Jets defense collapses again in Week 2 loss to Raiders

The defense of the New York Jets once again got pummeled in their Week 2 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

Enough sugar coating it. The New York Jets defense stinks. After another dismal effort in which the unit allowed 410 total yards including 180 on the ground and allowed Michael Crabtree to find the end zone three times, it’s time to call them what they are.

The defense of the Jets this year is one of the worst all-around defenses in the league. Through just two games, the Jets have allowed 818 total yards of offense, have been gashed on the ground in both, and currently rank 29th in total defense.

While it is only two games, the red flags are far too alarming to ignore. The Jets secondary was sliced and diced all day by Derek Carr, and a once potent defensive line looked lifeless. Not to say that the offense was a whole lot better, but the defense (especially the guys up front) is supposed to be the strength of this team and so far they have been nothing short of a disaster.

Josh McCown looked efficient in the loss, and after falling behind 14-0 early, the Jets offense showed a lot a heart and were able to fight their way back into the game. McCown got the scoring started with a beautiful deep ball to Jermaine Kearse for a 34-yard touchdown, and then drove the Jets down the field again, this time settling for a 46-yard Chandler Catanzaro field goal.

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Shockingly enough, the Jets defense got off the field on third down with a little less than two minutes to go in the first half and they were set to get the ball back with a lot of momentum. They had a chance to possibly take a 17-14 lead into halftime.

That’s when things all fell apart for the Jets. Standing at his own ten-yard line, Kalif Raymond lost Marquette King’s punt in the bright California sun, fumbling the ball and setting the Raiders up first and goal inside the five. Three plays later Marshawn Lynch was in the end zone and Oakland never looked back. The Jets cut the lead to 21-13 halfway through the third quarter but Cordarrelle Patterson burned the Jets defense going untouched right up the middle for a 43-yard score and after that, the rout was on.

Todd Bowles once again stumbled through his press conference blaming the struggles on the perimeter defense while saying that the defensive line seemed to be more active. Bowles can reach for positives all he wants, but when you have Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams on your defensive line you should at least be putting far more pressure on the opposition’s quarterback. Gang Green did not record a sack throughout the entire game and there were too many instances where Carr had all day to stand in the pocket and pick apart the Jets secondary.

The Jets are 0-2 for the first time since 2007 and things won’t be getting any easier as their division rival Miami Dolphins will head to MetLife Stadium this Sunday who are coming off a dramatic 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Gang Green’s run defense will be tested again as they will be matched up against the explosive Jay Ajayi who ran for 122 yards in Week 2. The Jets will need to be much sharper in all phases if they are to have any shot at knocking off the Dolphins and earning their first win of the season.

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