The Jets won their third consecutive game Sunday after a 1-7 start, improving to 4-7 on the season.
The team has now scored exactly 34 points three straight games in a row. That can be attributed to Adam Gase and Sam Darnold being on the same page, while the makeshift offensive line has done an excellent job of blocking.
New York played nearly a perfect game minus some mental mistakes. The Jets gained 401 yards of total offense, their second straight week of 400 yards or more.
For the Jets, it was another step in the right direction. Here are the best and worst players from the Week 12 victory.
Stud: QB Sam Darnold
This Sam Darnold kid sure can play.
After taking control of the offense and being more vocal with Adam Gase and Dowell Loggains about what works and what doesn’t, Darnold has never looked back.
He flourished both on the ground and in the air Sunday. Darnold went 20-29, throwing for 315 yards and scoring three total touchdowns. He connected with Robby Anderson and Ryan Griffin for one-yard scores while running in one of his own.
Stud: RB Le’Veon Bell
Even without scoring a touchdown, Le’Veon Bell had his best game of the season.
The Jets utilized Bell in the slot and out of the backfield and he was terrific. Bell had 12 carries for 49 yards and broke mutiple tackles. He also caught five passes for 59 yards. Again, Bell was able to go over 100 total purpose yards.
New York’s plan to get him involved in the passing game is certainly working and definitely should’ve been part of the team’s game plan sooner.
Stud: WR Braxton Berrios
The Jets’ win on Sunday was Braxton Berrios’ coming out party.
The punt returner has played sparsely on offense this season, but he provided a spark plug with a 69-yard catch-and-run to set up a Ryan Griffin one-yard touchdown catch.
Berrios also returned his first punt of the day for 31 yards and picked up an extra 15 yards on a roughing penalty from Raiders punter A.J. Cole. The Jets failed to score after setting up shop on Oakland’s 25-yard line, but Berrios still turned in his best game in green and white.
Stud: The Coaching Staff
Adam Gase has taken a lot of heat this season and for good reason, but the Jets head coach deserves credit for the way his team performed on Sunday.
Gase’s play-calling was spectacular. He was drawing up trick plays, allowing Sam Darnold to show off his mobility, lining up Le’Veon Bell in the slot and executing a perfect balance between the passing game.
Sunday marked the first time in franchise history that the Jets have had a lead of least 30 in consecutive games, and that reflects well on Gase.
On the other side of the football, Gregg Williams always has his troops ready to play. Derek Carr went 15-27, throwing for 127 yards and an interception while New York’s run defense held Josh Jacobs to 34 yards on 10 carries. The team’s patchwork defense played physical and flew around in the team’s 34-3 win, holding the Raiders without a touchdown.
Stud: CB Brian Poole
Thanks to No. 34, the Jets scored at least 34 points for the third consecutive week in a row.
Following Sam Darnold’s third touchdown of the day, Brian Poole intercepted Derek Carr and returned the ball for six. Poole’s pick-six was the first interception that Carr has thrown in four career games against the Jets.
Duds: OL Alex Lewis, TE Daniel Brown
The Jets won by 31, but it could’ve been by more.
New York’s first touchdown of the day was wiped off the board after Daniel Brown was called for offensive pass interference. Demaryius Thomas and Sam Darnold connected for an eight-yard score, but it didn’t count after a review due to Brown’s pick play.
Alex Lewis’ weekly holding play, meanwhile, wiped off a potential first-and-goal from the one-yard line. The Jets had the ball at the 25-yard line and Ty Montgomery’s 24-yard catch came back following the penalty. After making his first two tries, Sam Ficken subsequently missed a 48-yard field goal.
The Jets won 34-3, but it could’ve been 45-3 if not for a couple of penalties.
