Jets Show Fight, Hold Off Woeful Jaguars

 JETS 26 - JAGUARS 21 

For those Jets fans who wanted Gang Green to lose to Jacksonville for draft position, look away.  With 20 players, and head coach Robert Saleh, on the COVID-protocols list the Jets found a way to hold off Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-21 at MetLife Stadium. 

Gang Green was powered by the running of running back Michael Carter, who gashed the Jags for 118 yards on 16 carries. And they were led by Braxton Berrios' 103-yard kick return for a touchdown that gave the Jets a 13-9 lead in the second quarter. 

Berrios also had five catches for 37-yards to lead the Jets. A free agent-to-be, Berrios made a huge case for the Jets to extend him a major contract.  Berrios has been the Jets most consistent presence offensively all season, and was deserving of  Pro Bowl bid. 

Of course this game was supposed to be about the battle between quaterbacks Zach Wilson and Lawrence, the first and second overall picks in last spring's draft. While Wilson got the upper hand with the victory, really neither quarterback was truly outstanding.

There were some "wow moments," like Wilson, eluding a sack, and streaking down the sideline for a 52-yard touchdown that gave the Jets a 6-3 lead in the first quarter. 

There were also some head scratching moments. 

 

Wilson wasn't that accurate, an issue that continues to plague the Jets rookie signal caller. He was 14-of-22 for 102 yards. He came close to tossing a couple of interceptions, but got lucky they were dropped by the Jaguars. The best thing he did all day was not lose the game, turn around and hand the ball off to Carter, and Tevin Coleman. 

Running the ball was the only way the Jets could stay out in front and beat this Jaguars team. 

Perhaps the biggest head scratching moments for the Jets wasn't even Wilson's fault. Acting Head Coach Ron Middleton, twice opted to go for it on fourth down rather than settle for field goals. That almost came back to bite the Jets. 

In the second quarter, Wilson guided the Jets all the way down to the Jaguars' two-yard line, but the Jets couldn't punch it in. Instead of kicking a field goal to take a 16-12 lead into the break, the Jets opted to go for it on fourth and goal, and Wilson's hurried throw to Denzel Mims fell incomplete. Jets led instead 13-12. 

The second Jets gaff came in the third quarter when they failed to take advantage of a Lawrence fumble. Wilson couldn't move the Jets any closer than the Jaguars eight yard line.  The Jets were already leading 16-12 at this point. A field goal gives the Jets a 19-12 lead. Instead, the Jets tried to catch the Jaguars sleeping by going for a fake field goal. It failed miserably as Brandon Mann was tackled one yard shy of the first down marker. 

In short, the Jets gave the Jags every chance to comeback. 

As for Lawrence he was a mixed bag. There were a lot of missed reads. He overthrew his intended receiver by a mile in the end zone on an opening drive that resulted in a Jaguars field goal.  

There were also moments where he displayed the arm talent that made him the number 1 pick in the draft. With the Jets holding onto a 26-21 lead, Lawrence guided the Jaguars down to the Jets five-yard line by going a perfect five-for-five passing for 43 yards, and running 26-yards to the five. Then the mistakes happened. 

He tossed an incompletion on first down; he was nearly picked off by CJ Mosley on second down before the ball ended up the hands of Marvin Jones at the Jets' one yard line. After spiking the ball on third down, the Jets sent a heavy blitz on Lawrence, who hurried the throw out of bounds, solidifying the win for the Jets. 

A win is a win. It wasn't pretty, but the Jets displayed some grit in the victory. They doubled their win total from a year ago, and got a win against a team they should have beaten.