Jets' Week 1 grades: New season, same poor marks in opener

OFFENSE: This offense was supposed to be explosive with weapons everywhere. Yet the Jets didn’t score a touchdown until 59 minutes of game clock passed. This had nothing to do with Zach Wilson (knee injury) not being healthy. Joe Flacco has been running the starting offense for nearly a month. The veteran wasn’t at his best and was under pressure a lot from his former team. Flacco attempted 59 passes. He was sacked three times and hit 11 times. Flacco was playing behind an offensive line that just started playing together on Wednesday. This needs to be fixed before Wilson returns. Flacco had a bad interception after his receiver fell, but he shouldn’t have thrown the ball. Beside that there were drops and fumbles that killed potential scoring drives. Tyler Conklin had a fumble near the red zone. Rookie Breece Hall had a fumble in the red zone, Michael Carter dropped a touchdown pass. Corey Davis dropped a pass. It was all bad.

GRADE: F

DEFENSE: Jeff Ulbrich’s group got off to a great start. The Jets’ defense, maligned last year, held the Ravens to just three points over the first five series of the game. They contained Lamar Jackson and came up with a big stop inside the 10 after Flacco’s interception. That changed quickly as Jackson threw touchdown passes on three of the Ravens’ next four series (not counting a one-play possession just before the end of the half). The touchdowns were explosive plays – 25, 17 and 55 yards. The latter two to Devin Duvernay and Rashod Bateman were wide open. The Jets said they hoped to eliminate those explosive plays this season, but breakdowns on the back end allowed those big plays. Overall, the run defense was solid. The Ravens are usually one of the top running teams in the league. The Jets held them to 63 yards and Jackson to just 17.

GRADE: C-

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Jets still have a kicker problem. They chose Greg Zuerlein over Eddy Pineiro, who had a strong finish to last season. But Greg the Leg didn’t live up to his name. He missed a 45-yard field goal and an extra point. He also made one from 45 yards out. Punter Braden Mann had a 20-yard punt in the third quarter that gave the Ravens great field position. They made the Jets pay with a touchdown six plays later.

GRADE: F

COACHING: The defensive game plan was good. The Jets were fired up and made plays and held Jackson in check. The offense was stagnant. It’s not all on offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. The players have to execute. But it was certainly a disappointment. The still developing offensive line played a part in the struggles, but there really was no flow to the offense, no creativity and the tight ends were hardly involved. Tyler Conklin was targeted seven times, Lawrence Cager once and C.J. Uzomah wasn’t thrown to at all. The Jets did spread the ball around – Flacco threw 59 passes after all - but the easy ones to tight ends that were working and extending drives in camp and the preseason were missing.

GRADE: D+

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.