Despite the box score, the Jets’ offense looked decent against the Ravens in Week 14.
New York moved the ball well, but it failed to capitalize on a couple of quality scoring opportunities. The Steelers will be another tough test, featuring a third-ranked in total defensive DVOA per Football Outsiders and top-five pass and run defense DVOA. The Jets will need to lean on Sam Darnold to execute the offense and find gaps in the defense.
The biggest issue will be pass protection against one of the most ferocious pass rushes in the league. Pittsburgh knows how to get to the quarterback thanks to breakout linebacker T.J. Watt as well as defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and rookie linebacker Devin Bush. If the Jets can give Darnold room to operate behind the line of scrimmage they could find ways to score.
With that being said, let’s take a look at what it’s going to take for New York’s offense to thrive in Week 16.
Get Sam Darnold going
Without a reliable running game, the Jets need their young quarterback to step up and build sustained drives to put them in a position to put points on the board.
The Jets are significantly better when the passing game is clicking. They’re 5-1 and are averaging 22 points per game when Darnold throws for at least 250 yards. New York 1-6 and with 13.1 points per game when he totals below 250 passing yards.
Darnold looked solid against a tough Ravens defense despite only mustering 14 points. He led the Jets deep into Ravens territory five times, but a missed field goal, a failed fourth-down conversion and an interception took three potential scores off the board. The Steelers provide an equally difficult test as they allow only 204.1 passing yards per game and haven’t allowed at more than 250 passing yards since Week 6.
Target Robby Anderson
Darnold should look to Robby Anderson earlier and often against Pittsburgh as the fourth-year wideout is primed to continue to his hot streak in Week 16.
Anderson only caught four passes for 66 yards against the Ravens a week ago, but has averaged 5.25 receptions for 92.5 yards and two touchdowns over the past four games.
Anderson might have a difficult time against a potent Steelers secondary, but his skill set as a speed receiver should help him get close to his average. Anderson ranks 16th in the league with 15.5 receiving yards per target, and the Steelers have given up big numbers to similar players like John Brown (eight catches for 85 yards) and Christian Kirk (seven catches for 95 yards) in back-to-back-weeks.
Keep Darnold upright
Jets quarterbacks have been pressured heavily throughout this season.
They’ve been hurried 70 times (first), hit 43 times (tied for 11th-most) and sacked 48 times (fourth-most). That can’t continue against the Steelers, who lead the league in sacks with 49 and blitz on 35.6 percent of dropbacks (seventh-most) with 9.9 quarterback hits per dropback (third).
In order for New York’s offense to excel, Darnold needs to be able to find his receivers. That means holding back pressure from the line. The Jets have lost all four games when Darnold has been sacked at least three times. He eclipsed 250 passing yards only once in those games.
Give Le’Veon at least 20 carries
Adam Gase gave Bell 21 carries Thursday night against the Ravens, which matched his season-high from Week 2.
Bell turned his touches into a season-high 87 rushing yards against the fifth-best run defense in the league. The Jets should go back to that strategy, especially since the offense looked a lot more dynamic with Bell running well. He’ll have added incentive against the team that refused to meet his contractual demands as well.
The Steelers don’t boast as good of a run defense as the Ravens, but they’ve never allowed a single rusher to eclipse 100 yards in a game and only allow teams to rush for an average of 103.2 yards per game. Coincidentally, they did just give up 21 rushes for 87 yards to Bills rookie running back Devin Singletary, but that’s only the fifth time all season they allowed a back to rush for at least 70 yards in a game.
