Jets grades: Not a great day overall vs. Bills
Jets head coach Robert Saleh looks up from the sidelines during the first half of an NFL game against the Bills on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y. Credit: AP/Adrian Kraus
OFFENSE
The offensive line couldn’t handle the Bills’ blitz packages and it ended up hurting Mike White. The Jets’ quarterback took a number of big hits. He left the game twice, only to return. White was taken to an area hospital to get his ribs checked immediately after the game. The Jets gave up four sacks and eight quarterback hits. One of the sacks led to a fumble. Joe Flacco came in to replace White the second time and fumbled on his first drop-back. A more costly turnover came in the fourth quarter by Michael Carter with the Jets approaching the red zone. They were down 11 and if they scored a touchdown, the whole momentum of the game would have changed. The Jets were 1-for-2 in red-zone chances, a step up from last week when they were 1-for-6. Rookie running back Zonovan Knight scored the lone touchdown and ran the ball well.
GRADE: D
DEFENSE
They held Josh Allen in check for the most part, only allowed 2 of 13 third-down conversions and yielded only 232 total yards against this high-scoring team. That was the good. The bad happened after losing Quinnen Williams to a calf injury in the second quarter. All the Bills’ points came after that. There were too many mental mistakes and breakdowns. C.J. Mosley was flagged for encroachment on a fourth-and-1 on the Bills’ first touchdown drive. On that same series, Michael Carter II was called for the first of two costly penalties against him. The Jets also let tight end Dawson Knox roam free on the first touchdown. After the Jets tied it 7-7, they needed the defense to make a stand. They gave up a 32-yard pass to Stefon Diggs, Carter was later called for pass interference and Allen ran in for the touchdown.
GRADE: D
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jermaine Johnson blocked a punt out of the end zones for a safety and Greg Zuerlein made his only field goal and extra-point tries. Other than that, it wasn’t a great day for Brant Boyer’s group. Usually reliable Braxton Berrios didn’t field his first punt that ended up bouncing to the Jets’ 2. He also didn’t field his second one and was fortunate it bounced into the end zone. Long snapper Thomas Hennessy, who is also usually reliable, was flagged for a 10-yard holding penalty, giving the Bills better field position on their first scoring drive.
GRADE: C-
COACHING
The Jets didn’t do a good job of adjusting to all the blitzing Buffalo did and their quarterback took a beating. They should have run more. The Jets had 22 runs compared to 51 drop-backs. Running more would have kept some pressure off White. It wasn’t a good day for Carter. Knight averaged 4.2 yards per carry. The Jets should have kept feeding him instead of Carter at that critical time. Robert Saleh opted for the field goal on fourth-and-1 late instead of the touchdown. He said he went back and forth on that.
GRADE: D
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
