It wasn’t always pretty, but the New York Jets saved their season with a complete team effort in a 31-21 win over the Denver Broncos Sunday evening.
Not only did the win end a three-game losing streak for Gang Green, but it also kept them in the thick of the AFC Playoff race as the calendar shifts to October. With any win like this, there are plenty of key takeaways to look at.
Let’s get to how the Jets saved their season, and where they can go from here.
Win over Denver comes at a big cost
For the second straight year, the Jets’ win in Denver has come at a severe cost. Several players along the offensive line suffered injuries with Alijah Vera-Tucker’s being the most serious. Jets head coach Robert Saleh explained after the game that the right tackle’s injury “doesn’t look good” but the team is waiting for an MRI. NFL Network later reported that the belief is that AVT has a calf injury INSTEAD of an Achilles, a positive outlook on the injury.
While other offensive linemen like Mekhi Becton and Joe Tippmann were able to return to the contest after their injuries, AVT is the best of the group. Losing him would be a major concern for the Jets the rest of the year, and would likely lead to another player being signed in free agency.
AVT’s injury certainly is a downer, but New York can weather the storm thanks to another group that played well last night.
Interior O-Line Dominates
As tough as it is to lose an All-Pro caliber player at tackle, the Jets’ interior offensive line made up for his absence in a massive way. New York ran for over 230 yards on offense with over seven yards a carry. Those numbers are absurd, but when you look at the tape, it doesn’t even begin to show how good the offensive line was, particularly in the second half.
Joe Tippmann, Laken Tomlinson, and Connor McGovern dominated throughout the contest and were the catalyst for Breece Hall’s 72-yard touchdown run – the lone touchdown of the game for Gang Green. If this group plays as well as they have over the last two weeks, the Jets could very well not only save their season but mitigate the loss of AVT in a big way.
The formula on defense shines
A lot of people have talked about the formula that can lead to the Jets’ wins with Zach Wilson at quarterback. Running the ball is important, but having a strong pass rush is equally important for this team.
On Sunday night, they showed just how good they can be.
New York’s vaunted pass rush totaled four sacks in the win, two from Quincy Williams along with seven quarterback hits. The defensive line was incredibly dominant and it was a key reason for the win. If this group plays as they did in Denver for the remainder of the year, the Jets should be able to not only get back into the playoff race but should make the playoffs with a lighter schedule in front of them.
Coaching Staff Adjustments catapulted big second half
New York almost didn’t come away with the win on Sunday due to their coaching staff. A lifeless showing from the team in the first half highlighted a lack of urgency from the group that had people questioning Saleh and his staff.
That all turned around in the second half though.
At the midway point of the fourth quarter, not only did the Jets come back to lead, but they were dominating the Broncos in every facet of the contest. New York outgained Denver 202 to -16 yards of offense at the halfway point of the fourth and continuously stayed a step ahead of the Broncos’ offense. A lot of people may not be happy that the score was as close as it was, but the fact the coaching staff was able to adjust as quickly and as well as they did shows that this group is still fully behind their head coach.
A second-half turnaround seems Possible
Can the Jets make the playoffs with Zach Wilson at quarterback?
If they play like they did the second half for the remainder of the season, it’s certainly possible. New York’s key is to control the line of scrimmage. They did so in Denver, and play teams the remainder of the year that do not have the talent to overwhelm the Jets in those spots.
It truly comes back to Wilson. For the last two games, he has played pretty well. He has been decisive with the football, his footwork has improved, and it’s a reason why the offense has seemingly turned a corner. Over 400 yards of offense and two straight games of 20 or more points scored – both are good signs as the schedule lightens up. Even if they struggle next week against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Jets are still in a good spot here.
