Grading the Jets in NFL Week 14 vs. New Orleans Saints

OFFENSE

The Jets were missing key players, but this was a troubling performance. The offense looked terrible. The Jets were held without a touchdown. They now haven’t gotten in the end zone in six consecutive quarters. Zach Wilson was off. He only completed 45.2 percent of his passes (19-for-42). He made a number of bad throws on short passes and he overthrew Jamison Crowder twice. But it wasn’t just Wilson. Ty Johnson dropped three passes. Keelan Cole dropped a pass. Receiver Denzel Mims was flagged on back-to-back plays when the Jets were deep in Saints’ territory and ended up settling for a field goal. The offense was a mess.

GRADE: F

DEFENSE

Much was made about the Jets wanting to get respect from teams. They’re not going to do that giving up 30 points to an offense that has struggled to score lately. They’re not going to do that by letting Taysom Hill run for a 44-yard touchdown down the left sideline when the game was already decided. The Saints hadn’t scored 30 points in five consecutive games. They did get a boost from having Alvin Kamara back after a four-game absence. He ran for 120 yards and a touchdown. Hill ran for two scores. Overall, the Jets gave up 205 yards on the ground.

GRADE: F

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Jets found a kicker. Eddy Pineiro, signed Tuesday, made all three of his field-goal attempts. He accounted for all the Jets’ points. Pineiro was the third kicker the Jets used in three weeks. Braxton Berrios had another good game returning the football. He finished with 183 returns yards – 139 on five kickoffs and 44 on three punts. Braden Mann had a strong day punting, with a 52.2-yard average that included a 60-yard punt. Justin Hardee was flagged for fair-catch interference that gave the Saints good field position on their first touchdown drive.

GRADE: B-

COACHING

The Jets have not figured out how to stop teams from running the football. The 205 yards were the second-most the Jets allowed this season. Robert Saleh said the Hill run at the end of the game skewed the numbers. Still, the Jets knew the Saints were going to run the football early and often. They did – 44 times – and the Jets couldn’t stop them. Wilson and the offense took a step backward in this game.

GRADE: F