Instant Analysis: New year begins with same old Jets as Bills dominate in Week 1

New York kicked off its 2020 season with one of its typical embarrassing, no-show performances.

A new season usually brings fresh hope for teams around the NFL. After an offseason spent retooling the roster and stockpiling talent in the draft, the thought is that Week 1 could be the beginning of something special.

Unless you’re the Jets.

New York kicked off its 2020 season with a typical no-show performance, as the Bills dominated for four quarters to the tune of a 27-17 victory. Don’t let the final score fool you. The Jets never had much of a chance, as they struggled to move the football and repeatedly shot themselves in the foot with a bevy of mistakes, even as the Bills invited them back into the game.

Things are not going to get any easier for New York when the defending 49ers come to town in Week 2. Considering the way the Jets performed against Buffalo, it’s hard to see them playing any better against the NFC’s Super Bowl representative from a year ago.

Game Balls

Marcus Maye: Maye was one of the lone bright spots on a Jets defense that got torched on Sunday, as he forced Josh Allen to fumble in the first quarter and had 10 tackles, two pass deflections and two sacks.

Bless Austin: Austin was the other member of the secondary who stood out in Week 1, as he forced Allen’s second fumble of the afternoon just before halftime. Austin’s physicality in run support was on display throughout the game and should earn him some additional playing time moving forward.

Jamison Crowder: Crowder picked up where he left off in 2019, catching seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Expect him to continue to serve as Sam Darnold’s go-to receiver throughout the season.

Quick Thoughts

-How did the Jets begin 2020? By getting flagged for an illegal block in the back on the opening kickoff, not recording a first down until the 1:52 mark of the first quarter, and not advancing the ball past midfield until the second. That’s not how you want to start a new year.

-So much for a revamped offensive line. Sam Darnold spent most of the day flushed out of the pocket and forced to make tough throws on the run. Darnold might not have the best weapons at wide receiver to work with, but a little help from his offensive line would do wonders. Gang Green’s running backs didn’t have much room, either.

-Speaking of Darnold…throwing the ball across your body into the middle of the field is never a good idea. You can say what you want about Darnold not being surrounded by an abundance of talent, but he has to help himself. Making senseless throws is not the way to succeed in the NFL. Running out of bounds instead of throwing the ball away like he did at the end of the third quarter doesn’t get the job done, either. Darnold should know that by now, yet he continues to make the same mistakes that plagued him throughout his first two seasons.

-Penalties, penalties, penalties. Brian Poole got flagged for holding in in the end zone and Pierre Desir got called for pass interference 20 yards downfield in the first quarter alone. Jumping offside gave the Bills a free first down in the second. Eight penalties for 87 yards. Not a good day for New York from a discipline perspective.

-Desir’s problems did not end with his early pass interference penalty. He was benched in his Jets debut in favor of Nate Hairston. The hope is that he can bounce back in Week, 2 but not an ideal start to his career with New York.

-Do the Jets know what QB containment is? Josh Allen running wild is downright inexcusable — especially when it is known how much he likes to use his legs. There is absolutely no reason why Allen was allowed to lead the Bills in rushing on Sunday.

-Why was Adam Gase calling screen passes in the two-minute drill with no timeouts at the end of the first half? Absolutely no situational awareness by New York’s second-year head coach.

-It might be time to start worrying about Quinnen Williams. He consistently got blown off the ball throughout the afternoon and, despite making a play in the backfield in the second quarter, did not do much to contribute.

-The Jets are in serious trouble with the 49ers coming to town next weekend. It’s hard to see any scenario in which the Jets win, or even remain competitive, in that game after four quarters of incompetence against the Bills.

4 Jets who could see more snaps on defense in 2020

Which Jets defenders are poised for more playing time in 2020?

Gregg Williams proved in 2019 that he can make something out of nothing. He turned around a defense devoid of top-tier talent and turned the Jets into a top-seven unit.

Joe Douglas didn’t make too many changes on defense and instead re-signed some of the Jets’ best players from last season to team-friendly deals. He traded Jamal Adams, though, and lost C.J. Mosley after the linebacker opted out of the season, but for the most part, the defense will be very similar. This means a lot of players from last year’s squad will need to step up in 2020 to earn their keep on the team – from the defensive line to the linebackers to the secondary.

