The New York Jets season took yet another tumultuous turn Sunday, as the team fell to the lowly Los Angeles Rams at home. In 2015, the Jets were finding ways to win ballgames. In 2016, however, the team is finding ways to lose them. Here are the most notable takeaways from the latest Jets performance.
New York Jets Week Ten Takeaways
Petty Makes Debut
After eight weeks of unrelenting mediocrity from his veteran quarterback, Todd Bowles finally benched the struggling Ryan Fitzpatrick. Bryce Petty made his first NFL start, and played admirably throughout the first quarter. In just his second drive, he led the Jets ninety-nine yards for a touchdown. The second-year player from Baylor looked to rookie wideout Robby Anderson early and often, hitting him down the sideline for an impressive fiffy-two yard gain. However, for Petty, the highlights stopped there. His rather precipitous downfall began when he missed an open Anderson for a sure-fire touchdown, and his struggles only mounted in the second half. His fourth-quarter interception sealed the game, an eerily familiar sight for Jets fans. Overall, Petty’s debut was a mixed bag. He flashed his potential, but was ultimately ineffective. More than anything else, Petty looked like a fourth round draft pick making his first start. Petty can still develop to be the jets’s franchise quarterback, but as of now he is clearly not ready to be an effective NFL starter. The rest of the season is essentially Petty’s tryout for the starting gig in 2017. The kid clearly has talent, but whether that potential will come to fruition is yet to be seen.
Revis Struggles Yet Again
“I’m Old.” Never one to mince words, Darrelle Revis verbalized what he has been showing all year long with his declining play. The latest wideout to best Revis was Kenny Britt, who tallied seven catches for 109 yards on the day. To say Revis has underperformed this season would be an understatement. Yet to write Revis off after almost a decade of excellence would be presumptuous. Revis has to adjust the way he plays the game. Perhaps a move to safety is even warranted, but changes have to come fast for the Jets $70 Million man. He clearly no longer has the physical tools to match up with the game’s best. Yet Revis has always been one of the game’s smartest players. If he can adjust the way he plays the game, there’s a chance he can regain form. If not, he won’t even be a starting corner, let alone Pro Bowler.
Marshall and Enunwa’s Disappearing Act
On Sunday, even a perceived strength became a weakness for the struggling Jets. Brandon Marshall is an elite receiver, and young Quincy Enunwa has shown he can be a formidable offensive weapon. However, on Sunday, the duo combined for five catches and a whopping twenty-two yards. Not exactly all-world numbers. The fact that Bryce Petty started certainly contributed to their struggles. Petty’s number one receiver was Robby Anderson, and Petty missed a couple throws to Enunwa. Nonetheless, Marshall and Anderson are most culpable for the performance. If the Jets want to have any hope on offense, they need their best player to preform. Matt Forte and Bilal Powell
have stepped up in a big way; it’s time for the highly touted wide receiver duo to do the same.
Main Photo:
