The Jets lost to the Chargers 27-6 on Monday night in a game where they failed to reach the end zone and turned the ball over three times. Here are some thoughts and observations from the game:
1. I’m shocked at how many Zach Wilson defenders I am seeing on Tuesday morning. There has been this weird phenomenon among some Jets fans trying to twist themselves into a pretzel defending Wilson.
The latest version is pointing to other issues on the offense and excusing Wilson because of them. Yes, the offensive line did not play well. Yes, Nathaniel Hackett is a terrible play-caller. Yes, Allen Lazard and others dropped too many passes. Yes, they committed too many penalties.
All of this can be true and Wilson can still be problem No. 1 with this team. The quarterback’s job is to get the team into the end zone. Wilson simply can’t do it. Some of the sacks were on him. He does not feel the pocket collapsing around him. He can’t see the field. He is unable to cover up any of the Jets’ issues.
Great quarterbacks hide a team’s warts. Bad quarterbacks expose them.
So, all of those issues you see with the offense right now are magnified because Wilson can’t make plays to overcome any of them.
The Jets offense is broken. The hope that Wilson gave Jets fans against the Chiefs is a memory. It is hard to figure out how the Jets will fix this with Wilson at quarterback.
2. Now that we have made it clear that we feel Wilson is the prime culprit for the Jets’ offensive struggles, let’s get to Hackett. Just because Wilson is not playing well, Hacket is not excused.
This offense looks like there is no plan other than hope Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall break off a long play. Running into the middle of the offensive line did not seem to work Monday night. How about mixing it up a little? As bad as Wilson was, there were many plays where there were no open receivers. Can the tight ends get more involved?
Something, anything.
The Jets had 26 dropbacks in the first half and just 10 designed runs. On what planet does that make sense for this offense? Hackett should be trying to hide Zach Wilson’s deficiencies, not exposing them by getting pass happy.
I did not think Mike LaFleur deserved to be fired last year. Was he great? No, but he was better than this. Woody Johnson forced Saleh to fire LaFleur and now they have gotten worse.
So far, Hackett’s list of qualifications for this job start and end with being friends with Aaron Rodgers. He got Rodgers to come to the Jets. Give him credit for that. At some point, though, he needs to show he can actually do the job without Rodgers.
3. There is no debating how great Rodgers is at playing quarterback. He is one of the best to ever play the position. But his skills as a general manager are not quite as good.
Take a look at the people who are with the Jets either because of connections to Rodgers or because he pushed for them and how they are playing.
Hackett is at the top of the list. He is overseeing an offense that has scored two touchdowns in a game just once this season. Allen Lazard has not been good and had his worst night Monday when he had three penalties and a drop. Randall Cobb was a healthy scratch on Monday, unable to crack the lineup of this terrible offense. Billy Turner started at right tackle and was roasted by Joey Bosa. Dalvin Cook, who Rodgers pushed for the Jets to sign, has been a complete non-factor.
The Jets dodged a bullet not giving too much money to Odell Beckham, who Rodgers wanted. Beckham has one touchdown this season for the Ravens.
This offseason, the Jets front office needs to stop listening to Rodgers and ask him to just play quarterback.
4. The terrible offensive performance is overshadowing how well the Jets defense played again. This defensive line is a problem for opposing offenses. Jermaine Johnson, John Franklin-Myers, Bryce Huff, Quinnen Williams and Quinton Jefferson were all over Justin Herbert all night.
This defense has really come together in recent weeks and has a chance to be special. They need to get back to forcing turnovers and with the way the offense is playing, they need to score some points. If they do that, they truly can be a special defense.
It feels like the defensive brilliance is being wasted by the offensive ineptitude, but Jets fans should appreciate this defense.
Revealing stat
Garrett Wilson has two touchdown receptions from Zach Wilson in his career, the same amount he has from both Joe Flacco and Mike White.
Surprising snap count
This is not that unexpected but Xavier Gipson finally got the No. 3 wide receiver role. He played 47 snaps (58 percent) on Monday as the Jets transition from Randall Cobb to the rookie.
Game ball
The entire defensive line could get a game ball but we’ll give it to Bryce Huff, who had 1 ½ sacks and four quarterback hits in the game.
