Grading the Jets: Joe Flacco and offense don't get passing mark
![Jets quarterback Joe Flacco (5) and linebacker Harvey Langi (44)...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AMTlhYjRhOTMtMzJmYy00%3AOTMtMzJmYy00YTRiNjcz%2Fjets_dolphins_football_40515.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Jets quarterback Joe Flacco (5) and linebacker Harvey Langi (44) walk off the field during the end of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Dolphins defeated the Jets 24-0. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
OFFENSE: The Jets sunk to new lows under Adam Gase. They were shut out and you can't say they were facing the 1985 Bears. They didn’t convert their first third down until the fourth quarter. They were 2-for-17 overall converting third downs. Their first red-zone trip was their final series. Of course, the worst red-zone team failed to get in the end zone. Joe Flacco was under pressure all game. He was sacked three times, including one for a 28-yard loss. Flacco knows he has to throw the ball away there. But it was just another awful offensive performance with puzzling play-calling and mindless mistakes. The other time the Jets got deep in Dolphins’ territory the Jets had an offensive pass interference followed by a muffed snap, resulting in an illegal motion penalty on Flacco. Wow. We heard all week that rookie La’Mical Perine would get "plenty of opportunity" with Le’Veon Bell gone. He had nine touches. Frank Gore led the Jets with 15 touches and was still getting the ball in the fourth quarter. Ty Johnson had a 34-yard run in his second carry as a Jet. He finished with three carries. The Jets’ first play out of halftime was a handoff to Gore. The same play was called on a third-and-2 later in the half. It went nowhere. Like the Jets this season. This was awful.
GRADE: F
DEFENSE: They are not without blame, but Gregg Williams’ unit was far better than the offense. They had two interceptions and two sacks. They only had one in the previous three games. They also held the Dolphins to three points in the second half. Miami didn’t convert its first third-down conversion until the final series of the game. But the Jets allowed three first-half touchdowns and showed little resistance on those scores. Williams’ group gave up three touchdown passes over a four-drive stretch in the first half. You can say the guys were tired from being on the field so quickly and so often. There is some truth to that, but there were breakdowns that led to Dolphins being open on those touchdown drives. So as Williams said, "a lot of it is not all defensively," is accurate. But they still need to make plays and try to keep the game close.
GRADE: D
SPECIAL TEAMS: This was a rare poor outing for Brant Boyer’s group. Vyncint Smith had a rough first game off of IR. He had a holding penalty in punt return, misplayed a punt in coverage that could have pinned Miami deep in its own territory and muffed his only kickoff. Harvey Langhi had a 15-yard facemask penalty in punt coverage. The Jets also allowed 106 yards in returns. Jakeem Grant had a 30-yard punt return and 23-yard kick return. Sam Ficken missed a 55-yard field goal – his first miss of the season. The Jets had one return from 7 yards. Braden Mann had a busy day. The rookie punted 10 times for 462 yards and made what might have been a touchdown-saving tackle.
GRADE: D-
COACHING: It’s never good when the coaches are at odds. That definitely was the case when Williams took that swipe at Gase’s offense. Gase wasn’t happy about it. The truth is it’s a bad look. They need to show a united front. But the finger pointing started and the losing continues. Nothing these two have done this year has worked. Gase tried to take shots on offense on the first series with receiver Breshad Perriman back after missing three-games with an ankle injury. Two long passes, two incompletions. Nothing is working.
GRADE: F
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