We are back with another TOJ New York Jets film breakdown. Check out previous editions right here. On to the #tape…

The Good

An often discussed strength of the New York Jets is their defensive line. Unfortunately for most of this season, we haven’t seen that strength actually play out on the field. Thursday night, we did in a big way and it was the primary reason the Jets cruised to a victory.

Steve McLendon drives Vladimir Ducasse (#62) directly into Tyrod Taylor’s lap on this play, looking like a man among boys with how easily he moves him. From the other side, Leonard Williams shows quick feet and a good bend which helps squeeze the pocket further as both players got on the board with their first sack of the season.

The most polite thing to call what Leonard Williams does to Richie Incognito here is “clowning.” Williams literally slaps him to the side like a rag doll, leaving Incognito spinning like a top by the end of the play. The pressure he puts on Taylor leads to Muhammad Wilkerson’s sack, who grabs him before he can escape the pocket.

This is a well designed stunt with Muhammad Wilkerson and Kony Ealy (who starts on the outside and goes over the top of Wilkerson), which results in Wilkerson breaking through and forcing an incompletion by Taylor. This is vintage Wilkerson, showing both his persistence and athleticism, particularly when it comes to closing speed on the quarterback.

This is vintage Wilkerson again, taking advantage of Vlad Ducasse (OUR OLD FRIEND!) trying to block him. Wilkerson simply rips by him, which forces Taylor to climb an already collapsing pocket where Demario Davis cleans up the sack after Taylor gives himself up.

The Bad

Missed Opportunities

Josh McCown had one of his quieter games of the year throwing the football (only 14 completions for 140 yards). This was partially due to the flow of the game and the success the Jets were having running the football but it was also due to multiple missed opportunities down the field to open receivers.

Keep an eye on Jermaine Kearse at the bottom of the screen. He blows by the corner with a double move for a should be touchdown (he beat him by so much that the CB tried to grab his facemark and was flagged) but the ball is checked down to the running back instead of thrown down the field to Kearse. This is good for completion percentage but not good for scoring points.

This was a should be interception for Buffalo but the Jets were bailed out by a drop. McCown tries to throw to the slot receiver’s out route, despite the whip route underneath at the 15 yard line being wide open for a first down. The Jets get away with one here but this is a pick six most weeks, when it should have been an easy first down for them.

Finally, McCown looks for a short out route here to Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the slot. However, at the top of the screen the slot receiver has a step on his vertical seam route. It is a lower percentage throw but worth the potential upside. The Jets offense may be benefitted by McCown having his completion percentage drop a few points in service of his YPA and touchdowns going up.

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Photo Credit: NewYorkJets.com

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