For the New York Jets, the 2020 season could have gone two ways. The first being everything comes together, player development takes a huge step, as the team wins seven-to-eight games despite a very difficult schedule. Or the team continues to battle injuries, inconsistent play, and so much more to a top-five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Unfortunately for Jets fans, it has been the latter of the two. The injury bug has hovered over the team since training camp, especially hurting quarterback Sam Darnold. His weapons have been banged up, as well as his offensive line. Darnold has not made the strides the team had hoped, as it would not be surprising for head coach Adam Gase to be let go any day now. Meanwhile, the defense has been plagued by sloppy tackling and poor discipline, leaving defensive coordinator Gregg Williams more angry than usual. Only four games into the season, here is where each position stands with 12 to go…
New York Jets 2020 Quarter-Season Review
Quarterbacks
Potential. That is why Sam Darnold is the Jets quarterback. Through three seasons, he has constantly flashed playmaking ability to be a top quarterback, but inconsistent play on his end has hurt him. Yes, injuries, lack of weapons, and so much more come into play with his numbers, but he is still making the mistakes he did in college. His stat line sits with 792 yards passing, three touchdowns to four interceptions, and an abysmal 5.7 yards per attempt. He is averaging a career-low 198-yards per game and the offense is the worst among NFL teams in the red zone.
Now, with Le’Veon Bell, Breshad Perriman, and rookie Denzel Mims expected back against the Arizona Cardinals, there are no more excuses. With the team being 0-4 and looking like one of the worst in the league, Darnold has 12 games to take that next step in becoming a consistent quarterback for Gang Green.
Running Backs
Le’Veon Bell went down midway through the first game with a hamstring injury that would land him on injured reserve. Since then, the Jets have turned to Frank Gore, Josh Adams, Kalen Ballage, and La’Mical Perine. Gore has put up 174 yards with a 3.2 average, and Perine has 56 yards with a 3.7 average. Ballage has offered a solid pass catcher with Bell hurt, totaling nine receptions for 67 yards through three games. Each guy has done their part to assist in the passing game, but the inability to move the ball on the ground continues to hurt the Jets. Poor interior blocking has plagued the backs despite the changes this off-season, and even with the return of Bell, it may be out of the running back’s control.
Wide Receivers
Having lost Robby Anderson to the Carolina Panthers, the Jets had to replace their top boundary receiver. They signed Perriman and drafted Mims in the second round in the hope to do so. Mims landed on injured reserve prior to the season, and Perriman has only played in two games, putting up just 29 yards receiving on five receptions. It was not until training camp standout Jeff Smith came off I.R. this past week that the Jets finally gave Darnold a reliable weapon on the outside. Hopefully, the Jets will see the return of Perriman, Mims, and Vyncint Smith too very soon.
As for the slot, Jamison Crowder and Braxton Berrios have been Darnold’s favorite weapons this season. Crowder, only having played two games due to injury, has 14 receptions for 219 yards and a touchdown this season. As for Berrios, the third-year receiver has 10 receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns. There is some talent at receiver for the Jets, they just need to stay healthy.
Tight Ends
Speaking of talent, coming into the season, with the lack of experience from the receiver position, the Jets tight end unit was supposed to play a big role. That was until their sudden disappearance. Chris Herndon has not looked like the promising vertical threat he was his rookie season. Meanwhile, backups Ryan Griffin and Trevon Wesco have barely even been involved in the passing game this year. The bottom line, the tight ends have been extremely disappointing so far in 2020 for the Jets.
Offensive Line
Believe it or not, the Jets offensive line has multiple bright spots. Rookie left tackle Mekhi Becton has been a force both in pass and run blocking. Opposite of him, right tackle George Fant has been solid when on the field, but backup second-year tackle Chuma Edoga has been a fantastic run blocker in a limited role. Per Pro Football Focus, Edoga has an 83.8 grade, which ranks as the sixth-highest entering Sunday’s action. Additionally, left guard Alex Lewis also has a top-rated run-blocking grade at 76.0.
