It looks like the Steelers’ luck winning with backup quarterbacks has just about run out.
The Jets were able to knock off Pittsburgh 16-10 in a relatively ugly affair. The Steelers yanked their starting QB, Devlin Hodges, after he threw two interceptions in favor of Mason Rudolph. Rudolph then injured his left shoulder and Hodges was given a second chance, but he didn’t have enough to pull off a comeback.
Again, Gang Green’s offense couldn’t get in rhythm following its first drive of the game. Adam Gase’s offense played conservatively and was yet again unimaginative and stuck in time. However, New York’s defense pitched a second-half shutout thanks to standout performances from Marcus Maye and Quinnen Williams.
Let’s take a look at some interesting stats from New York’s sixth win of the season.
Robby Anderson’s late-season surge
On his 23-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, Robby Anderson beat double coverage and had 0.57 yards of separation when the ball arrived in the back of the end zone according to ESPN’s Next Gen Stats.
Anderson continued to make a late-season push for a lucrative contract extension on Sunday. He caught two passes for 32 yards and a score in the Jets 16-10 win over the Steelers on Sunday. In his past five games, Anderson has caught 24 passes for 402 yards and three touchdown receptions.
Home-Field Advantage
Despite MetLife Stadium being filled with terrible towels on Sunday afternoon, the Jets were able to win their fourth straight home game.
New York’s four-game home winning streak is its longest since the first half of the 2011 season. With the victory over Pittsburgh in Week 16, Gang Green finishes 2019 with a 5-3 mark at home.
Not bad for a team that started the season 1-6.
Winners of nail-biters
The Jets are now 4-1 in games decided by seven or fewer points in 2019.
Adam Gase, who is now 24-8 in one-score games in his career, called it a “point of emphasis” coming into the season. What the Jets may want to emphasize going into the 2020 season is consistency, as they have lost seven games by more than 14 points this season.
Just win
The Jets’ six wins are their most in a season since 2015.
For reference, the Jets were starting James Burgess, Arthur Maulet, Conor McDermott and Vyncint Smith on Sunday. New York has battled through injuries and controversies to have a real chance of finishing at 7-9 with a win over the Bills, who will likely sit their starters with their playoff seeding locked in.
