Tag: New York Jets

Adam Gase praises rookie CB Bless Austin’s strong start

Jets head coach Adam Gase has high praise for rookie cornerback Bless Austin, who missed the past 14 months recovering from an ACL injury.

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After being away from football for over a year, Jets rookie cornerback Bless Austin has jumped onto the scene with New York desperately thin at corner.

After an increasingly long layoff — 14 months without playing football — Austin’s dominant performances through his first two NFL games have caught the eye of many. That includes his head coach.

“He was driving us nuts on the scout team,” Adam Gase said following Thursday’s practice. “When you’re making receivers angry… you know he’s got something to him.”

Austin dons No. 31, the same number Antonio Cromartie did when he was a shutdown cornerback for the Jets. If Austin carves himself out a nice career like Cromartie, it would be a nice parting gift from Mike Maccagnan in his last draft.

Austin, who spent the first eight games on the Non-Football Injury list as he recovered from his second ACL surgery, has held up well in two starts. He has allowed only six catches for 59 yards as the closest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

In his second NFL game, Sunday against the Redskins, Pro Football Focus graded him (77.2), the Jets’ best defensive player.

In a small sample size, Austin has proved himself a worthy candidate to watch down the stretch. If he can stay healthy, the Jets might have found themselves a second-round talent in the sixth-round.

The ACL injuries have taken a toll on Austin, but he’s emerging as a reliable cornerback when desperate times have called for desperate measures. On a whim, New York benched struggling CB Nate Hairston in favor of Austin in the midst of the Giants game. The Jets may never look back.

Jets OC Dowell Loggains vows to throw challenge flag with authority next time he has the chance

Dowell Loggains is going to go about things a bit differently next time he throws a challenge flag for the Jets.

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Jets offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains plans on making his presence felt next time he has the chance to throw the challenge flag.

Granted the chance to do so against the Giants, Loggains squandered it by lightly tossing the flag onto the turf. His gentle toss garnered some criticism and as a result, a change in approach. If he has the opportunity to take another crack at throwing the challenge flag on behalf of Adam Gase, let’s just say Loggains is not going to be gentle.

Loggains has gained somewhat of a cult following ever since emerging as New York’s designated challenge flag thrower. Usually head coaches are responsible for tossing the red flag, but Loggains has assumed that responsibility under Gase.

“I’ve always had someone else do it because I’m moving around quite a bit and that’s how I like it,” Gase said regarding him not being the one to handle the challenge flag.

With Gase serving as the chief offensive play caller on gamedays, Loggains takes somewhat of a back seat despite his job title. Most of his work comes directly with Sam Darnold, as the two frequently discuss adjustments and watch tape in between series.

Allowing Loggains to be the challenge guy gives him an added responsibility that he not only welcomes, but seems to genuinely enjoy. The unusual role has made him somewhat of an internet meme, but look on the bright side.

At least he’s getting criticized for how he throws a flag instead of play calling.

Stopping Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller among 4 keys to Jets defense vs. Raiders

The Raiders feature two talented young offensive players – Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller – that could wreak havoc if the Jets can’t stop them.

The Jets return to Metlife Stadium on the heels of a great defensive performance in a win over the Redskins. Though they ended up allowing 17 points – which is coincidentally tied for the fewest they’ve allowed all season – the Jets defense had only given up three points before Washington scored twice in the final 10 minutes.

Gregg Williams’ crew will look to continue its hot streak against the Raiders, a team that sits in the middle of the pack in scoring (22.5 points per game, 17th in the league). They’ll need to rely on their dominant run defense as well as locking down two of Oakland’s young offensive weapons – running back Josh Jacobs and tight end Darren Waller. Cincinnati shockingly held the Raiders to only 17 points thanks to six sacks and two takeaways, and the Jets should be able to do at least that in Week 12.

Here are four keys to the Jets defense vs. the Raiders.

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Jamal Adams predicts he’ll break defensive back sack record

Jets safety Jamal Adams believes he will break the NFL single-season sack record that’s currently held by former Cardinals S Adrian Wilson.

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Jamal Adams has always been a big believer in himself.

The safety always carries a chip on his shoulder and oozes confidence, so it’s no surprise that he said he will break the NFL single-season sack record for defensive backs.

“If you’re asking, am I going to beat the record? Yes, I will beat the record,” he told reporters after practice on Wednesday. “That’s something I will get.”

The Jets’ third-year safety is three sacks away from holding the NFL single-season record for most sacks by a defensive back. Two weeks ago, the feat didn’t seem possible. Now, he’s ready to blitz himself into the NFL record book.

The NFL record for most sacks by a defensive back in a single season is eight, set by former Cardinals S Adrian Wilson in 2005. Adams has six sacks with six games left to play.

Adams entered the Giants game two weeks ago as a disruptive force, but he only had one sack to his name. After two breathtaking performances, one earning him the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, Adams is now five sacks richer.

He tallied three sacks in Week 11 after finishing Week 10 with nine tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery touchdown.

Gregg Williams has finally found the best use for Adams, deploying him as an edge rusher. Adams loves to blitz and he just might be the best pass-rusher on the team.

His infectious energy and ability to get after the quarterback is rubbing off on the rest of the team and has helped lead the Jets defense to two dominating performances over two NFC East foes.

“To me, it starts with the energy and the attitude,” Adam Gase said of Adams’ performances. “I mean, you feel him the whole game — the sideline, the field, he’s bringing everything he has. He’s just laying it all out there. Some of the plays he’s making, it’s very impressive to watch him play.”

