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Okay, so the New York Jets played on national television (again) this Saturday. Would the bleeding from a 4-9 season be bandaged for a week, or become more infected? Well, a 34-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins should provide the answer (it’s the second choice).
Dec 17, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Bilal Powell (29) runs the ball against Miami Dolphins corner back Bobby McCain (28) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Now that I’ve started this piece with some warmup trivia, why not keep it going? Here’s the question: It WOULDN’T be a New York Jets game without:
A. Being reminded through commentating laughter that the Jets don’t utilize the tight end position
B. Darrelle Revis getting lit up like a Lite-Brite on Christmas Day in the 80’s
C. Ryan Fitzpatrick finding himself in an NFL game, and us reminding ourselves that he is from Harvard
D. All of the above
If you’re a Jets fan or have caught a glimpse at a game, you’d quickly (and most likely, in anguish) chose choice D. All of these were painfully apparent against the Miami Dolphins.
Well, that’s it for tonight’s post-game trivia. Now, onto the grades. That’s what we are here for, right? I lost track, kind of like the defensive line has with its production. Okay, I tried. Let’s move on, before the jokes just get worse.
Dec 17, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty (9) throws a pass against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Quarterback Bryce Petty: C
Earlier this week, NJ.com Jets reporter Connor Hughes wrote a piece titled “Jets learning to deal with Bryce Petty’s Brett Favre-like play style.” The article was phenomenal, and if the play style of Favre wasn’t apparent in last week’s game, it certainly was this Saturday night. Petty is a risk-taker, and can you blame him with that cannon he has for an arm? He’s young and has been in-sync with rookie speedster Robby Anderson, which I believe gives him more reason to take chances. Not to mention, he’s in control of a 4-9 (now 4-10) team.
Petty had a beautiful throw to Anderson for a 40-yard touchdown on the Jets’ opening drive, something Jets fans are very unfamiliar with. Later on, Petty showed his youth, which, when combined with risk-taking tendencies, can quickly change games. He threw a pass basically into the breadbasket of defensive end Cameron Wake. The play looked like a designed throw in which Petty had one read and one read only, and simply didn’t see Wake drop back in coverage. How you don’t see a 6’3″, 269-pound man in front of your eyes is beyond me, but again, I’m sitting here writing, and Petty is on the football field.
He would miss throws both short and long to multiple receivers throughout the game, finishing 20-36 with 235 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He was also part of a Suh-and-Wake dinnertime special, basically becoming a sandwich between the two, due to the poor offensive line performance.
Running Back Bilal Powell: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (Again? Yes.)
Dear Mr. Powell,
Please, never leave New York. You are the only one out of a select few who seem to play with some heart. Why couldn’t head coach Todd Bowles and everyone else see that you should’ve been starting since Week 1, and not have gotten Matt Forte? You get the gist. Be well.
Sincerely,
Jaiden Campana (That’s right, I hyperlinked myself)
OKAY GUYS. BILAL POWELL IS THE HEART OF THIS TEAM. Excessive use of caps? Probably, but seriously, THIS. GUY. I don’t even know what to write because all I want to do is repeat the first sentence of this paragraph. He’s got an insane first-step. The ability to make plays out of the backfield in both the running and passing game is rare.
Look around the league. Guys like David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell do so much damage to defenses with their dual-threat ability. I’m not saying Powell is as skilled as those two, but at least put him in the conversation and category as them, in respect. He brought in 11 (!!!!!!) receptions for 78 yards and rushed for 84 on 16 carries.
Caught up in a storm that has been this season, and surely what being in New York can bring, Powell has been one of the few lights that have refused to go out. There’s nothing I want more than to see him in a Jets uniform for a long, long time. Truly something special.
