FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts – Sunday’s heartbreaking 10-3 loss to the Patriots occurred when Marcus Jones returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown with 26 seconds remaining in the game. Here are a few reflections and observations regarding the game:
Robert Saleh is dealing with a precarious situation. On Sunday, it appeared as though Zach Wilson had lost the locker room. Wilson performed poorly, completing nine passes for a total of 77 yards. Then, he compounded the issue by not accepting responsibility after the game. Wilson ought to have yelled to anyone who would listen, “This is my fault!” Instead, he responded, “No, no” when asked if he felt he had let down the defense.
The frustration in the locker room after the game was palpable. Garrett Wilson let it come out. Williams declined to speak with the press. Others appeared to be biting their tongues. This has been developing for some time. Even when the Jets were on a four-game winning streak, it appeared as if they were winning despite Wilson rather than due to him. It was against Bill Belichick and the Patriots, who handed the Jets their second loss in three games.
2022-11-20: Zach Wilson under pressure against the Patriots.
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Saleh must now navigate this situation and unite his locker room. The second-year coach must inform his quarterback that he must assume greater responsibility.
Some individuals will request Mike White. I do not believe we have arrived yet. Wilson has demonstrated that the Jets can win with him. Foxborough is not going to have Belichick on the opposing sideline every week on windy days. Those were difficult playing conditions. Mac Jones did not exactly light up the stat sheet. The Jets can continue to ride with Wilson, but Saleh may leave open the possibility that he would consider a quarterback change to ignite Wilson’s fire. Saleh has thus far been defiant that he will not consider a quarterback change.
Saleh must take the big picture into account. He cannot be a prisoner of the moment like the media and fans, who have gone from criticizing Wilson after his first game against the Patriots to praising him after his victory over Buffalo to criticizing him again after Sunday.
Wilson was selected second overall by the Jets to serve as their franchise quarterback. The act of benching him is equivalent to stifling that thought. It has significant repercussions. However, Saleh currently has an issue in his locker room. The defense is performing admirably. They lost despite allowing only a field goal on Sunday. All wide receivers are unhappy with the number of passes they receive. Veterans are contemplating a season in which they could make the playoffs, but one player is holding them back. Currently, everyone views Wilson as the problem. Saleh must handle this situation with care, or things could become extremely messy.
There is no doubt that Zach Wilson is the Jets’ biggest issue at the moment, but he is not the only one. On Sunday, the offensive line’s deteriorating condition was evident. Nate Herbig, a guard who has been performing admirably, went through warm-ups but was unable to play due to a shin injury. This resulted in Dan Feeney beginning. The Jets were left with their third-string right guard and fifth-string right tackle, with Cedric Ogbuehi starting again in those positions.
On Sunday, the line finally reflected the impact of those losses. When Wilson’s scrambling yards are subtracted from the Jets’ rushing total, they had 20 carries for 33 yards. Without a running game, they cannot win, and Wilson won’t be able to thrive.
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Duane Brown appeared to be in pain on the left side at the end of the game. It took him a while to remove his pads in the locker room, and several teammates stopped by his locker to congratulate him on his tenacity.
The good news for the Jets is that Max Mitchell is practicing and will soon be removed from injured reserve. Friday, George Fant was on a side field and appears to be getting closer. Herbig should return the following week.
The Jets require line reinforcements.
Breece Hall is the other player the Jets miss terribly, terribly, terribly. Something occurred to me during the week off. The Jets tweeted a video of their top ten first-half plays. Three of Hall’s big plays were against the Dolphins, the Packers, and the Broncos: a long reception against the Dolphins, a long touchdown run against the Packers, and a long touchdown run against the Broncos. When Hall tore the ACL in his left knee in Denver, the Jets offense suffered a significant setback. Hall was a walking big play. Saleh referred to him as the team’s home run hitter. The Jets are currently struggling to hit singles.
In the NFL, it is difficult to rely on 10-, 12-, and 14-play drives. You need someone with the ability to occasionally score a touchdown. This was Hall’s contribution to the Jets. They are desperately missing him right now.
Without Breece Hall, Michael Carter and the Jets offense have struggled.
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Just like the last time the Jets played the Patriots, the sky is falling. Everyone must take a deep breath. Jets fans would have signed up for 6-4 after 10 games. Recall that. The Jets still have games remaining against the Bears, Lions, and Jaguars, all of which they should win. Additionally, they can defeat the Vikings, Bills, Seahawks, and Dolphins. They’ve demonstrated that. This team can still finish with 9 to 10 victories, which is a significant improvement. If they do not make the playoffs, it will be disappointing, but you must view the situation from 50,000 feet. The Jets had a 4-13 record last season. Six victories have been recorded over the past two years. If they finish with a winning record, the organization will have made significant progress. With a strong defense and a good, young core forming from the last two draft classes, they have already instilled optimism for the team’s future. Yes, Sunday’s loss was a gut punch, and you should be concerned about Zach Wilson, but there are other positives that you must remember after that one.
This is my counseling session.
Providing data
Despite not playing for the past two months, Joe Flacco still leads the team in touchdown passes. Flacco has thrown for five touchdowns in three games. In seven games, Zach Wilson has thrown four passes.
Mac Jones is fired by John Franklin-Myers on November 20, 2022.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Surprising number of snaps
Garrett Wilson played all 50 offensive snaps. It is uncommon for a wide receiver to participate in every snap. Certainly, the low number of plays is a factor, but it also demonstrates how much the coaches now believe in Wilson.
Game ball
DE In this game, John Franklin-Myers was a beast. Two times, he sacked Mac Jones for a total of one sack for the contest. He had three tackles as well. The defensive line dominated in this game and Franlkin-Myers led the way.