Jets' grades vs. Jaguars: Offense, special teams highlight good marks all around
Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich celebrates with safety Chuck Clark after a stop against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of an NFL game Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. Credit: AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack
OFFENSE: A-
The Jets put up seven points in the first half, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time this season. The second half was a different story as Aaron Rodgers completed nine passes for 198 yards and two TDs just to Davante Adams. The receiver could have had a third TD on the Jets’ final drive, but he was tackled at the 1 on the winning drive. Breece Hall punched it in to give the Jets the lead.
DEFENSE: B
With Trevor Lawrence out, the Jets went up against former Patriots flop Mac Jones and still gave up 25 points. But at least the unit picked up its first two interceptions since Week 5. Jalen Mills picked off Jones in the first quarter and Sauce Gardner sealed the victory with an INT on the final Jacksonville drive. When it mattered most, the defense snuffed out the Jaguars’ final drive.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A-
Ashtyn Davis picked up a first down with a 21-yard jaunt on a fake punt on the Jets’ first drive, leading to a touchdown. Davis punctuated the scamper with an impressive vault over a Jacksonville defender. Anders Carlson missed a 48-yard field goal attempt with 7:47 left in the fourth and the Jets trailing 22-17.
COACHING: B
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich and play-caller Todd Downing deserve credit for figuring out how to unleash Adams in the second half after the receiver had zero catches (one drop) in the first half. But they made a head-scratching call on the Jets’ final drive when, with a chance to run down the clock to almost zero before setting up a chip-shot, last-second field-goal attempt for the win, the Jets had Hall run it in from the 1 on first down. That gave the Jaguars the ball back with 1:08 left and two timeouts.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
