With a 30-14 loss to the Patriots on Sunday, the Jets stumble into their bye week with an 0-3 record.
Between injuries, unimaginative gameplans, terrible offensive line play and numerous holes in the secondary, the Jets were a flat out eyesore in yet another loss against New England. When the team’s best source of offense is its defense and special teams, there’s a problem. Especially when Adam Gase was supposed to bring New York’s offense to the next level in 2019.
Here are the best and worst players from the Jets’ Week 3 loss.
Dud: The Secondary
It’s understandable that the Jets secondary is going to struggle against Tom Brady. That happens even when the team is at full strength. What’s not understandable is the lack of creativity on the defensive side of the ball.
Gregg Williams ran a game plan that kept Baker Mayfield on his toes in Week 2. On Sunday, New England’s receivers were running free throughout the afternoon and there were several blown assignments and coverages that allowed the Patriots to wreak havoc.
Regardless of the injuries, the porous holes in the secondary are reminiscent of Todd Bowles’ defense. Nothing has changed and the Jets’ poor play in the secondary certainly reflected that.
Dud: The Offensive Line
Every time the Patriots rushed three or four men, it looked like they were having a team meeting in the Jets backfield.
New York has the second most money devoted to its offensive line in the NFL, but the unit sure hasn’t played like it. The group has become a turnstile, which has made life miserable for both Luke Falk and Le’Veon Bell. Criticism of Adam Gase aside, there isn’t a whole lot the team’s offensive front can do if they can’t block the other team.
Dud: Adam Gase
It’s hard to pin the blame on the head coach when the Jets are on their third quarterback and their offensive line couldn’t stop a nose bleed. That being said, there is still not an ounce of creativity from New York on offense.
With the offense depleted, the Jets need to open up the playbook and find ways to put points on the board. They need to steal points and possessions any way they can. Running wide receiver screens on third-and-nine and draws on third and longs is not going to get the job done.
Dud: DE Leonard Williams
Another week, another game where Leonard Williams was essentially invisible.
The Patriots have a makeshift offensive line with a new left tackle and center playing, but Williams was on the milk carton yet again. His only notable appearance in the game was when he was called for an illegal hands to the face penalty on a third-down stop and recorded a tackle late in the fourth quarter.
This is a crucial season for Williams and so far he has not played well at all. Many believed Gregg Williams would be the defensive coordinator to unlock his full potential, but that just hasn’t been the case.
Studs: CB Arthur Maulet, S Jamal Adams
Arthur Maulet and Jamal Adams are tied with Le’Veon Bell for the most touchdowns on the Jets with one. Seriously.
Maulet recovered a muffed punt for a touchdown to give the Jets their first points of the game. Adams scored his first career touchdown after intercepting Patriots backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham and returning it for six in garbage time.
The only positive that can be taken from this game is Maulet and Adams making plays. Maulet has taken a positive summer and created a role for himself on special teams. Adams had a tough week, making headlines for the wrong reasons, but he was able to put some of the noise to bed with his first career pick-six.
