New York Jets: Team soars in spite of injuries

By Chris Stephano | Sep 13, 2015

Fans of the New York Jets are undoubtedly excited after watching the team cruise to a 31-10 win over the Cleveland Browns. However, not all wins are created equal. Even though it was only against the Cleveland Browns, the Jets should feel good after this big win.

On paper, the Jets’ defense was a behemoth, forcing 5 turnovers and knocking Browns’ starting quarterback Josh McCown out of the game in the first quarter. The offense, sparked by wide receiver Brandon Marshall (62 yards receiving, 1 touchdown) and running back Chris Ivory (91 yards rushing, 2 touchdowns), also shined.

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While all of these story-lines are exciting, none of them do justice to the game played today. Today’s game was ultimately about the Jets thriving in spite of facing a rash of tough injuries.

In the second quarter, the Jets lost their second cornerback, Antonio Cromartie, to a non-contact knee injury. Although there are no definite reports currently out at the time of this writing, it’s certainly looking like the team may have lost Cromartie for the season.

The Jets are undoubtedly disappointed that their 4 year/$32 million investment in Cromartie may not yield them any dividends this season, but they have to be encouraged by the play from their bench. Cornerback Marcus Williams, an undrafted player out of North Dakota State, received some playing time today and thrived. Williams was credited with three pass breakups and an interception.

Aug 29, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets cornerback Marcus Williams (20) strips the ball from New York Giants wide receiver James Jones (89) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. The Jets defeated the Giants 28-18. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

The Jets also lost linebacker Lorenzo Maudlin to a head injury in the fourth quarter. He was knocked unconscious and taken to the hospital, but apparently only suffered a concussion. Once again, the team showed the depth to thrive in spite of the injury. Although Maudlin played a significant role on defense, forcing a fumble, so did linebacker Trevor Reilly, a former 7th round pick. Reilly recorded a sack and a forced fumble.

When looking back on this home opener, the Jets and their fans will never forget the solid play by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, or by Marshall and Ivory. But as the season stretches into the trying dog days of winter and the injuries inevitably mount up, the team should remember its unsung heroes- the Williams’ and Reillys’ of the league- who helped carry them to a huge win today.

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