The beer fridges are open in Cleveland and the floodgates have opened in New York. The outpouring of grievances against the team, repressed by their early success, has been overwhelming. Calls to fire Todd Bowles, bench Sam Darnold, and overhaul the team already in rebuilding mode are prominent across New York Jets social media. So what grievances are reasonable, and who is really to blame for the loss?
Why Sam Darnold Is Not to Blame for New York Jets Loss to Cleveland Browns
Jeremy Bates Must Accept the Heat
One of the more prominent complaints against the team for their Week Three loss is directed at offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates. Expectations were undoubtedly set a bit too high for Bates and the offense this year, but the gameplan on Thursday was unacceptable. Aside from the success of the outside zone run game, nothing was clicking for New York. The wide receiver screen to Quincy Enunwa was relatively effective, but became far too predictable. Darnold was given very few opportunities to get into a rhythm. Bates also seemed content to sit and chew clock with a measly 14 point lead. It is understandable to avoid taking too many shots with a young quarterback but a predictable gameplan coupled with low upside plays is not the way to go about it.
The Jets Offense Is Not Quite There
The media seemed to feel as though the Jets offense was a bottom five unit in the league. Fans glorified its upside and viewed it as one of the NFL’s most underrated units. After three weeks, the truth seems to lie somewhere in between. The offensive line is not as bad as some feared. Still, the unit seems to struggle against more complex blitzes, and their discipline is in question. False start penalties derailed a couple of drives, including the final drive of the game. Brian Winters seems to be capitalizing on his upside, however, and the Jets will have money to improve the unit in the off-season.
The skill players on offense are in a similarly mediocre state. Enunwa is playing like a number one receiver, but it’s not enough to pick up the slack of others. Robby Anderson has fumbled in back to back weeks and the Terrelle Pryor experiment has failed thus far. Jermaine Kearse remains extremely reliable and is a solid safety blanket for Darnold. Both running backs performed well with Isaiah Crowell hitting paydirt two times. Tight ends are still not a strength and no clear starter has emerged for the unit. The bottom line is that the Jets can improve in all offensive facets.
Not Your Average Cleveland Browns
In name, the Cleveland Browns are nothing to scoff at. In talent, it’s another story. Denzel Ward played lights out for Cleveland including a forced fumble and recovery that set up a field goal. Myles Garrett is a force for anyone tasked with blocking him. Larry Ogunjobi is also emerging on the Browns defensive line. But most importantly, Baker Mayfield was phenomenal when he replaced Tyrod Taylor. The number one overall pick finished 17 of 23 for 201 yards, and most importantly, no turnovers. He was impressive in the pocket and showed excellent downfield accuracy. Browns fans have a reason to be excited about the Oklahoma product.
The Bottom Line
The Jets let a victory slip away in week three. A combination of poor play calling, poor play from the offensive units, and a much-improved Browns team are to blame. Yet, most of the blame will fall on the shoulders of Sam Darnold. Darnold was not perfect, and an interception to Joe Schobert when the game was on the line is indicative of this. But Darnold is young, on a short week, surrounded by a team in flux. He may not have been perfect, but he is certainly not a bust (yet), and he is not to blame for Week Three’s loss.