However, that is where the positives end. Edoga and Lewis have both been liabilities in pass blocking, although not as bad as center Connor McGovern. The biggest addition of the free-agent lineman, McGovern has not gotten it done in either the pass or run game. Through four games, he is easily having the worst stretch of football since 2017. Joining him is another veteran in Greg Van Roten. Signed for his pass blocking ability, Van Roten has been average at best, being a step down from his predecessor Brian Winters. If the Jets have any chance of being an efficient offense, it starts with their interior lineman stepping up.
Defensive Line/EDGE Rushers:
Moving onto the defensive side of the ball, the Jets defense has played to their talent level. Last season, the Jets were the second-best run defense in the league. As it stands currently, they are 24th through four games. Not to mention the Jets continued inability to get after the quarterback. Gang Green only has six sacks this season on 21 quarterback hits. John Franklin-Myers has emerged as a solid role player as he is tied with penalty-prone Tarell Basham for the team lead in quarterback hits. Last season’s promising rotation pieces Nathan Shepherd and Kyle Philips have struggled in every aspect of the game. The same goes for Henry Anderson, who’s seven sack campaign in 2018 appears more and more to have been a fluke. Veteran Jordan Jenkins has been solid at best as the Jets only reliable edge defender but has played below 50 percent of snaps. On the interior, Steve McLendon and Folorunso Fatukasi continue to clog up the middle.
As for last year’s first-round pick Quinnen Williams, he continues to be rather inconsistent. This season, Williams has two sacks, 16 tackles, and three tackles for loss. As one of the team’s most talented players, he continues to be rather raw. Nevertheless, he has the talent to be one of the team and the league’s better defensive lineman going forward.
Linebackers
Entering the season, the Jets had a ton of depth at linebacker. That was until C.J.Mosley opted out. Then came the injuries to Patrick Onwuasor and Blake Cashman. Just like that, the Jets have Neville Hewitt starting, with either Avery Williamson, Harvey Langi, or Alec Ogletree joining him. Langi has been solid and Williamson has returned to his old pre-torn ACL form. As for Ogletree, he has yet to make a positive impact on the defense. Hopefully now with Williamson back fully in the fold, the Jets run defense will improve.
Cornerbacks
With the exception of standout slot corner Brian Poole, the Jets cornerbacks have been horrendous. Starters Pierre Desir and Blessuan Austin have both had multiple ups and downs so far this season. Backups Arthur Maulet, Bryce Hall, and Quincy Wilson are all hurt, leaving practice squad call-up Lamar Jackson as the number four corner. In spite of the unit’s poor play, the team does rank 15th against the pass this season.
Safeties
With Jamal Adams gone, Marcus Maye slides into his natural strong safety role. Week 1, he dominated in the box and all over the field. Yet since then, his production has declined. His free safety counterpart Bradley McDougald, a player who made a name of himself in man coverage, has not held his own in Gregg Williams’ zone. As for third-round rookie Ashtyn Davis, he has battled injuries of his own, though has had his fair share of bad plays. It is easy to say the Jets defense misses the fire Adams brings to the field.
Special Teams
After beating out Brett Maher for the kicking job, Sam Ficken has been great to start the year. He is eight for eight on field goals, as well as having made all five extra-point attempts. Rookie punter Braden Mann has done well punting, averaging 45.1 yards per punt. The return game has missed Vyncint Smith, as Josh Malone and Ashtyn Davis combine for only 20.3 yards per kick return. As for the punt returns, Berrios only has one return this season for 11 yards.
Coaching
Fans have demanded it since last season and will continue until it happens. Adam Gase has the writing on the wall for him to be out as the New York Jets’ head coach. The constant excuses for horrible execution and lack of player development are alarming. Gase has been outcoached more often than not and has shown no adjustments to the game plan despite the team’s injuries and struggles. Ultimately, at the quarter mark of the season, there is little to justify Gase coaching the team in 2021.
Last Word on the New York Jets Quarter-Season Review
The New York Jets have a long way to go before contending for the playoffs. With half the roster hitting the market after this season, there is no reason to have aging veterans playing over youthful players on multi-year deals. The Jets are once again entering rebuild mode, and general manager Joe Douglas has a ton of work ahead of him. As there are 12 games remaining, the question now becomes how many of those will Gase be coaching.
