The good, the bad, and the ugly of NY Jets' Week 2 win over Titans

The NY Jets' 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans felt like a mixed bag. While most fans were hoping for an easy victory, Sunday's contest proved to be more difficult than many expected.

Fans were treated to a rollercoaster ride of emotions that ended in victory formation. To help internalize the win, let's take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the game.

Aaron Rodgers and the NY Jets escaped with a win in Week 2

The Good

Somewhere during the game, Joe Douglas was smiling as his fourth-round draft pick scored a touchdown, making Braelon Allen the youngest player since 1930 to score in the regular season. Allen introduced himself to the fan base this week with not one, but two touchdowns.

His emergence as a legitimate ground-and-pound and pass-catching running back bodes well for the Jets. Opposing defenses will have their hands full dealing with both Braelon Allen and Breece Hall.

Will McDonald answered the bell in the fourth quarter, recording a pivotal sack on 3rd-and-goal in the fourth quarter. McDonald did so with a power move, which the coaches have been asking him to do more of throughout the offseason. He finished the day with three sacks and a forced fumble.

Irv Charles had an excellent day on special teams, finishing the game with two tackles and a blocked punt. The two tackles came on punts where he single-handedly stifled any chance of a return. It seems the Jets may have found their new special teams ace following the departure of Pro Bowler Justin Hardee in the offseason.

Mike Williams makes his first catch as a member of the Jets in spectacular fashion. On 2nd-and-16 in the fourth quarter, Aaron Rodgers threw a go-get-it ball up the sideline and Williams showed exactly why the Jets signed him to a one-year contract.

Williams is known for his contested catch ability, and he put it on display for this play. Just two plays later, the Jets would score the game-winning touchdown.

Lastly, Jets fans were treated to something they haven't seen often over the last few seasons: a zero-turnover game by the offense. The Jets' ball security was excellent, and there were no close calls in terms of a fumble or possible interception.

Meanwhile, the Titans' Will Levis had both an interception and a fumble loss. As the old adage goes, the team that takes care of the football wins the game.

The Bad

Rodgers had a rough time with the playclock in this game. There were several times throughout the game where head coach Robert Saleh was forced to use a timeout in order to avoid a delay of game penalty. There is still some rust to work through as Rodgers played just his second full game in over two years.

Sauce Gardner had a game he would like to forget, as he was targeted six times giving up five receptions for 97 yards. He also allowed a touchdown, although safety Chuck Clark had a play on the ball and the wide receiver made an incredible catch. Nevertheless, the stats point to Gardner having an uncharacteristic tough game.

The Jets were only able to come away with three points off the Charles blocked punt. Starting on the Titans' 30 yard-line, the Jets only gained one first down and had to settle for a field goal.

Rodgers targeted tight end Jeremy Ruckert on 3rd-and-6, as Rodgers threw it toward the back pylon while Ruckert throttled the route down toward the front pylon. It was a chance to put six points on the board, and walking away with just three felt like a missed opportunity.

The Ugly

The Jets' edge group suffered a huge loss when Jermaine Johnson went down with an Achilles injury in the third quarter in what looked like a non-contact injury. Johnson will miss the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles.

It's a devastating injury not just for the Jets, but also for Johnson who was hoping to follow up his breakout sophomore campaign with even more production in 2024.

The Jets are already thin at the position, with Hasaan Reddick still holding out amidst a contract dispute. Whether this injury helps spur more conversations between the Jets and Reddick, only time will tell. However, the lack of depth on the edge is a serious concern moving forward.

C.J. Mosley was also injured in this game and was ruled doubtful to return with a toe injury. The Jets insist he has a chance to play on Thursday, but that remains to be seen. Jamien Sherwood replaced him, and he alongside Quincy Williams stepped up in his absence as the duo recorded 21 total tackles.

Turning toward the offensive side of the ball, the Jets offense looked stagnant at times as they were unable to move the ball. In a familiar sight for Jets fans, the offense had three three-and-outs. Penalties, suspect play-calling, and dropped balls all had a share of the blame.

At the end of the first quarter, the Jets actually ran the ball three straight times and then punted. Fans were rightfully upset, as they expected different with Aaron Rodgers under center.

In the end, the Jets come away with a win, but there is much to improve if this team hopes to play meaningful games in December and beyond. Next up, the Jets have their home opener against their AFC East rival New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.

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