Jets' grades for Week 11 loss vs. Colts: The defense failed them when they needed them most
Aaron Rodgers of the Jets talks with offensive coordiantor Todd Downing during the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
OFFENSE: D-
Scoring a season-high 27 points is the only reason they avoid the F. The first half was some of the worst football in decades, going five possessions without a first down. Eventually there was some movement and Breece Hall scored touchdowns rushing and receiving, but it was too late as the Jets fell to the Colts, 28-27 at MetLife Stadium. Aaron Rodgers attempted one pass that went 15 yards or more in the air; that’s obviously not what he was brought here to do. He managed just 184 passing yards going 22-for-29. While Rodgers and Davante Adams seemed to click a bit better than in recent weeks (6 catches, 72 yards), Garrett Wilson just couldn’t get going (4 catches, 18 yards).
DEFENSE: F
At what point should we go back to calling the guy who should be the team’s best defender “Ahmad” instead of the “Sauce” nickname he certainly isn’t living up to? Allowing the Colts to score touchdowns on their last two possessions is, well, indefensible. Making Anthony Richardson look closer to Johnny Unitas as a passer than he has in his entire career (20-for-30, 272 yards) is baffling. There were a few good parts: Not many missed tackles, holding Jonathan Taylor to 57 yards on 24 carries, and forcing a takeaway early in the third that seemed as if it had given the team momentum. But the Jets needed the D to make a stop in the end and they flunked that test.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B
Anders Carlson, the fourth different Jets kicker in four games, connected on a career-long 58-yard field goal as well as a 35-yarder and all three of his extra points. We’ll see which kicker-needy team poaches him from the Jets’ practice squad this week. Punter Thomas Morstead was a busy man in the first half and although his first attempt went too far for a touchback he later put one out of bounds at the 16. The coverage could have been better on those punts; Josh Downs averaged 12.3 yards on three punt returns and Ashton Dullen had a 43-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
COACHING: F
Running the team and calling the defense is proving too big an onus for Jeff Ulbrich and he should delegate the down-to-down responsibility during the bye. It’s hard to crush him for trusting the defense and kicking the field goal late for a five-point lead, but he should have taken the delay of game flag rather than burn a timeout after trying to draw the Colts offsides. He said he tells owner Woody Johnson that he takes full responsibility for this debacle. That’s noble, but it probably should be the other way around.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
