Everett: Momentum from Last Year, Upbeat Preseason All Gone After Week 1 for the Jets
After nearly every New York Jets practice during training camp, there was talk that this season would be different. At nearly every press conference held virtually, the focus was about the work that the team was putting in was great.
This was supposed to be a different team, one that was going to build on last year’s 7-9 record where they won six of their final eight games. The offseason was spent getting better.
And then, Week 1 happened.
Offensively, the Jets started the season with three straight three-and-outs. The fourth drive came out of a TV timeout and they started with a delay of game penalty. That drive ended with a punt.
The fifth drive? That was over due to an interception.
“To me, it felt completely different,” Jets head coach Adam Gase said after the game. “This year, it was, either we had a guy open and we missed him. We had a guy open and we dropped it. We had a couple of miscues in the run game, but I felt like calling this game compared to last year was night and day. Just with the communication with the players. Those guys understanding why things weren’t going right and then trying to fix it. It’s just completely different to me. We didn’t play well. We did not do a good job as an offense.”
If the Jets’ communication is the best improvement they made from last year to this one, then the fall and winter are going to be harder to stomach. Fans clamoring with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to allowed fans to attend games at Metlife Stadium may rescind the request unless the Jets improve in other ways besides communication.
“We try to limit penalties as much as we can,” Darnold said after the game. “Obviously, there were too many today. And then the delay of game, I put that on my shoulders. We didn’t break the huddle fast enough and we weren’t ready and that’s on me.”
This was a sloppy team by every count, one that simply didn’t look ready to take the field. In Buffalo, the Bills did make some key mistakes that the Jets couldn’t take advantage of. The Jets mistakes just created questions about all that positive press in the offseason and talk of momentum from last year.
“We just have to play better complementary football and clean up the penalties,” said wideout Jamison Crowder after the game. Crowder caught a screen pass and took it 69 yards for a touchdown. He also had a few drops.
“Those are things that we can control. We control the jumping offsides, the holdings, the false starts, whatever they may be. We have to eliminate those. We have to go back and make sure we execute. Make sure I catch the football. I’m not concerned with that. I know I’m going to make plays. That’s one of the things that I feel like I need to clean up. We just have to lock in and play sound fundamental football.”
The offensive line, the weakest point of last year’s roster, allowed three sacks and Darnold was constantly under pressure.
In fact, Darnold looked like he had regressed throughout much of the first half. In the second quarter, he took a sack because he held the football instead of easily throwing it away. Two plays later, he threw an interception. The Jets were already trailing in the game 21-0.
The Jets captain and quarterback said its only Week 1. There is plenty of time to fix the mistakes. This time, the rhetoric will not be as optimistic. The results will speak for themselves.
