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Sam Darnold, Jamal Adams among Jets’ Studs & Duds in win over Redskins

The Jets continued their dominance against the NFC East this season, dismantling the Redskins, 34-17, and improving to 3-1 vs. the division.

The Jets continued their dominance against the NFC East this season, dismantling the Redskins, 34-17, and improving to 3-1 vs. the division.

New York’s defense made life for rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins nearly impossible, especially with Jamal Adams continuing his tear as the team’s best edge rusher. On the other side of the football, Sam Darnold threw a career-high four touchdown passes to give the Jets a commanding win.

For the Jets, it was another step in the right direction and the team’s second consecutive win. Here are the best and worst players from the Week 11 victory.

Stud: QB Sam Darnold

(Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)

Ever since seeing ghosts, Sam Darnold has slowly returned to form.

The young quarterback always has at least one bad decision per game, but he got that out of the way early on his way to one of his best performances. Darnold threw a career-high four touchdown passes, going 19-30 for 293 yards and one interception.

The Jets offense looked the best it has all season under Darnold’s direction and went over the 400-yard threshold in a comfortable win.

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Instant Analysis: Sam Darnold, Jets make it 2 straight with blowout in D.C.

Like most things in D.C. these days, Sunday’s game at FedExField wasn’t always easy to watch.

Like most things in D.C. these days, Sunday’s game at FedExField wasn’t always easy to watch.

The Jets, however, prevailed in the matchup of NFL bottomfeeders, beating Washington 34-17. New York didn’t exactly play clean football, but it didn’t have to against a rookie quarterback and porous secondary.

With the win, the Jets are now 3-7 and on a two-game winning streak. Washington fell to 1-9 in the race for the top pick in April.

Game Balls:

  • S Jamal Adams: The safety’s reign of terror continued Sunday, as Adams picked up his third, fourth and fifth sacks over his last two games. He seems to be having a lot of fun going up against rookie quarterbacks.
  • TE Ryan Griffin: The Jets offense has not offered many pleasant surprises this season, but Griffin has really made a name for himself in Chris Herndon’s absence. The tight end reeled in five passes for 109 yards and a touchdown against Washington.
  • QB Sam Darnold: Darnold had his best game since New York’s win over Dallas. Granted, Washington left a lot of receivers uncovered, but Darnold threw three touchdowns in a half for the first time and set a new career-high with four touchdowns overall. He only made one notable error…

Quick Thoughts:

  • Darnold’s biggest strength and weakness is that he never gives up on a play. The QB has never seen a throwing window too small, and balance is optional. Tight coverage? Throw it. Under pressure? Throw it. Running like a mad man? Throw it. Darnold will force just about any pass; sometimes that leads to a magical highlight, sometimes that leads to a costly mistake. We saw plenty of the former on Sunday, but his interception was an example of the latter, as he threw into heavy traffic. He still needs to work on limiting those types of mistakes. 
  • The Jets should be encouraged by Darnold’s performance the last two weeks after a nightmarish three-game stretch that was littered with turnovers. However, let’s not forget to consider the competition. Darnold has turned things around against some of the worst pass defenses in football (NYG & WAS). He’s supposed to play well against teams like that. The question now is how sharp will he be against competent defenses moving forward?

  • Some Hollywood movie studios should hire Adam Gase because the man knows how to write a script. While the coach has drawn plenty of criticism this year, one area in which he and his offense have excelled at recently is opening drives — sequences in which plays are typically predetermined well in advance of kickoff. When Darnold found Daniel Brown for a touchdown right out of the gate, it marked the fourth straight game in which the Jets scored on their opening drive. Remember when that used to be a problem?
  • Gregg Williams looked to be toying with Dwayne Haskins early on. The coordinator threw plenty of confusing schemes at the rookie quarterback, as the Jets often rushed fewer men than they showed at the line of scrimmage. The strategy worked, as Haskins and his line frequently failed to figure out who was blitzing. The Jets, meanwhile, were able to keep more men in the back levels of their defense, a necessary insurance policy given the team’s current cornerback situation. All in all, Williams’ defense allowed 17 points while racking up six sacks and 10 QB hits.
  • The Jets finally hit the century mark on the ground — the first time they’ve done so all season. Gang Green’s ball carriers finished the day with 118 yards rushing. Le’Veon Bell led the way with 59 yards on 18 carries, including a touchdown, while Bilal Powell factored in more than usual, rushing seven times for 42 yards. On an individual level, the Jets would probably still like to get more out of Bell, but this was a strong combined effort for New York’s backs, as well as the line tasked with blocking for them.
  • Not to end on a negative, but the Jets will eventually have to find themselves a better kicker than Sam Ficken, who missed a field goal and an extra point in this one. Fortunately for him, the team has bigger problems at the moment.

