Jets Go Fishing

   The Jets beat the Miami Dolphins 20-6 in a game the Jets dominated on both sides of the ball. The Dolphins scored a meaningless touchdown on the last play of the game. If you watched the game you saw a team that was prepared with a game plan, good offensive play calling, very good quarterback play and excellent defense throughout. Most surprising to me was the play of some of the players I would have never imagined played the game they did. Leading the list was linebacker Demario Davis who I have been on since the Jets picked him up for his second tenure with the team. Davis was all over the field today! He was making tackles at the line of scrimmage, behind the line of scrimmage, down field and was just outstanding from the opening whistle till the end of the game.  Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins played his first game of the season after his 2-game suspension ended. He caught 5 passes for only 31-yards but his presence on the offense is really a difference maker from the first two games. If I were the Jets I would make it a priority to lock up this player with a three or four year extension.  He is only 24-years old. Quarterback Josh McCown (18-23, 249, 1TD) also had an excellent game.  He looked the part of a real quarterback finding his receivers which was highlighted by a long 69-yard touchdown pass to Robby Anderson who he hit in stride. I’ve said it before about how McCown is shy of talent to make him a top tier player. He says the right things and gives every play 100%. I have also said it before but this guy is going to be a good coach one day. 
  After a scoreless first quarter, Jets kicker Chandler Catanzaro hit a 40-yard field goal after missing on another attempt earlier. It was the 69-yard TD pass to Robby “I always beat the field” Anderson that was the offensive highlight of the game. If you haven’t, go on line to NFL.com and watch the play a few times. The Jets as of late very rarely make these long touchdown plays either by run or pass. Anderson has been beating the field a lot in the first three games of the season. McCown spotted him and his pass was as nice a pass as any quarterback could have thrown.
  In the third quarter the Jets got the ball on the Dolphin 49-yard line after Jeremy Kerley made a nice 14-yard return of a punt. McCown led the Jets down the field for a touchdown by Bilal Powell. The highlight of this drive has got to be a pass completion to defensive lineman Lawrence Thomas for 15-yards. Interestingly Thomas was a few inches away from breaking the play for a touchdown.  Matt forte who left the game with a bad toe had three tough runs on this drive. Forte is really a Pro’s Pro! He is an excellent leader and a positive locker room presence. Hopefully his injury is only minor. Catanzaro added a 22-yard field goal after a 13 play drive by the Jets that lasted 6:58!  On this drive McCown mixed up his play calling with passes and runs. McCown’s passes to Anderson and Kerely were well thrown and timed. The Jets offensive line did an excellent job on this drive. Honestly the way the game begun when Cameron Wake sacked McCown for a 11-yard loss on the second play of the game I really expected a 7 or 8 sack game by the Dolphins. Give this Jets offensive line credit. They are doing a good job so far this season. They are giving McCown time and are beginning to open up holes for the running backs. In fact one long run by Bilal Powell was called back after a bogus call. So far I like the Jets offensive coordinator John Morton and the offensive line coach Steve Marshall.
  The only turn over by the Jets was a fumble by rookie running back Elijah McGuire who continues to look better and better with each running attempt. McGuire has a good knack of hesitating and picking his hole and hits it quickly. Let’s keep an eye on #25 as the season progresses. The only other real mistake was on an interception by safety Terrence Brooks. On a fourth down play he intercepted a pass in a situation where the Jets would have been better off by about 15-yards if he just batted the ball away. In this era of statistics and fantasy points etc. players take almost every opportunity to cash in on opportunities to return an interception or a fumble. 

The Legend Of Jamal Adams:
With 3:25 left to go in the second quarter, Jay Cutler tried to hit DeVante Parker with a long pass down the right side. At the last second Jamal Adams got there to knock the ball away. One play later Adams got into the Dolphins backfield and sacked Cutler for a 10-yard loss. These two plays stood out but there was one play earlier that I thought was as good or better than these two. On a first down run by Jay Ajayi, Adams came up like a flash and tackled Ajayi for a 2-yard loss. I really thought this play helped set the tone of the game. Ajayi who last year rushed for 1,272 yards came out of the game for a number of plays and ended up rushing for only 16-yards on 11 carries for the game. Not to pour water on the day for Adams but he had a terrible taunting penalty that cost the Jets 15-yards. Buster Skrine had one of his rare positive plays with a 12-yard sack and Adam’s antics wiped the play out. Adams has got to learn from this mistake. 

Green Tidbits:
…..Besides the TD catch by Anderson,  rookie ArDarius Stewart (#18) had the catch of the day laying out his body. Let’s see more of this guy…..Jermaine Kearse continues to play well…..And Jeremy Kerley is looking effective as a receiver and surprise, he has looked good as a punt returner…..Punter Lac Edwards may be the Jets MVP in the first 3 games. He boots them long when he has to and boots them short when he has to….Great move benching CB Burris in favor of Darryl Roberts (#27). He was a 7th round pick by the Patriots in 2015. This Marshall grad could be a good find…..David Bass was also picked off the scrap heap. Bass another former 7th pick by the Oakland Raiders played well…..Wilkerson and Williams came back to have a good game plugging holes.....

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