With that in mind, here are four candidates for a snap increase in 2020.

DE Quinnen Williams

Williams is poised for a breakout season after a disappointing rookie year in which he played in less than 50 percent of the Jets’ defensive snaps. He missed some time with an ankle injury, but still only finished with 28 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks and six quarterback hits after the Jets took him No. 3 overall in the 2019 draft. Williams took his poor season to heart, though, changed his diet and slimmed down to 297 pounds – six pounds lighter than last year.

There is a lot of room for improvement with Williams, but he proved he can play at a high level at times in 2019. He played in over 60 percent of the Jets’ snaps in eight of the 13 games he played in last year and that number should certainly increase as he continues to learn Gregg Williams’ defense.

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Jets DB coach jokingly calls cornerback room ‘a bunch of outcasts’

New York Jets DBs coach Dennard Wilson has jokingly referred to his cornerbacks as ‘outcasts,” but it’s a rallying cry for an underdog unit.

There aren’t a lot of well-known names in the Jets cornerback room, but that’s what the unit prides itself on. In fact, New York’s defensive backs coach, Dennard Wilson, jokingly refers to his group as “a bunch of outcasts,” he said earlier this week.

Even if Wilson is technically joking or using that as a motivational tool, his message rings true. Rather than going down the path of paying a premium for a No. 1 cornerback, which has significantly hindered New York in the past, Joe Douglas elected to put together a group of rotational cornerbacks who provide depth for Gang Green.

New York’s cornerback room starts with Pierre Desir, who is already on his fifth team and was a cap casualty after flaming out in Indianapolis. Quincy Wilson, who had become an afterthought with the Colts, was just thrilled to be given an opportunity to prove himself. Like Desir and Wilson, Nate Hairston is another cornerback who fell down Indianapolis’ depth chart. He found himself shipped away for a Day 3 pick last year.

As for Brian Poole, his free agent market never took off, even after he was one of the best nickel corners in the NFL in 2019. Players like Bless Austin and Bryce Hall dealt with lower-body injuries during their senior seasons of collegiate play and subsequently were Day 3 picks.

Then there’s Arthur Maulet. He bounced around between Indianapolis and New Orleans before going back and forth between New York’s active roster and practice squad.

These aren’t names that jump off the page, but they’re certainly ones that embody the culture that Wilson has tried to bring into the cornerback room. These are players that other teams have given up, but the Jets are hoping a group with a collective chip on its shoulder can improve what was a weak position in 2019. Last year, a makeshift unit had to make up for the failures of Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts.

Even without a lockdown No. 1 cornerback, New York is entering another season in Gregg Williams’ system, one that adapts to the strengths of its players. While Douglas may have constructed a positional group of relative no-names, they’re each coming in with something to prove.

Jets CB Bless Austin using late-2019 benching as a valuable lesson

Jets cornerback Bless Austin has dedicated himself to avoiding the mental errors that landed him on the bench at the end of last season.

Sometimes when a young player finds himself planted on the bench and in a coach’s doghouse, it can be a severe detriment to the player’s morale and confidence as they try to work their way back onto the field.

Bless Austin is not one of those players.

One mistake is all it took for Austin to earn himself a spot on the sideline to end 2019. In Week 16 against the Steelers, he gave up an inexcusable touchdown reception on the final play of the half in which Pittsburgh had no choice but to take a shot at the end zone. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was less than pleased with his rookie cornerback, immediately pulling Austin from the game and benching him for the Jets’ season finale against the Bills.

Instead of staying down on himself and harping on his gaffe throughout the offseason, New York’s second-year cornerback is using his late-season benching as a springboard for success in 2020 and beyond. Austin has not just learned from his mistake. He has dedicated himself to improving his situational awareness to prevent costworthy mental errors from taking place in the future.

“It happened because it was situational football and just not understanding the game,” Austin told reporters this week. “It was the last play of the half. They only had one more play. Just understanding that, they have to take a shot to the end zone. Me having a lack of awareness in that situation is what got me yanked out of that game, which should have happened. When you’re out there and you’re unaware of the situation in the football game, you place your team in a bad situation to come out victorious. That’s what happened. I learned a lesson from it, and it’s time to move on.

