The Jets dominated the Patriots on Thursday night time in each approach throughout a 24-3 victory at MetLife Stadium. The Jets are actually 2-1 for the primary time since 2015. Listed below are some ideas and observations from the sport:
1. The Jets wanted a sport like this. Every week after exhibiting they will win a dirty sport on the highway after they don’t play completely, they confirmed they will dominate an inferior opponent at dwelling. That’s what good groups do. The Jets have now proven they’re workforce. They aren’t an important workforce but. A terrific workforce would have gone on the highway and no less than taken the 49ers to the wire. However they’re workforce.
The Jets are clearly within the second tier of the NFL groups proper now and that could be a good place to be three weeks into the season. You don’t should be at your peak in September. That may are available December and January if the Jets are who they assume they’re.
On an evening when the Patriots regarded terrible, it is very important keep in mind a lesson you may be taught from the Patriots dynasty groups. They usually had gradual begins to a season. Invoice Belichick felt the primary month was an extension of the preseason. What number of instances did individuals write the Patriots off early solely to look at them reel off 10 wins in a row on the way in which to the Tremendous Bowl?
It’s clear now the Jets misplaced that opener in San Francisco to a greater workforce in robust circumstances. However the Jets have now overwhelmed two lesser opponents in numerous methods. Thursday night time’s win was dominant in each approach. The offense rolled up 400 yards and had no turnovers. The protection allowed no touchdowns and sacked Patriots quarterbacks seven instances.
This was a butt kicking and it’s precisely what the Jets wanted to point out on this spot.
2. Right here is the factor about Aaron Rodgers’ night time: I’d be onerous pressed to call one throw I assumed was probably the most spectacular of the night time. He didn’t have any jaw-dropping, make you say “Wow” throws on this sport. As an alternative, he was simply lethal correct and set his receivers up for lengthy runs after the catch. The longest cross play of the night time was a 27-yarder to Allen Lazard and most of these yards got here after the catch.
The time period “sport supervisor” has gotten a nasty connotation to it however I say it as a praise to Rodgers. He’s in complete management of the sport and places the Jets in the appropriate spot in seemingly each scenario. It’s superb to look at a quarterback who doesn’t appear to panic and make unhealthy throws. Rodgers’ one interception this season got here on a deflected cross. It was not an important throw, nevertheless it additionally wasn’t one I’d name dangerous.
Rodgers minimizes danger. Meaning you received’t see him bombing the ball downfield 50 yards too usually however you additionally received’t see a senseless throw into double protection for an interception that Jets followers have seen from their quarterbacks for years.
Thursday’s efficiency by Rodgers was a factor of magnificence to look at. He picked the Patriots aside and threw to eight completely different targets. This model of Rodgers isn’t going to place up prolific numbers however he’s going to be so environment friendly it received’t matter.
3. Final week on this area I argued that Haason Reddick had gained leverage after the season-ending harm to Jermaine Johnson and it was time for Joe Douglas to discover a answer. I nonetheless assume the Jets want Reddick within the long-term however Will McDonald has quieted the cries within the short-term. McDonald had two sacks on Thursday night time after notching three towards the Titans final Sunday. McDonald resides as much as his first-round draft pedigree and the Jets cross rush appears simply high-quality with out Reddick proper now.
McDonald’s emergence is big for the Jets who want somebody to interchange the manufacturing they bought from Bryce Huff final 12 months. McDonald appears like he can do this. I nonetheless assume the Jets want Reddick if they’re going to win massive video games down the stretch. I’m interested by a sport at Arrowhead in January when Patrick Mahomes may not be as straightforward to get to as Jacoby Brissett. The Jets want Reddick to bookend with McDonald for video games like that. However McDonald has quieted the panic about Reddick for now along with his performances within the final two weeks.
4. There have been so many issues to love in regards to the Jets offense on Thursday night time however one piece that also appears off is the timing between Rodgers and Garrett Wilson. They missed one another a number of instances within the sport the place it regarded like they weren’t on the identical web page. Rodgers threw earlier than Wilson was out of his break or Wilson made a transfer and Rodgers held the ball. Rodgers credited their first three opponents with their concentrate on taking Wilson away. The Patriots had high cornerback Christian Gonzalez following Wilson on Thursday night time. Sure, it’s true defenses are out to cease Wilson, however he’s a No. 1 wideout and Rodgers is a four-time MVP. They need to have the ability to counter what defenses are throwing at them and get extra manufacturing for Wilson, who had 5 catches for 33 yards and a landing on Thursday.
Revealing stat
The Jets have 14 sacks this season after getting seven on Thursday night time. It’s the first time the Jets have that many sacks by means of the primary three weeks of the season since sacks turned an official stat in 1982. It’s the first time since 1985 the Jets have recorded no less than three sacks in every of their first three video games of a season.
Shocking snap depend
Rookie DT Leonard Taylor performed 24 snaps (46 %). Clearly, the Jets needed some added beef in the midst of the line of defense towards the run-heavy Patriots however I used to be stunned to see Taylor, who was inactive the primary two video games, get extra enjoying time than fellow defensive linemen Micheal Clemons, Jalyn Properties and Javon Kinlaw.
Sport ball
Rodgers was all the pieces Jets followers dreamed about on Thursday. He went 27-of-35 for 281 yards with two touchdowns and confirmed he can nonetheless transfer. He escaped the pocket a number of instances and even had an 11-yard run.
