Three takeaways from the Jets' Week 10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals
Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich makes a call during the first half of an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Glendale, Ariz. Credit: AP/Ross D. Franklin
1. The defense was overmatched and unprepared
The Jets’ 31-6 loss in Arizona on Sunday was a terrible and embarrassing performance by Jeff Ulbrich’s group.
They spent so much time talking about the Cardinals’ rushing attack and stopping James Conner that they didn’t spend enough time planning and preparing for Arizona’s passing game. Ulbrich admitted as much, which does not reflect well on him or his staff. “They probably passed the ball a little bit more than maybe we anticipated,” he said.
Kyler Murray threw only two incompletions all game, going 22-for-24. He completed his last 17 passes. This was humiliating on so many levels defensively. The Cardinals still ran the ball well, rushing for 147 yards, and totaled 406 yards of offense, the second-most the Jets have allowed this season.
The Jets’ tackling, which has been an issue, was a big problem. Cardinals players were bouncing off defenders or running through and over them. Arizona scored on its first five possessions. Great defenses don’t allow that to happen. The Jets have an overrated defense.
2. The offense was overmatched and unprepared
The Cardinals are not considered a top-level defense, but they shut down the Jets’ alleged vaunted offense that thought it had found itself in the Halloween win over the Texans. Arizona entered ranked 19th in total defense and 24th in passing defense, but the Jets made the Cardinals look as if they’re top five.
It’s unfathomable that a team that features Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall can’t get in the end zone. Adams said they faced a lot of looks that the Jets didn’t practice for during the week. Their offensive coaches didn’t adjust.
“Based on what they were running,” Adams said, “it was a little bit of a Rolodex on defense and we didn’t have an answer on time many times.”
Rodgers, who wasn’t sharp, usually makes up for some bad play calls. He couldn’t. It was an ugly offensive game overall.
3. Making a run? Stop!
There was more talk by Rodgers and Adams about a lack of energy. That’s unacceptable when the Jets are playing must-win games every time they take the field. This was the second time they felt great about themselves after a big Thursday night win and did not score a touchdown in the next game.
They’re not serious enough or they’re overconfident and they don’t come out with the required urgency of a team in their position.
The Jets can’t keep talking about making a run when they have all these bad habits and traits that consistently show themselves.
Linebacker Quincy Williams said everyone needs to worry about that day and that game and stop looking ahead. “My mindset is focus on the day-to-day, week-to-week,” Williams said. “Not ‘we got a lot of season left.’ I ain’t trying to hear none of that. I’m worried about the right now.”
There’s reason to worry. The Jets are underachieving and underperforming, and there are so many obvious reasons why.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