Nov 27, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson (11) runs the ball against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Wide Receiver Robby Anderson: A
Anderson has really shown a lot this season. He’s most definitely a playmaker that I would’ve liked to have seen utilized more in the beginning of the season. But, we had Quincy Enunwa fulfill that role, and as a Jets fan, you can’t get too “greedy.” Anderson shows his speed every
Anderson shows his speed every play and put it on display with a beautiful 40-yard touchdown reception on New York’s opening drive. He’d also adjust for a great catch on the play that Petty got sandwiched on. I didn’t see anything wrong with his game on Saturday.
Also to note: Anderson has made it six straight games with a reception of 20-or-more yards.
Oct 30, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson (11) celebrates with wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (81) after Enunwa scored a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Wide Receiver Quincy Enunwa: B
Enunwa was targeted nine times, but would only haul in five of those targets for 64 yards. The Favre-like tendencies that Petty possesses came to haunt Enunwa, as the accuracy just wasn’t there.
Throughout the year, Enunwa has been inconsistent, but you can’t blame him. You surely can blame how blasphemous the Jets’ quarterback situation is week after week. This takes a toll on everyone. Look how underutilized Enunwa and
More from The Jet Press
Look how underutilized Enunwa and Brandon Marshall are now that Anderson and Powell are stealing the show with Petty at the helm. Regardless, Enunwa is having a career year, and there is nothing fans want more than to see further progression next year.
Dec 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New York Jets defensive tackle Leonard Williams (92) celebrates with defensive end Sheldon Richardson (91) after Richardson
The Defensive Line: C-
Now, as a disclaimer, I’m going to be doing my defensive grades by levels; D-line, linebackers, and the secondary. It just makes it a lot easier.
Throughout the season, we’ve seen how badly Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson have performed, and it just. Doesn’t. Change. They both contributed a whopping four combined tackles, with Richardson adding a quarterback hit. It was, as it has been all season, Leonard “Big Cat” Williams playing hard on the defensive line. He had six tackles, good enough to tie for second on the team for the night, one of which counted as a tackle-for-loss.
The unit as a whole was unable to get to Matt Moore, who would have a career-day against the Jets. One thing they were able to do, though, was stop the “J-Train,” also known as Jay Ajayi. He was held to only 51 yards on 19 carries, compared to his 111 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown in their first meeting.
Oct 17, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee (50) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Linebackers: C
There’s really not much to write here. You could see the weird mix that the Jets hold. A veteran in David Harris, mixed with the youthful hopefuls that are Jordan Jenkins and Darron Lee. Lee, as I always say, played hyped-up.
He was able to stay away from being lost with receivers and tight ends, which he is outrun and outmuscled by. The three combined for 13 tackles, and both a quarterback hit and sack, courtesy of Jenkins. I would like to see the Jets continue to bring in the youth for the remainder of the season, and see how they mix in with this interesting linebacking-group.
Oct 30, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Jets won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
The Secondary: SJ (Worse than an “F.” “SJ” stands for “So Jets.”)
Yikes. That’s basically it. How could the unit that was so strong last year, become so depleted this year? injures, yes. Unmotivated ball, yes. But, my goodness. They gave Moore – a guy who hasn’t started since 400 B.C.. – a CAREER GAME. This man came in and basically said “lol what is this, a middle school defense?” Not even a high school defense. A middle school defense. I’m not even sure if middle school’s have football teams, but if they did, the Jets’ secondary would “lead the charge.”
Darrelle Revis might as well have been in New York at the ice-rink, because he was put on skates all night by DeVante Parker and Jarvis Landry. Even though they combined for four total catches, replays showed Revis playing about 5 miles off-coverage, and being beaten on pretty standard slant patterns. That’s my weekly rant on Revis.
2016 fourth-round pick Juston Burris was burned worse than a hand put on a stove left on for three days. Kenny Stills brought him to school on a 52-yard touchdown reception. It was Stills’ lone catch of the night, as the Jets brought the house, leaving Burris in single-coverage with Stills. Burris would redeem himself, though, as he came up with an interception off of Moore in the beginning of the third quarter. If there’s one thing to note of the secondary play, is that Burris has more interceptions than Revis.
