New York Jets: 3 positive takeaways from Week 5 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles

The New York Jets are a sinking ship full of negativity and pessimism at the moment. So in the spirit of maintaining our sanity, let’s take a look at three positive takeaways from Week 5.

The New York Jets are a difficult franchise to cheer for, we all know this. Whether a fan of five years of five decades, the Jets have likely been the provider of plenty of anguish over that time.

And unfortunately, the 2019 season has been no different. The only problem is that it was supposed to be.

We’ve heard that phrase echoed numerous times over the years. This is our year. This year it will be different. And maybe one day — one day not so far in the future — it will be different.

But for now, we’ve been treated to more of the same.

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The Jets lost an abysmal game in every sense of the word in Week 5 falling to the Philadelphia Eagles by a final score of 31-6. They now sit at 0-4 on the season with seemingly no optimism in sight.

But in times like this, it’s important to reflect on the positives. It’s far too easy to dwell on the negativity and while any person is completely justified in doing so, sometimes it’s nice to just think of what’s going right for the sake of maintaining our sanity.

It was certainly difficult, but here are three positive takeaways from Sunday’s apathetic loss to the Eagles.

Next: 3. Neville Hewitt is a baller

3. Neville Hewitt is a baller

From the depths of pessimism, optimism can sometimes find a way to shine through.

When starting inside linebacker Avery Williamson went down with a torn ACL in the preseason, it was certainly a huge blow to a Jets defense that was beginning to gel with numerous new pieces. and things were only made worse following C.J. Mosley‘s injury.

But in their place, the Jets have been starting the duo of veteran special teams ace Neville Hewitt and fifth-round rookie Blake Cashman. Cashman has looked good at points, but his run defense is still below-average and he remains a work in progress.

Meanwhile, Hewitt has continued to shine and he remains one of the few bright spots on an otherwise dismal Jets roster.

The former Miami Dolphins linebacker led the team in tackles with 10 and was a constant disruptive force in the run game. Perhaps most encouraging was his infectious energy that shined through amidst a sea of apathy.

It’s rarely fair to call to question the efforts of players, but it was clear that Hewitt was one of the few members of the roster hustling as if it were a three-point game instead of a 25-point game to the very end.

While his pass coverage will never be on par with that of Mosley and while he may eventually be usurped by the upstart Cashman for the future starting job, Hewitt continues to prove each and every week that he’s among the biggest surprises on the team this year.

And in a season full of negatives surprises, any sort of positive surprise is one to be appreciated.

Next: 2. Quinnen Williams impresses in his return

2. Quinnen Williams impresses in his return

For some reason, rookie first-round pick Quinnen Williams has seemingly been the subject of his fair share of criticism early this season. Perhaps it’s simply a product of contagious negativity from other aspects of the team.

But it’s safe to say that none of this is warranted.

Williams returned from injury after missing the previous two and a half games while dealing with an ankle issue. And in his return, he finished third on the team in tackles and made an impact as a pass rusher.

For whatever reason, the Alabama product has still been the recipient of criticism despite this. Perhaps we could call this the Leonard Williams effect.

But please be assured, Quinnen Williams is not Leonard Williams.

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Despite a defensive-line leading 55 defensive snaps, the elder Williams managed just one tackle and one penalty. He pressured the quarterback once, just his third on the season.

In Sunday’s game alone, Quinnen Williams managed four quarterback pressures — three of which resulted in incomplete passes. However, the fourth pressure — and only one that didn’t force an incompletion — was perhaps his most impressive rep.

Williams ripped past All-Pro center Jason Kelce in a one-on-one matchup and nearly sacked quarterback Carson Wentz. Had it not been for some acrobatics from the Eagles QB, Williams would have recorded his first career sack.

Yes, Williams needs to finish the play and bring Wentz down. But that shouldn’t take anything away from what was an excellent return from injury.

Five tackles, four quarterback pressures, and nearly a sack is a solid enough day to quell the criticism at least for now — at least it should be.

But as far as positives go, Williams certainly provided a glimmer of hope for the future with his performance on Sunday.

Next: 1. Jamal Adams is still phenomenal

1. Jamal Adams is still phenomenal

It seems obvious at this point, but Jamal Adams is a phenomenal football player. In fact, calling him solely a football player diminishes everything he provides for his team and organization.

He is a leader of men, a culture-changer, and a true difference-maker in every sense of the word. There have been few players to ever play in the NFL that share the combination of leadership, talent, and passion that Adams possesses.

But we knew all of this already. However, it’s always incredible to see it in action and on Sunday we got just that.

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Adams once again was the clear star of the defense finishing with six total tackles — good for second on the team. He drew a penalty rushing the passer and was a stalwart in coverage all game long.

In fact, his coverage was so incredible that when he was asked to cover either Zach Ertz or Dallas Goedert — two very talented tight ends — the Eagles simply went in a different direction.

Despite being matched up with one of the two for the majority of the game, Adams was targeted only twice in coverage allowing one catch for eight yards on a third-and-long play.

On top of that, the energy that he brings each and every week is something that is unmatched by very few on the defense. Perhaps you could make arguments for players like Steve McLendon, Brian Poole, and the aforementioned Neville Hewitt but the list likely ends there.

Adams is a self-described rare breed and his value is arguably being wasted on a Jets team that sometimes probably doesn’t deserve him.

But Jamal Adams is a member of the New York Jets and that is a fact that should always being considered a positive.