2 Jets in dire need of a Week 2 bounce back to stay out of Aaron Glenn's doghouse

Even in a loss, plenty of New York Jets players had positive showings in Week 1. Those guys will look to prove it's no fluke when the Buffalo Bills come to town this Sunday. On the flip side, two players stood out as guys who will need a bounce-back performance as head coach Aaron Glenn's culture of accountability takes hold.

Glenn wasted no time in showing the world that he means business when he cut wide receiver/punt returner Xavier Gipson after a brutal showing last Sunday that likely cost the Jets the game.

Football games are rarely won or lost on one particular play, however, and these two players both showed up small and all played integral roles in the Jets coming away with a loss.

The consequences for some might not be as dire as Gipson, who, as a former UDFA without a regular role on offense, didn't have much standing to begin with.

However, even with bigger contracts or more prominent roles, these players will need to bounce back and produce up to expectations if they are to hang on to their roles and/or roster spots. If not, they could quickly find themselves in Aaron Glenn's doghouse and perhaps one step closer to the unemployment line.

Jets players in need of bounce-back Week 2 performances

1. CB Brandon Stephens

Signing Brandon Stephens to a three-year, $36 million contract in the offseason was the first and biggest headscratcher of Darren Mougey's tenure as New York Jets general manager.

Stephens' PFF grade ranked 42nd out of 50 corners with at least 750 snaps played, and he had regularly disappointed throughout the first four years of his career in Baltimore.

However, he impressed in training camp, leading some to believe that Glenn's magic as a cornerback whisperer would help translate his raw tools into actual production.

Week 1 showed more of the same from Stephens, who surrendered five catches, an average of 12 yards per reception, and a 136.9 passer rating to Aaron Rodgers. He'd also add a brutal defensive pass interference call and likely should have been flagged for another later in the game.

The most frustrating thing was that Stephens was often in good position to make a play on the ball, but failed to get his head around and display any semblance of ball skills, making Steelers receiver Calvin Austin appear more like prime Calvin Johnson.

Stephens can't be cut without an unreasonable dead cap charge, but that doesn't mean Glenn will keep him in the starting lineup if he doesn't produce.

Azareye'h Thomas or Qwan'tez Stiggers might not have tons of experience, but with the former being a third-round rookie and the latter a holdover from the previous regime, it's clear the coaching staff thinks highly of their potential.

Should Stephens falter again, it wouldn't be a shock to see one of them find their way into the starting lineup as his replacement sooner rather than later.

2. S Tony Adams

As a former UDFA, it's fair to say that Tony Adams' NFL career has been a success, relative to expectations. For the last three seasons, Adams has mostly been a serviceable starter, even if he's a far cry from being a star.

However, that success came under Robert Saleh and a very different defensive system than what Aaron Glenn runs, and Adams' performance under his new head coach left a lot to be desired. The Illinois product put up a brutal 39.4 PFF grade in Week 1, ranking 72nd out of 76 safeties.

Adams allowed three catches on all three targets he faced, but more than anything, his tackling was the biggest issue. He missed two tackles on the day, the first of which came on the Steelers' first drive.

On third-and-10, he whiffed on DK Metcalf after a short completion, squandering an opportunity to get off the field and ultimately allowing Pittsburgh to come away with a touchdown.

Malachi Moore is waiting in the wings, and it's feeling inevitable that he claims the starting job from Adams unless the veteran has a big-time turnaround against the Bills.

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