The New York Jets played the Detroit Lions on Saturday, August 9 in what was each team’s second preseason game. Both teams gave each starting lineup a closer look than the week before. However, it seemed like no matter how long the Jets offense stayed on the field the result would be same. The Jets struggled to score points and lost 16-6 in ugly fashion.
New York Jets Preseason Week 2 Takeaways
Christian Hackenberg
Man, it is going to be a busy week for sports talk radio hosts. Last week, after playing in an offense that consisted of check downs, the Jets gave Christian Hackenberg a go at the full playbook and it was not pretty.
Hackenberg struggled from the start, getting pressured and looking lost on the field. He overthrew a receiver down the sideline, got stripped of the ball on a sack and only completed two passes. He didn’t look like a former second round pick nor did he look like someone who has a chance of being the quarterback of the future.
Defendants of his could blame the serious lack of talent around him, including the makeshift offensive line on the field, for his struggles. But it all comes back to the quarterback. His two completions were to running back Bilal Powell and both passes were thrown within a few yards of the line of scrimmage.
The Jets inability to move the ball or produce what could reasonably be called “offense” was apparent.
The Penn State product will need playing time with the full, first team offense in multiple regular season games before they can shut the door on Hackenberg completely. However, tonight was anything but promising for the young quarterback.
Defensive Line
After an impressive debut by the entire Gang Green defensive line in the first week of the preseason, Leonard Williams and company were able to repeat their performance.
Though they only tallied three sacks, they were able to get pressure and disrupt plays. The first team defensive line constantly got pressure and was able to make their presence known, especially in the run game. Unfortunately, the defensive backfield wasn’t able to hold their own.
There are so many holes on this roster and there is talk of the Jets going 0-16, but Leonard Williams is a playmaker. He blew up a rushing attempt in the first half that was similar to one Gerald McCoy constantly makes. His get off is so fast and he is already in the backfield by the time the running back has the ball. He is a special talent that the Jets were fortunate to get in the draft.
Rookie Safeties
After all the talk coming out of training camp, it might be time to pump the breaks on putting Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye in the Hall of Fame. Though both players flashed potential and are better than whom the Jets had last year, both made plays that reminded fans that they are in fact rookies.
In the first half Adams was late diagnosing a play that led to a Lions first down. He also kept leaving his feet to make tackles, something the broadcast partners critiqued him on during the game.
Maye delivered a huge hit on a play in the first half, but was a second late getting there and the receiver was able to maintain possession.
Though both players will continue to grow as the season progresses this was just a gentle reminder that they’re still rookies.