Adam Gase’s Kelvin Beachum comments exemplify what he values

Adam Gase might be known as an offensive mind looking to light up the scoreboard, but he’s also a guy who values heart and determination.

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Adam Gase doesn’t come across as an old-school coach who places an emphasis on physical play and grit. Given some of the offenses he has orchestrated over the years, it’s easy to understand why that’s a thought.

In Denver, Gase oversaw an offensive attack that broke records through the air. With Peyton Manning spreading the ball around to the likes of Demaryius and Julius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and C.J. Anderson out of the backfield, not much thought was given to a bruising rushing attack or the Broncos’ play in the trenches.

Don’t be fooled by Gase’s past offenses, though. As it turns out, heart and determination are what open his eyes more than anything else.

Jets left tackle Kelvin Beachum has been banged up all season. He has injured his ankle multiple times and has been forced to miss a couple of games. Considering what Beachum has endured this season and how long he has been in the league, he would have every right to worry about his body before the team. Playing in the trenches for nearly a decade is grueling and takes a heavy toll.

Instead, the veteran has battled the pain and done everything in his power to stay on the field.

“My respect level for him is extremely high for what he’s endured,” Gase said on Wednesday. “He refuses to be held out of practice. He’s stepped up big time for them.”

Beachum isn’t the only Jet who has earned Gase’s respect with his perseverance this season. Before landing on season-ending injured reserve, Brian Winters played through shoulder and knee injuries. With the severity of both injuries, Winters could have elected to get surgery and nobody would’ve batted an eye. That was never an option for the veteran guard, though. He’d rather be dragged off the field kicking and screaming than give in to an injury.

“He’s putting duct tape all over his body right now,” Gase said in October. “But he’s fighting through it. He’s giving us everything he’s got.”

Compare how glowingly Gase speaks of Beachum and Winters to the coach’s comments on Kelechi Osemele before he was released. The Osemele situation, combined with Gase’s words regarding Beachum and Winters leaving everything they have on the field, have provided clarity into what Gase really looks for in his players.

He’ll forever be known as an offensive mind looking to light up the scoreboard, but don’t undersell Gase’s affinity for grit. Quarterbacks lead the charge, but sometimes, it is the men in the trenches that form the pulse of a team.

It is now abundantly clear that Gase is well aware of that.

Targeting Ryan Griffin among 4 keys to Jets offense vs. Raiders

Sam Darnold needs to look for tight end Ryan Griffin early and often against one of the worst pass defenses in the league.

The Jets have an opportunity to win their third consecutive game with a match against the Oakland Raiders this week, which would be the first three-game winning streak for them since Oct. 8, 2017. Their opponent is coming off three consecutive wins itself but features a highly susceptible defense that has given up the 14th-most yards per game (368.1) and the 12th-most points per game (25.0).

Sam Darnold is rolling the past three weeks with a 65.66 completion percentage and 261 yards per game with six touchdowns and only two interceptions. He gets another easy passing defense this week and should find ways to get the Jets down the field and into scoring position much like he’s done in back-to-back wins.

Here are four keys to the Jets offense in Week 12.

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Lean on Sam Darnold’s arm

Darnold has been on a hot streak lately against some of the worst secondaries in the league. He gets another cupcake matchup in Week 12 against the Raiders’ 26th-ranked pass defense. Oakland allows quarterbacks to throw for 262.2 yards per game with a 102.8 rating and also allows a touchdown on seven percent of passing attempts (31st ahead of only the Dolphins). Darnold should have a field day against the secondary even after Oakland held Ryan Finley and the Bengals to only 115 yards this past week.

Besides the Cincinnati game, the Raiders haven’t been getting much pressure on quarterbacks, which should help Darnold’s ability to find his receivers. They rank 28th in quarterback hits with 45 and have only 25 sacks on the year. The Jets will need Darnold to build on his career-high four-touchdown performance against the Redskins this week against another lowly pass defense.

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WATCH: Le’Veon Bell says he won’t take another drug test after having so many

Jets running back Le’Veon Bell says that he is not taking another drug test after this week.

Jets running back Le’Veon Bell says that he is not taking another drug test after this week.

Bell tweeted his frustration with the NFL’s random drug testing policy Wednesday, explaining that he has been asked to take five “‘random’ HGH [humane Growth Hormone] blood test(s)” in the last 10 weeks.

Bell’s full tweet Wednesday reads: “@NFL I’m not doing another after today, whatever y’all lookin for it obviously ain’t their & I’m not about to keep allowing y’all to stick me with those dirty ass needles..find the players who really do that HGH (expletive) & get off me..”

Bell declined a drug test in 2016 while with the Steelers and was issued a four-game suspension, which was reduced to three games, for the decision not to cooperate and not appearing for a mandatory drug test.

The 27-year-old was pulled out of the first two days of Jets training camp this summer and asked to take drug tests.

In his 10 games with the Jets (3-7) this season, Bell has 508 rushing yards on 161 carries and three touchdowns.

NFL Week 12: 11 bold predictions

The NFL schedule is loaded for Week 12. Will there be upsets, record-breaking performances or great defense?

Week 12 of the season is upon us and it is time to gaze into the crystal football for another set of predictions.

Multiple turnovers in Giants-Bears

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Rookie Daniel Jones is a fumbling machine. Mitchell Trubisky or whomever plays QB for Chicago will be shaky at best. And that’s before the ball is thrown out of either QB’s hand. Fumbles could create multiple turnovers. And there will be interceptions, for sure.

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