skill set. He doesn’t have the quickness for it.
I’d have him put on some weight and make him an offensive guard. I’m not kidding. I think he’d be a good one . . .
Dion Simon has turned into a terrific player. He had a key stop on fourth-and-two in overtime. He’s improved a great deal in Year Two. He has done a nice job of lowering his pad level . . .
Darrelle Revis needs to make more of an effort as a tackler. And if not, there is no way he can move to safety next year.
On the 49ers’ second possession, Carlos Hyde had a 47-yard run. In overtime, Hyde had a 25-yard run. On each of these plays, Revis was kind of running with Hyde down field, and feigning a tackle attempt. Another Jets cornerback used to do this a lot. It’s like you try to act like you are trying to make a tackle, but your really not.
It seems to me that Revis has developed a little bit of a distaste for tackling . . .
Wesley Johnson looks like a future star at center. He did a great job today, including having the key block on Bilal Powell’s TD in overtime, locking up Glenn Dorsey.
December 11, 2016
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