It was not pretty, but somehow, someway the New York Jets came away with their first win of the year, a 24-17 triumph over the Tennessee Titans to improve to 1-1 on the season.
While it feels good to see Gang Green get back in the win column after a frustrating Week 1 loss last Monday in San Francisco, the Jets performance left a lot to be desired.
Yes, Aaron Rodgers look solid, if not unspectacular in the win. He completed 18-of-30 for 176 yards and threw two touchdowns. He had terrific touch on the football, and his accuracy was on point. He hit Breece Hall on a beautiful fade pattern down the sideline for a 26-yard touchdown that gave the Jets a 14-10 lead in the third quarter.
More importantly Rodgers spread the football around, and we got a glimpse of how dynamic this Jets offense can be when everything is working.
Mike Williams made a terrific catch on a perfect pass down the sideline to move the chains. Tyler Conklin and Malachi Corley each had catches on the day.
Still it wasn't perfect. For long stretches of this game, the Jets offense couldn't get on the field as the defense once again struggled to stop its opponent.
 |
| Braelon Allen. Getty Images. |
Only this time it wasn't the NFC Champion 49ers, but a young Tennessee Titans team. There were times Sunday where the Titans moved the football at will. Tony Pollard had 62-yards rushing with most of those carries coming in the first half of the ballgame, and at times, quarterback Will Levis looked dynamic for Tennessee.
His wild 40-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley in the third quarter that tied the game at 17 was the prime example. However for each big throw Levis made, he had his moments that left Titans coach Brian Callahan scratching his head.
For example, with Tennessee poised to score and grab a 14-0 lead, Levis inexplicably decided to toss the football laterally at the last minute. The play resulted in a fumble, recovered by Jets linebacker Quincy Williams.
Later, Levis heaved a ball down the middle of the ballpark that was picked off by Brandon Echols. The Jets quickly cashed in when Rodgers guided the Jets on a 12-play drive culminating in a touchdown pass to Braelon Allen to tie the game up at seven.
Late in the game with New York clinging to a 24-17 lead, the Jets defense almost blew it. Salomon Thomas had Levis in his grasp, but the quarterback worked out of a sack and scrambled up the middle to the Jets 10 yard line for anew set of downs.
Fortunately for New York, the Jets were able to put the clamps down at this point to preserve the win, but it certainly didn't come without any heartache.
INJURY
While the win is huge for the Jets, there was a price to pay, and that is the loss of defensive end Jermaine Johnson, who tore his Achilles in the fourth quarter. He is out for the season. That is a huge blow to a unit that was already thin in spots with corner back D.J. Reed having missed the game due to injury, and C.J. Mosely dinged up by injuries the past two weeks.
Does the Johnson injury mean the Jets finally negotiate with defensive end Haason Reddick who remains a hold out? The Jets need help badly on defense.
No comments:
Post a Comment