“I think that needed to happen very early on in my career. It was definitely a pivotal moment. I just learned the severity of not paying attention to detail. When you’re a young guy, you kind of get away with not paying attention to detail. You just want to go through the motions. That was a situation right there where I learned the severity of the consequences you pay for not honing in and paying attention to detail.”

There’s not much doubt that Austin has the physical tools to start for the Jets opposite Pierre Desir in Week 1. After returning from a second torn ACL midway through his rookie season, he stepped into the starting lineup and instantly became one of New York’s most impactful cornerbacks. Austin not only had a nose for the ball in coverage, but was also fearless and put himself in position to make plays all over the field — two traits that young corners sometimes struggle to master early in their career.

“He’s trying to learn every day,” Adam Gase said of Austin. “That’s something I appreciate about this kid… He studies other corners. He’ll ask questions. He’s trying to do everything he can to get better.”

With his natural ability and confidence on display last season, Austin proved that he has a chance to be a key part of the Jets’ plans on defense moving forward. Now, what he has learned from the way his 2019 season ended has him on track to develop into the No. 2 corner New York desperately needs.

“He’s dialed in right now,” said Jets defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson.

8 Jets who need to be better in 2020

Jets Wire takes a look at eight players who need to take their game up a notch for New York in 2020.

Joe Douglas spent the entire offseason revamping the Jets’ roster. He reworked the offensive line, brought back two impact defenders, added two more in free agency, gave Sam Darnold two new weapons to work with and used the NFL draft to address any remaining needs.

It’s going to take much more than a few free-agent signings and draft picks for New York to contend in 2020, though.

The Jets’ roster is littered with players who underperformed in 2019 and need to flip the script beginning in Week 1 against the Bills. Some of those players have been with New York for years, while others are new to the organization. Either way, any chance at success in 2020 hinges on eight players being significantly better than they were a year ago.

Let’s take a look at who those players are

Sam Darnold

It goes without saying that the Jets have a lot riding on Sam Darnold entering 2020. New York needs consistency out of the quarterback position if it wants to contend. That is something Darnold has not been able to bring to the table since his rookie season.

The hope is that year three is the one where Darnold finally takes the leap Adam Gase and company have been waiting for. He has a good enough arm to succeed and the flashes of potential he has shown since 2018 are a testament to the kind of player he can be when he is on his game.

The Jets will go as Darnold goes this upcoming season. If he struggles again, it’s going to be a long year at One Jets Drive.

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6 position battles to watch as Jets enter training camp

The Jets have a lot of things to figure out this summer.

General manager Joe Douglas spent the offseason improving New York’s roster, but there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding who is starting at multiple positions on both sides of the ball. Fortunately for the Jets, training camp is the ideal time for position battles to unfold and for starting jobs to be won.

So, which starting gigs are up for grabs? Here are six Jets fans should keep an eye on.

No. 2 Wide Receiver

Jamison Crowder is entrenched as a starter in the slot and speed demon Breshad Perriman is a lock to start on the outside. That leaves the No. 2 spot on New York’s depth chart open for the taking.

Quincy Enunwa and Denzel Mims were set to battle for the job until a neck injury put Enunwa out for the season. Mims now has a major inside track at beginning 2020 starting opposite Perriman, but Braxton Berrios, Josh Doctson and Vyncint Smith will have something to say about that throughout training camp.

Mims is likely to emerge as the winner of this position battle, but that is not a foregone conclusion. Nothing is going to be handed to the rookie in his first NFL training camp. If he slips up at any point, New York’s “veterans” will be chomping at the bit to impress and take the spot.

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2020 New York Jets Position Preview: Cornerback

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s cornerback room with training camp and the 2020 season approaching.

With the NFLPA player reps officially approving the NFL’s proposal and training camp just a short ways away, it’s time to take a closer look at the makeup of the Jets’ roster entering the 2020 season.

Cornerback was one of the Jets’ worst units in 2019. Gregg Williams and Dennard Wilson got the most they could out of the team’s ragtag group, but when teams were beating the Jets last season they were doing it through the air. With the addition of Pierre Desir and the re-signing of Brian Poole, New York’s cornerback room should improve in 2020. However, a lot remains uncertain.

As training camp and the beginning of the regular season inch closer, Jets Wire will provide a look at each of New York’s position groups and what could be in store for the unit in 2020. Let’s break down the cornerback room at One Jets Drive.

