NY Jets: 5 takeaways from primetime loss to Colts on Thursday Night Football

The NY Jets went into their Thursday Night Football matchup with the Indianapolis Colts riding a wave of momentum following Mike White's historic performance on Sunday.

But all that momentum was sucked out of them when White left with a wrist injury in the first quarter. White's injury wasn't the reason the Jets lost this game, but it certainly didn't help matters.

The Jets actually managed to make a game of it falling by a final score of 45-30 despite trailing 42-10 at one point. But Josh Johnson's efforts were in vein as the defense simply let the team down.

Let's take a look at a few takeaways from this woeful game.

1. The NY Jets defense was embarrassed

It was an embarrassing display by the Jets defense on Thursday night continuing a trend of poor performances in recent weeks. Carson Wentz finished 22-of-30 for 272 yards and three touchdowns as he torched the Jets defense in the air.

The run defense was even worse (more on that in a moment) with Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines combining for 246 yards on the ground.

The Colts scored a touchdown on their first four possessions and nearly on their fifth if not for a 4th-and-goal stand. Nothing went right for this defense.

The linebackers are a liability. Their defensive game plan has been figured out. The Jets need to figure out a fix and quick, especially with the Buffalo Bills coming to town next week.

2. The NY Jets run defense is a major issue

The Jets have struggled to stop the run all season, but things have really come to a head over the last few weeks. And this week's performance was their worst yet.

Jonathan Taylor rushed for 174 yards including multiple long touchdowns. Nyheim Hines had his way with the defense as well.

The Jets front-seven was thoroughly dominated. The defensive line folded and the linebackers might as well have not been on the field. Jarrad Davis and C.J. Mosley were significant liabilities, and it was especially evident on Taylor's 78-yard touchdown.

The Jets run defense has gone from one of the best in the league to arguably the worst. The coaching staff needs to figure out what exactly happened.

3. Elijah Moore showing signs of future stardom

On the plus side, Elijah Moore is beginning to resemble the player he did in the summer. He finished this game with a team-leading seven catches for 84 yards including his first two receiving scores.

Moore was the star of training camp and many expected him to make an immediate impact on offense. However, it was a slow start for the second-round pick.

Through the first seven weeks of the season (five games played), Moore had just nine catches for 79 yards. But after a six-catch, 67-yard performance a week ago, he followed that up with his best game yet.

This is the Elijah Moore the Jets believed they had drafted. It might not be long until he develops into the go-to playmaker in their offense.

4. The Mike White injury really hurt

The story of this game should not be about Mike White, and the Jets did not lose because of White's absence. But it's impossible to argue that his injury didn't suck the life out of the team.

It's not that Josh Johnson played poorly in his absence, far from it. But White was the heart and soul of this Jets team heading into the week. Once he exited the game, everything fell apart.

White finished 7-of-11 for 95 yards and a touchdown to Elijah Moore, but his performance certainly left fans wanting more.

The Jets probably still would have lost this game had White not gotten hurt. But his injury sucked all the fun out of what had been a entertaining week.

The Jets can never have anything nice.

5. Mike LaFleur is pushing all the right buttons

The Jets offense managed to score 30 points for the second consecutive week. Despite third-stringer Josh Johnson playing for the majority of the game, the Jets still found plenty of success moving the ball on offense.

Credit needs to go out to offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur who has really come into his own these last two weeks. LaFleur's move up to the booth has been a complete success, as has having a quarterback who can execute his game plan.

There's more to it than that, though. LaFleur has shown plenty of creativity with trick plays, and while they all haven't worked, they have kept defenses on their toes.

LaFleur's personnel usage has been much better and the results are showing. The Jets should be very pleased with the growth shown by their young offensive play-caller.