New York Jets: Report card vs. Dolphins in Week 3
The New York Jets enjoyed their finest performance of the 2017 season with a 20-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Here is a look at their report card.
The New York Jets opened the home portion of their schedule in Week 3 with an impressive 20-6 triumph over the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. The Jets were six seconds away from a shutout, but it didn’t really matter. Their dominant victory lifted Gang Green to 1-2 while the Dolphins slipped to 1-1. New York now leads the all-time series with Miami, 55-49-1.
Let’s take a look at their very impressive Week 3 report card:
Offense
There was actually a Robby Anderson sighting. The speedy wide receiver was invisible the first two games of the season, but he more than made up for it with a stellar performance against the Fish. His 69-yard touchdown reception on a go-route from quarterback Josh McCown gave the winners a 10-0 lead just before halftime. Anderson finished with a game-high 95 yards on three catches. The Jets have to look for him as much as possible moving forward. He is the fastest player on the team and he helps keep opposing defenses honest.
McCown had another strong performance, completing 18-of-23 passes for 249 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. His steady play in the pocket this season is one of the reasons New York has played better than expected offensively. Austin Seferian-Jenkins returned from his two-game suspension and recorded five catches for 31 yards. It’s nice to see New York use the tight end again (that is the John Morton factor).
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Veterans Jeremy Kerley (five catches for 42 yards) and Jermaine Kearse (3-42) helped move the chains while rookie ArDarius Stewart chipped in with a spectacular, diving 24-yard reception in the second quarter to give New York a first down. It was one of the best catches of the entire NFL season.
Bilal Powell rushed for just 37 yards on 15 carries, but did score on a one-yard burst. Matt Forte had a quiet day (8-25, no catches), but New York enjoyed a strong advantage in time of possession (36:08). Gang Green racked up 336 yards from scrimmage in a very solid outing.
Grade: B
Defense
In a word: Spectacular. That is how brilliant New York’s defensive effort was. The Jets were six seconds away from a shutout, but Jay Cutler fired a three-yard touchdown pass to DeVante Parker on the game’s final play. They held bruising halfback Jay Ajayi to just 16 yards rushing on 11 carries. Remember, Ajayi ran for 111 yards and a score against Gang Green in Week 9 last year. He is the engine that drives their offense and that engine needed an overhaul. He was a complete non-factor.
Rookie safety Jamal Adams enjoyed a tremendous game. He was simply all over the field, deflecting passes and helping stifle the run. Adams had one of New York’s three sacks on the day. You can see how his teammates feed off his intensity level. If he stays healthy, Adams will be a Pro Bowl player for years to come. His speed from sideline to sideline is so impressive.
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Gang Green did a fabulous job of making Cutler (26-of-44, 220 yards, one touchdown, one interception) uncomfortable in the pocket. He was off-balance for most of the game and had to shuffle his feet often. He never got into any kind of rhythm. In addition to their three sacks, the Jets held Miami to just 30 rushing yards and 225 net yards, many of which came in garbage time. The Dolphins could convert on just one of 12 third down opportunities. It looks like they were asleep for most of the game. New York’s defense had a lot to do with that.
Linebacker Demario Davis had his best performance of the season with a game-high 11 tackles. He looked like David Harris in his prime (at least for one game), stifling Miami’s ground attack. Buster Skrine was also very active in the secondary and finished with eight tackles and a sack. It was his best game in a long time. Overall, this was a very strong effort by New York.
Grade: A
Special Teams
Chandler Catanzaro shanked a 45-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, but then followed it up with kicks from 40 and 22 yards away. He is still a little shaky with his accuracy. He still makes Jets fans nervous. New York’s punt and kickoff coverage units were fine. Punter Lac Edwards had another strong game with a 46.0 average on five boots, including a 61-yarder.
Grade: B
Next: NFL Power Rankings 2017: Week 4
Coaching
Todd Bowles certainly had his team ready to go. They played with heart, fire and desire. He had a good game plan: stop Jay Ajayi in his tracks and you can beat the Dolphins. That’s exactly what happened. Although the Jets committed too many penalties (10 for 94 yards), his team played very hard for him. The third-year Jets head coach also did not make any of the time management mistakes that he is so known for. Offensive coordinator John Morton is getting the tight end involved in the game plan again, something that has been missing for years.
Grade: B