Grading the Jets: All-out blitz call trumps fair to middling performance
Derek Carr #4 of the Las Vegas Raiders throws a pass against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020. Credit: Jim McIsaac
OFFENSE: C
The Jets scored four touchdowns with Sam Darnold playing quarterback. That’s something they hadn’t done since Nov. 17 last year at Washington. They had 206 yards rushing. The first time in 28 games under Adam Gase that they did that. Ty Johnson ran for 104 yards, the first time a Jets running back rushed for 100 yards under Gase. And none of this was enough. Darnold was sacked three times, two of them were strip sacks after Clelin Ferrell got past Mekhi Becton. Darnold also threw a bad pick into tight coverage in Raiders’ territory.
DEFENSE: D
Coordinator Gregg Williams did not have a good day. His play call at the end cost the Jets the game. But Williams’ defense had their issues throughout. They did cause three turnovers. But they had gaping holes all over the place and allowed Las Vegas to put up 440 yards of offense. The Jets couldn’t defend Darren Waller. They played some zone, some man and used different players to try and contain him. Didn’t work. The big tight end caught 13 passes for 200 yards and two scores. They let Derek Carr have free rein. He threw for 381 yards and didn’t face much pressure. Carr was sacked twice — on back-to-back plays at the end of the first half.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C
They didn’t have that big of an impact. Arthur Maulet committed a silly 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on a punt, hitting Hunter Renfrow after he called for a fair catch. Kicker Sergio Castillo missed an extra point. Corey Ballentine had some decent returns, including a 33-yard kick return. He averaged 29 yards on his returns. Rookie Braden Mann averaged 45.5 yards on his punts.
COACHING: F
This was a game the Jets should have won. The players made their usual mental and physical blunders throughout. But the biggest and most egregious blunder was by Williams, deciding to rush seven players instead of playing prevent and gave up a 46-yard game-winning touchdown pass from Carr to Henry Ruggs III with five seconds left. That’s on Williams.