Jets’ edge in the trenches among things to know vs. Redskins

The Jets solid defensive line and run defense should have the upper hand against the Redskins’ bad offensive line.

After 11 weeks, you pretty much know the strengths and weaknesses of every team. For the Jets and Redskins, there’s a lot more bad than good and now the two will face off with a combined three wins.

The Jets come off a morale-boosting win over the Giants while the Redskins will be fresh of their bye week, but neither team is playing for much more than pride and a draft pick position. New York likely has the edge given their run defense is among the best in the league and the Redskins have relied heavily on their running backs after Bill Callahan took over after Week 6.

Here are four things to know for Week 11.

(Wilfredo Lee-AP)

Jets should be able to win in the trenches

New York’s defensive line continues to progress this season after they traded away Leonard Williams and they’ll have another mouthwatering matchup against Washington. The Redskins rank 28th in Football Outsiders’ pass blocking DVOA and they have a power success rate of only 20 percent – worst in the league (meaning they’re’ typically stopped on third down or fourth-and-short). 

Though they’ve only been blitzed 67 times, the Redskins have allowed 38 hurries (10th-most in the league) and 24 hits. The Jets defensive line should be able to bully the Redskins up front and the linebackers in middle and on the edge should have no trouble getting into the backfield. The Jets also boast the second-best run defense in the league, which should be able to stifle the Redskins’ run-heavy approach.

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Jets vs. Redskins: Le’Veon Bell’s status among pregame storylines

Jets Wire breaks down New York vs. Washington with four pregame storylines.

The Jets will have a legitimate chance to make it two wins in a row when they hit the road to take on the Redskins on Sunday.

Washington has struggled to a 1-8 record so far in 2019, with its only win coming against the Dolphins over a month ago. It’s a winnable game for New York, but a lengthy injury report and general inconsistency make nothing a certainty for Gang Green.

With that being said, let’s take a look at some pregame storylines to keep an eye on with kickoff approaching.

Le’Veon Bell’s status

AP Photo/Steven Ryan

Could the Jets be without their star running back for the first time this season when they take on the Redskins?

Le’Veon Bell’s status for Sunday’s game is up in the air, as he is dealing with rib and knee injuries, as well as an illness. If Bell can’t go, Ty Montgomery and Bilal Powell will be tasked with leading New York’s rushing attack.

Even with Bell, the Jets have struggled to run the football in 2019 due to some underwhelming play in the trenches. If he can’t play against Washington, New York’s ground game will have a tough time taking flight in Week 11.

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Targeting Josh Norman among 4 keys to Jets’ offense vs. Washington

The Jets passing offense should succeed against the soft Redskins secondary, and that begins with attacking cornerback Josh Norman.

The Jets take on another easy defense this week in the Washington Redskins and will look to string together consecutive wins for the first time since Week 6 of the 2018 season. Sam Darnold enjoyed a nice bounce-back game against the Giants in Week 10 and will face an even weaker secondary against the lowly Redskins, while Le’Veon Bell could find lots of running lanes against a bad run defense.

The Jets should be able to move the ball effectively considering Washington allows a league-high 6.7 plays per drive and teams convert 50 percent of their third-down attempts against the Redskins. The biggest thing for New York will be its ability to maintain the ball and attack Washington’s weakest points on defense.

Here are four keys to the Jets offense in Week 11. 

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Pressuring Dwayne Haskins among Jets’ keys to defense vs. Washington

The Jets face another rookie quarterback in the Redskins’ Dwayne Haskins and need to make him beat the defense.

The Jets get their second chance to build a winning streak this week when they head to Washington to take on the Redskins. On the heels of their second win of the year over the Giants, the Jets will now take on one of the worst offensive teams in the league. Washington averages a league-low 12 points per game and ranks 30th in yards.

It looks like an easy matchup on paper, but the Jets are seriously thin at important positions on defense, including linebacker and cornerback. Just this past week, the Jets gave up 281 total yards and four passing touchdowns to the Giants, so they of all teams cannot overlook the lowly Redskins. 

Here are four keys for the Jets defense in Week 11.

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Sure-handed Jamison Crowder has become Jets’ slot machine

Jets WR Jamison Crowder is tied for the seventh most catches without a drop in the NFL with 48.