The Starters

The Jets brought in Desir to stabilize the team’s secondary and provide the consistency that neither Trumaine Johnson nor Darryl Roberts could supply during their time in New York.

Desir’s 2019 season was met with a drop in production, as he allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 64.9 percent of their passes with a 96.5 passer rating against him. At the same, Desir brings a veteran presence to the unit, starting 23 games in Indianapolis over the past two seasons. As he returns from a nagging hamstring injury that cost him four games during the 2019 campaign, Desir figures to be Gregg Williams’ go-to cornerback on the outside.

Returning in the slot is Poole, who was one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL last season. In his first season in green and white, Poole recorded 62 tackles, four tackles for loss, six pass defenses and a pick-six. Poole allowed the fewest yards per cover snap out of the slot last season, according to Michael Nania. Overall, Poole allowed just 0.526 yards per cover snap, which ranked second-best among cornerbacks, behind only Richard Sherman.

Not only is Poole dependable in coverage, but he also isn’t afraid to stick his nose out at the line of scrimmage. Poole had the second-most tackles for loss (4) among qualified cornerbacks and the third most pressures (11), per Nania.

Depth

The Jets’ No. 2 cornerback spot is up for grabs. Entering his second year in the NFL, Bless Austin has the inside track at starting opposite of Desir, but the additions of Bryce Hall and Quincy Wilson will create competition.

Austin finished his rookie season with 25 tackles, four passes defended and a forced fumble in seven games. He ended the season in Williams’ doghouse after getting beaten for a touchdown in the Jets’ Week 16 win over the Steelers, but he should find himself back into the equation once training camp gets underway.

After suffering a gruesome ankle injury that prematurely ended his senior season at the University of Virginia, Hall is making steady progress as he continues his recovery. He has spent a lot of time soaking up knowledge from Williams, so he’ll be ready when his number is called.

As for Wilson, a change of scenery was much needed for the former second-round pick. The Jets took a flier on him after he fell out of favor in Indianapolis. Standing at 6-foot-2, Wilson has the size, length, ball skills and versatility to make an impact in Gang Green’s secondary.

Among the other players competing to be a depth piece in the secondary are Arthur Maulet, Nate Hairston, Lamar Jackson, Javelin Guidry and Shyheim Carter.

Outlook

The Jets’ cornerback room leaves a lot to be desired. New York is far removed from having a No. 1 shutdown cornerback but has the capable pieces to keep opposing teams in check, much like the unit did down the stretch last season.

With the position group’s depth decimated by injuries in 2019, the Jets were able to bounce back and finish 17th in the NFL against the pass, allowing 236.2 yards per game. That has a chance to improve in 2020, especially with the new additions.

See more from Jets Wire’s Position Previews series:

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | MLB | OLB | S

Which 5 Jets have the best chance of breaking out in 2020?

Jets Wire takes a look at five players who have the best chance to break out for New York in 2020.

The Jets have a roster loaded with players who have yet to reach their full potential.

Most of the young talent New York has in the mix is still working toward reaching their ceiling. Gang Green’s struggles in recent years could be somewhat attributed to their youth, but 2020 could be the year that a handful of the players finally turn the corner.

So, which Jets players have the best chance of breaking out this upcoming season? Here are five to keep an eye on as training camp nears.

Sam Darnold

Thanks to the upgrades the Jets made to their offensive line this offseason, there is a good chance 2020 is the year the best version of Sam Darnold comes to play.

With a revamped offensive line in place, the hope is that Darnold will no longer have to spend most of his time evading pass rushers. That will give him the chance to go through his reads without the fear of being under constant duress, which could lead to a major uptick in his production. Robby Anderson’s departure in free agency takes away a weapon for Darnold to work with, but the arrivals of Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims should offset that.

Darnold has shown plenty of flashes of potential throughout his first two seasons with New York. Now, he has the pass protection that could help him translate his flashes into consistent success.

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Jets CB Bless Austin: I ‘didn’t play up to my capabilities’ as a rookie

Jets second-year cornerback Bless Austin feels he “didn’t play up to his capabilities” during rookie campaign, vows to be better in 2020.

Bless Austin isn’t one to grow complacent.

