Jason Sanders did just enough to hold off Blake Grupe for at least another week

Going into Week 1, the New York Jets had an auspicious situation at kicker, to say the least. Despite Jason Sanders' preseason struggles, Aaron Glenn and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo decided they would give him the nod in their season opener.

Sanders would warrant earning the Jets coaching staff's trust, nailing 3-of-4 field goal attempts, and converting on both of his extra points. But a bad shank to close out the first half should still give Jets fans pause about his long-term viability throughout 2026.

Did the former Miami Dolphins All-Pro show enough in his Week 1 outing to continue as the main kicker going into New York's home opener against the Green Bay Packers? Or is it time for the Jets to turn to Blake Grupe, the other kicker they currently have on the 53-man roster?

Jason Sanders receives Week 2 lifeline after first New York Jets outing

FanSided's Adam Fromal, who keeps the most comprehensive compendium of NFL kicking analysis anywhere you'll find on the internet, was encouraged by Sanders' Week 1 performance. He believes he did enough to keep the Jets from turning to Grupe heading into Week 2.

"Jason Sanders, if you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip? Apparently, the New York Jets kicker's palms were sweaty, and there was already-chewed spaghetti all over his jersey after a straight-up shank from 54 yards. But to his credit, he was calm and ready to drop bombs afterward, making from both 51 and 52 yards later in the proceedings... He hasn't been fully chewed up, spit out and booed off stage yet."

With a little bit of Marshall Mathers flair, Fromal illustrates how Sanders stabilized his hold on the Jets' starting kicking job. That opening shank will still live strong in Jets fans' heads, but you can't argue against the fact that he was nails the rest of the way.

The biggest concern with Sanders coming out of the preseason was his range, and although he missed his longest attempt, two of his three makes did come from beyond the 50-yard marker.

The decision to stick with Sanders going into Week 2 is a tricky one. Conditions are expected to be poor in Northern New Jersey this upcoming Sunday when the Jets face the Packers, making kicking even more difficult.

But you can't say the former All-Pro hasn't earned it, considering the way he bounced back from a poor start in Nashville.

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