After defeating the Falcons in their first win under Adam Gase, the Jets got a taste of reality in their 28-13 loss to the Saints on Saturday.
In what was deemed a final dress rehearsal for the starters, the Jets looked sloppy and combined for 31 penalties with the Saints. Between a lack of rhythm on offense, penalties and injuries in the secondary the Jets were unable to overcome Drew Brees and the Saints.
As is oftentimes the case with the preseason, other elements of the game stand out more than the final score. What’s more captivating than anything else are some of the numbers that popped up in the box score.
With that being said, here are four strange stats from the Jets’ second preseason loss.
31 Penalties
In a sloppy loss to the Saints, the two teams combined for 31 penalties.
While the Jets seemed to have cleaned up their act the past two games, an old issue reared its ugly head in the team’s final dress rehearsal. It does not appear to be a cause for concern, but it’s definitely something the team will need to clean up before Week 1.
Alex Brown’s snap count
Alex Brown played 38 defensive snaps on Saturday, which was the most of any defensive player.
As the Jets continue their carousel at defensive back, Brown was able to step up and play his best game thus far. He had five tackles and two passes defended, locking down Saints receivers for most of the night.
Brown gives the Jets a glimpse of hope as the cornerback room has been more doom than gloom.
Sam Darnold’s preseason numbers
Sam Darnold certainly did not have his best night as far as the preseason is concerned, but he still looked pretty good.
In his last tune-up before the regular season, Darnold had one drive where he shined, ending his preseason on a positive note, tossing a two-yard touchdown on his fifth and final possession of the night.
Darnold finished 8-for-13, 97 yards and one touchdown. He finished the preseason going 17-for-25 for 211 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Degrees of Separation
Tevaughn Campbell struggled on Saturday, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort.
Campbell’s coverage on All-Pro WR Michael Thomas wasn’t as bad as giving up a touchdown may have indicated. Thomas only had 0.8 yards of separation when the pass arrived, according to NFL Next Gen stats.
Campbell has come on strong as of late and like Alex Brown, he could push to play significant snaps for the Jets once the season begins.