The Washington Redskins allowed Jamison Crowder to walk in free agency. Now, as they prepare to face the Jets, they may be kicking themselves for allowing one of the league’s most productive slot receivers to go without much of a fight.

Crowder has been as reliable as they come in his first season with the Jets. He’s already one of Sam Darnold’s favorite receivers, and that may have something to do with how sure his hands are.

This season, Crowder is tied for the seventh-most catches without a drop in the NFL with 48, tied with Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey.

Crowder signed a three-year deal worth $28.5 million with the Jets and has quickly established himself as the team’s most reliable receiver. He leads the team in both receptions and yards with 42 and 486, respectively.

Before joining the Jets, he studied Adam Gase’s offenses and how he would fit that mold. He studied the coach’s history with slot receivers, going through tapes of Wes Welker and Jarvis Landry with the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins, respectively, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

For quite some time, the Jets have lacked a trustworthy receiver who can space the field like Crowder. Jeremy Kerley was the closest thing resembling that, but a receiver of Crowder’s caliber hasn’t owned the middle of the field since Wayne Chrebet.

It’s clear through nine games that Crowder has carved a Welker- and Landry-like role for himself in Gase’s offense. Despite offensive struggles, Crowder has always posed as a significant threat in the slot.

With Chris Herndon sidelined for the season between a four-game suspension, a nagging hamstring injury and a broken rib that landed him on IR, Darnold has been forced to find a new security blanket.

Crowder has emerged as a dependable option due to Darnold’s increasing trust in the receiver. With his sure hands, it only makes sense to continue to get him involved going forward. After four catches in the first two drives against the Giants in the Jets’ 34-27 win last Sunday, the targets stopped coming for Crowder.

That should change on Sunday. The Redskins have struggled against the slot all season and with the defense’s inability to get off the field on third down, Darnold will surely be targeting his new favorite receiver in his return back to Washington this weekend.

5 reasons why Jets won’t fire Adam Gase after 2019

Jets Wire breaks down four reasons New York has for keeping Adam Gase in 2020.

Adam Gase is going to get another chance to get things right at One Jets Drive in 2020.

Christopher Johnson reaffirmed his faith in Gase on Wednesday, stating that there would be no head coaching change at season’s end. Gase will return.

Between Sam Darnold’s regression and numerous embarrassing losses in winnable games, Jets fans have been calling for Gase’s head for a while now. It seems like there is an endless list of reasons why New York should part ways with its embattled first-year head coach. However, there are still a few reasons why Gase returning in 2020 makes sense.

Let’s take a look at what those reasons could be.

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Chris Herndon’s lost season tells the story of the 2019 Jets

Chris Herndon was supposed to be an integral part of the Jets offense in 2019. Instead, he caught just one pass.

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Chris Herndon’s sophomore season in the NFL fell apart before it could even begin.

Herndon was supposed to be an integral part of the Jets’ offense in 2019, one of Sam Darnold’s top targets. The two developed a solid rapport in their rookie seasons and Herndon quickly established himself as a reliable option in the passing game, catching 39 passes for 502 yards and four touchdowns. With how strongly they closed out the regular season, the sky seemed to be the limit for the duo.

Instead, Darnold got the chance to throw only one pass Herndon’s way this season. After missing New York’s first four games due to a suspension, the Miami product injured his hamstring before returning against the Giants in Week 10, only to sustain a fractured rib that landed him on injured reserve.

“It’s obviously not ideal when you go through something like that and you go through a hamstring and you’re excited to go back out there and play ball,” Darnold said of Herndon’s injury. “Me and Chris are pretty close, so this one sucks, but it is what it is. I know he’s going to attack rehab like he always will. It’s never good when you lose a weapon like Chris.”

Not only is Darnold now missing one of his most talented targets for an extended period of time, but Herndon is robbed of a season that was supposed to be integral in his development. Yes, his suspension was a self-inflicted wound, but Herndon was able to move forward after his DWI charge. He instead appeared to learn from the inexcusable decision.

“It’s disappointing. I feel bad for Chris, because he was excited to get back out there,” Gase said. “For whatever reason, he couldn’t catch a break this year.”

The good news is Herndon will be back and ready to go next year. The former fourth-round pick has a lot of good football left in him and plenty of untapped potential to unlock.

Regardless, Herndon’s nightmare of a season tells the story of the 2019 Jets. Nothing has gone right at One Jets drive so far this year. Herndon is just the latest casualty of New York’s porous luck.