The Jets’ second-year cornerback out of Rutgers feels he left a lot of plays on the field during his rookie campaign. With a chance to start in 2020, he’s vowed to become a more consistent presence in the Jets’ secondary for the 2020 season.

“Definitely a learning process,” Austin said when asked to evaluate his rookie season by Jets team reporter Olivia Landis. “Cause honestly I feel like I definitely didn’t play up to my capabilities. A lot of plays, I left out there. Getting in the classroom, working out and getting together with my coaches and teammates, it’ll only get better from there, no doubt.”

Rehabbing from an ACL injury he suffered in college, Austin started the season on the PUP list. Austin was activated in November and was immediately thrown into the fire with Darryl Roberts injured and Nate Hairston benched. The Jets weren’t looking for a savior at the cornerback position, but Austin provided a steady hand that Trumaine Johnson, Roberts and Hairston never provided.

Austin got off to a hot start with his consistent and aggressive play, but he eventually found himself in Gregg Williams’ doghouse. He was benched in the second half of a Week 16 showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers after allowing Dionate Johnson to beat him for a 29-yard touchdown with four seconds to go before the half. That was the last time Austin saw the field in 2019.

He finished the season with 25 tackles, four passes defended and a forced fumble in seven games.

Even though he was benched last year, Austin appears to be in the mix for the Jets’ No. 2 cornerback position. He’ll face competition from Arthur Maulet, Quincy Wilson, Bryce Hall and Hairston.

The Jets did a lot of remodeling to the cornerback room this offseason, but with past success and knowledge of the defense, Austin may be able to play himself back into the starting position he once held.

Jets have decisions to make when it comes to secondary experience vs. potential

Joe Douglas overloaded his secondary this offseason which means the Jets will have to make a lot of choices for the future of their defense.

Determined to fix one of the weakest positions in 2019, Joe Douglas went out and built an arsenal of defensive backs to leave no stone unturned.

The Jets currently have nine cornerbacks and seven safeties on the roster after free agency, the draft and undrafted free agent signings. They won’t keep all 16 players, but they’ll have a wealth of talent to evaluate and options to build the perfect secondary. Some of those players will start, others will be cut or added to the practice squad, and one might even be traded away to give way for younger players.

Safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye are virtual locks to make the team as starters alongside cornerbacks Pierre Desir, Brian Poole and Bless Austin. They all have experience and all performed well recently. Third-round pick Ashytn Davis will also have a role to play as a versatile safety for Gregg Williams, and fifth-round rookie Bryce Hall will make the team if he’s healthy. He could, however, be a PUP candidate, much like Austin was in 2019.

Adam Gase kept six cornerbacks and three safeties on the roster last season, so by the earlier estimation that leaves about one safety and two cornerback spots left on the team. This is where critical decisions come into play.

The Jets were ravaged by injury and poor play at cornerback in 2019, so it would be smart for New York to keep a deep bench in case. But they’ll need to choose between a couple of experienced starters – Arthur Maulet, Nate Hairston and Quincy Wilson – and two undrafted free agents – Lamar Jackson and Javelin Guidry – to fill out the rest of the position group.

Maulet has the inside track after starting and performing well in six games for the Jets in 2019 alongside Austin and Poole. The Jets traded a sixth-rounder for Wilson, who flashed early in his career as a rookie with the Colts but floundered in a scheme change. Hairston, who came over from the Colts last season, sometimes looked good, but he was also benched a few times and couldn’t win the job over Austin or Maulet.

The two UDFAs could be solid contributors for different reasons. Jackson is a big-bodied shutdown corner-type, while Guidry is smaller but much faster in coverage. Williams will have an intriguing decision depending on if they want experienced players or young potential at the position.

As for safety, it will all depend on what the Jets do with Maye. Rumors swirled earlier this month that the Jets were shopping Maye, but other reports refuted that claim. If the Jets move Maye before the October trade deadline, that could open up the possibility for at least another safety to make the team or another cornerback with multi-positional ability. UDFA Shyheim Carter, as well as 2019 returnee Bennett Jackson, have the ability to play both cornerback and safety.

The two biggest questions the Jets must answer as they shape their secondary are if they desire experience or potential and if Maye will be a part of the team after this season. Regardless of those answers, the Jets seem to have a lot more options in the backfield of their defense than they did in 2019. That alone is a step in the right direction for the Jets’ defense.