Jets vs. Patriots: 5 Quick Hits

1.

Mark Sanchez still suffers from the same issues that plagued him as a rookie. In his fourth NFL season Sanchez has yet to make the next step from error prone rookie, to talented starter. Tonight’s game was a perfect microcosm of that summary as Sanchez missed open receivers and took sacks that could of been avoided, putting the offense behind the sticks far too often. Sanchez missed a wide open Stephan Hill for what would of been an easy touchdown, instead throwing a ball that was grossly late and more akin to a punt which was ultimately intercepted by the trailing Patriots defender. His two committed turnovers also hurt the Jets in this late afternoon contest as the Patriots took advantage to put points on the board. At this point in his career Jets fans were hoping for more production out of #6, as his error prone ways and mind boggling inconsistencies give the New York Jets a virtually unknown chance heading into each and every game. At this point I’d like to know what Sanchez is doing that Tim Tebow cannot? Whats keeping our savior in waiting on the bench?

2.

The New York Jets defense came to play. The gang green defense held Tom Brady to under 300 yards and failed to allow either a one hundred yard rusher, or receiver. The defensive front got adequate pressure, albeit while only producing one sack, mostly due to Brady’s quick decision making to hit shallow routes over the middle. Antonio Cromartie continued his elevated play as Brady and the offense failed to throw Cro’s way. Demario Davis saw significant playing time, recording 5 tackles and 1 assist as he made his presence known on several key downs. Overall the defenses performance was confidence building, as they managed to hold the the number one ranked Patriots offense to just 20 points, with the other 9 points coming from a kick return touchdown and Mark Sanchez safety.

3.

Nick Folk can win games for the Jets. While Folk had struggles prior to his arrival in New York, he has proven to be a valuable asset to the special teams unit, displaying accuracy and consistency to help score points for what has been a struggling offense. Tonight Folk was faced with back to back field goals to send the game into overtime, connecting on both attempts with distance to spare. Folk is kicking with 100% accuracy this season and has shown the cold blooded attitude to make high pressure kicks in vital situations. Should the Jets find themselves in a field goal game during the remainder of the season, Jets fans can be confident that we have one of the better kicking weapons in the NFL in Nick Folk

4.

Jeremy Kerley is emerging as an offensive weapon. Kerley has already eclipsed his 2011 numbers of 314 yards just seven games into the regular season. While it could be said that #11 took advantage of a struggling Patriots pass defense, the speedy receiver showed the great hands and route running ability that can help to elevate him to the next level. Kerley had 7 receptions for 120 yards on 11 targets, and managed to produce three plays over 20 yards. Although Kerley isn’t a Wes Welker or Percy Harvin just yet, he has the tools to be a game changer in the slot and should only improve as he hones his pass catching skills as the season progresses. The future looks bright for Jeremy Kerley.

5.

So what about that Tebow guy? Tim Tebow rushed only 4 times for 12 yards and failed to attempt a pass against the New England defense. In what was such an important game for the Jets, one of their best weapons remained on the sideline, listening on the headset as his struggling counterpart took all the meaningful snaps under center. Remember in training camp all the “secret plays” and refusal to run the Wildcat during practices open to the public? where did these plays and their secrets go to hide? The Wildcat we have seen has been nothing new, innovative or even mildly exciting, as they have mostly amounted to standard read plays or qb traps up the middle. Rex praised Tebow’s throwing ability in camp yet refuses to allow him to throw the ball. At best the current implementation of Tebow into the offense has been a nuisance, and at worst, a gross misuse of one of the Jets few remaining offensive weapons. The question must be asked, did Rex Ryan and Tony Sparano even want Tebow in New York to begin with? If not, who did?