Christopher Johnson using whatever goodwill he has left on Adam Gase

Chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson publically endorsed Adam Gase despite his 2-7 record, much to the chagrin of fans.

For better or worse, Christopher Johnson is hitching his wagon to Adam Gase.

The chairman and CEO stated Gase will remain the head coach in 2020 despite from fans and pundits alike calling for his firing.

“I want to assure you there will be no changes in coaches here,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday. “Adam has the trust of this team. He has the trust of Sam. He has the trust of (general manager) Joe (Douglas). He has my trust. He’s a good man. He’s a good coach.”

Johnson explained part of the reason for keeping Gase is continuity with Sam Darnold’s development. Johnson added that Gase’s first year can’t properly be evaluated due to a ridiculous amount of injuries to the team.

“Sam hasn’t been given the best opportunity to thrive,” Johnson said. “We’ve had so many moving parts on the offensive line that I think it has affected his ability to play as he would like. There’s a great deal of work to do. Everyone understands that. And we’re just getting started. But I feel really good about this team moving forward.”

It’s not surprising that Johnson isn’t planning on firing Gase after one season. While it would send a positive message to an angry and win-deprived fanbase, it could cripple the morale of a team that has yet to turn on Gase. 

What is surprising, though, is how Johnson effectively gave a ringing endorsement of Gase despite the Jets’ 2-7 record and terrible statistical rankings. Even after a seven-point win over the equally-lowly Giants, the Jets rank 30th in points scored and 32nd in total yards. Even with a bevy of injuries, those numbers are atrocious; they’re nothing Johnson should be publicly praising.

It also sends a bad sign to Jets fans when you basically tell them you’re happy with the job Gase has done in 10 months. Objectively speaking, he’s been a terrible coach in the games he’s lost, and lucky in the games he’s won. He was pitched to fans as an offensive genius, but the Jets have only scored more than 20 points and put up more than 300 yards of offense twice all season. Darnold looks to have regressed and no player looks to have developed under Gase’s guidance. He even cost the Jets their starting inside linebacker by leaving Avery Williamson in a meaningless preseason game in which he tore his ACL. 

It would have been easier for Johnson to take Le’Veon Bell’s approach and just continue preaching patience for the future of the team. Instead, Johnson is telling fans he believes Gase is that future, despite every indication that this won’t be the case. 

“I understand it. I’m frustrated, too,” Johnson said when asked about fans’ frustrations. “Every player on this team hates to lose. … Losing is a whole new thing and it’s terrible and I want it to stay terrible. Who wants to get used to that? But I can assure you that this entire building is about getting this team to a better place.”

Almost three weeks ago Johnson was caught on camera criticizing the team before a loss to the Jaguars. The next week the Jets lost to the previously winless Dolphins. If Johnson wasn’t happy with the team before, what changed over the past few weeks for him to suddenly support his coach? The Giants win, though great for morale, wasn’t particularly impressive considering the defense blew a two-score lead and were a Jamal Adams fumble recovery for a touchdown away from losing.

This is less about Gase and more about a vote of confidence for the team moving forward. Though the Jets roster is bad and their season awful, there are still solid pieces surrounding Darnold. If players were also calling for Gase’s head, maybe Johnson would change his tune. But with players like Jamal Adams and center Jonotthan Harrison praising Johnson’s decision, firing Gase would decimate the morale of the team for the rest of the year and send the Jets into a bigger tailspin before moving back to square one this offseason. 

“It shows [Johnson] has faith in coach Gase, like the rest of us do,” Harrison said. “It shows he sees the potential and he sees where this team is going. Instead of listening to the outside noise — Gase this, Gase that — he said, ‘I have total faith in coach Gase.'”

Adams, who at one point refused to talk to Gase and Douglas after trade rumors, also backed Gase: “That’s our head coach and that’s who we ride with.”

Johnson doesn’t have the best track record as an owner. His hands-on approach and seemingly genuine interest in player causes — a drastic contrast from his brother, Woody — made a strong first impression, but he’s 11-30 since taking over in 2017. He let Mike Maccagnan build the roster through the 2019 offseason and played a role in overpaying for free agents. Gase could be yet another mistake in the Christopher Johnson era, and that’s probably not something he’d like to admit after only 10 months.

“It’s said that you are what your record says you are, and that’s not very impressive,” Johnson said. “But looking forward, I think it’s going to be a good team. I have so much faith in Adam and Joe to put together a great future for us.”

We’ll see about that.