New York Jets: Breaking Down the Win in San Francisco
Looking at how the New York Jets earned their Week 14 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers.
My wife said it best when she said this game was a tale of two halves, as that is exactly what it was. The New York Jets posted their fourth win of the year in Week 14 against the San Francisco 49ers. But they certainly didn’t make it look easy. Frankly, it started out like a repeat of the Indianapolis game.
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The first half was all San Francisco. Bryce Petty‘s first pass went for an interception which led to a touchdown on the very next play. The Jets had a difficult time stopping the run with Carlos Hyde all day, but especially in the first half. If it weren’t for two missed field goals by Phil Dawson, the lead would have been a lot more than 17-3 for the 49ers at halftime.
In the second half, the 49ers had the chance to put the Jets away when they got the ball to start things off. A quick stop ended that chance. They could have done it again when the Jets only managed a field goal on the ensuing drive. Again, the Niners couldn’t get anything going. New York didn’t catch up right away, but they stayed in the game, giving Petty confidence.
The difference in the second half was the Jets defense. They tightened up enough to only allow the Niners a field goal, and it allowed the Jets back into it where they could get it to overtime.
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Bryce Petty played pretty well after throwing a pick on the first play. Overall he went 23-of-35 for 257 yards and the one interception. But, what he showed the coaching staff and the fan base is his toughness. The offensive line was not good, as they let him get beaten up. The young quarterback was sacked six times, along with hit many others. But he hung in there and made the plays he had to make.
Case and point is the two-point conversion that brought the Jets within a field goal. On a sneak, Petty was able to wriggle out of the tackle of Ahmad Brooks to find the end zone. It was a hard-nosed run from a young kid that knows he is fighting for his starting position. It’s a four-game audition and, in Game 1, Petty showed the Jets he can handle the job from a physical standpoint.
It wasn’t all wine and roses. The Jets vaunted defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed as far as the running game was concerned. They allowed 9.2 yards per carry and Carlos Hyde ran it 17 times for 193 yards. If Todd Bowles is kept on as the coach in 2017, Kacy Rodgers isn’t presenting a great case for himself to be retained as defensive coordinator. With only two sacks, the pass rush wasn’t exactly dominant either.
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However, it was a breakout day for two players, Bilal Powell and Robby Anderson. Anderson’s chemistry with Petty is clear, as he led the team with six receptions for 99 yards. They have had the most reps together, so it only makes sense. Powell took over after Matt Forte left with an injury and was just great, carrying the ball 29 times for 145 yards.
Jets fans have been clamoring for Powell to get the football more. They are right. If nothing else, the Jets will take their four wins home to face the Dolphins on Saturday night and sport a more confident quarterback.