Jets' loss to Patriots revealed one surprising bright spot for the future

The New York Jets walked out of Foxborough with a familiar, frustrating result, falling short in a 27-14 loss to the first-place New England Patriots in Week 11.

But buried beneath another long night for Justin Fields and the offense was something the franchise desperately needed. It was further proof that they’ve found their offensive coordinator of the future.

Tanner Engstrand didn’t magically fix the passing game or hide the very real roster flaws that doomed the Jets again. What he did do, though, was drag this talent-depleted offense to another somewhat functional performance against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

New England entered Thursday night allowing under 80 rushing yards per game, boasting the league’s No. 1 run defense. The Jets still ran for 140 yards on 5.0 yards per carry, despite stacked boxes, no passing threat, and a quarterback who has struggled to execute even basic concepts.

The offense didn’t shine, but the process was sound, and that process was headed Engstrand.

The Jets have found their OC of the future in Tanner Engstrand

Thursday night's game was further evidence that Engstrand is doing one hell of a job with one of the NFL’s weakest offensive depth charts. Nothing about this Jets roster should be producing competent offensive stretches right now.

They don’t have an NFL-caliber passing game, their wide receiver room is held together by tape and midseason additions, and Fields has been unplayable in more than half his starts this season. And yet, Engstrand still found ways to manufacture offense against the best run defense in football.

The Jets opened the game with a 14-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that consumed more than eight minutes of clock. It was Engstrand at his best, as the Jets showcased creative sequencing, perfectly timed misdirection, smart usage of Fields as a runner, and well-designed short-area concepts to keep the chains moving.

That drive worked because of Engstrand, not because the Jets suddenly became an explosive unit.

From there, the limitations of the roster caught up, but the design was still solid. Engstrand repeatedly schemed open receivers. Adonai Mitchell created separation on multiple routes, even if he couldn't consistently haul in passes. Jeremy Ruckert had a late drop.

Fields hesitated or checked down on plays where open windows existed. The Jets left opportunities all over the field, not because the coaching wasn’t there, but because the execution wasn’t.

The run game, however, remained Engstrand’s greatest triumph. Behind another strong night from rookie right tackle Armand Membou, the Jets consistently moved a Patriots front that nobody else in the league has been able to dent.

New England stacked the box all game, knowing the Jets couldn’t throw. It really didn’t matter, though. Engstrand still found answers, and the offensive line still won for the most part.

The Jets don’t have the quarterback or receivers right now. That’s reality. But they do have an offensive coordinator who continues to punch above his weight and build structure, identity, and production out of almost nothing. If anything, that's a real reason for optimism moving forward.