3 Takeaways from Jets' Week 9 Loss
The New York Jets' loss to the New England Patriots Monday might was an ideal performance for a team looking to be competitive but still holding on to its draft position.
New York held the lead going into the fourth quarter, received solid performances from a few unlikely players, covered the 9.5-point spread but made enough mistakes to fall to 0-9.
Of course, the players are competitors first and foremost, and they will be upset about blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead. From the long-term view, though, the result could not have played out better for the Jets.
They are still the front-runner to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, which should get them Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
For three quarters on Monday, the Jets' backup quarterback, Joe Flacco, played well enough to win them the game. Ultimately, though, his mistakes led to the team's downfall and to a Patriots comeback.
Joe Flacco Played Well Enough to Win for 3 Quarters
Flacco's 262-yard, three-touchdown performance was unexpected to say the least. In his previous three appearances in 2020, he produced 397 passing yards, one touchdown and a single interception.
Monday, the 35-year-old delivered a trio of strong throws to set up Breshad Perriman twice in the end zone and Jamison Crowder on another occasion.
As Flacco continued to make strong throw after strong throw, the chances of the Jets winning their first game of the season increased. He caught the Patriots defense off balance and had the Jets ahead by 10 points going into the final frame after his second touchdown hook-up with Perriman.
Once the fourth quarter started, the narrative flipped from Flacco earning a surprise win to costing the team a victory. On his first throw of the final frame, the Super Bowl XLVII MVP was intercepted by J.C. Jackson on a long heave that set up the Patriots at their own 28-yard-line.
Cam Newton proceeded to lead New England on a 13-play drive to level the contest with 1:57 remaining on the clock.
On the next drive, Flacco took a sack on second down and then threw an incomplete pass on third down to give the ball right back to the Pats, who went on to win via a Nick Folk field goal.
To his credit, the veteran quarterback looked impressive for three quarters, but he failed to make the right decisions in the final frame to seal the victory.
Jets' Defense Fell Apart in the 2nd Half
The Jets had no answer for the Patriots' offense in the second half. Newton led his team on three drives of 10 plays or more to put New England in a much better position to win.
New York's rushing defense was especially poor in the closing stages of the contest, as New England used a power rushing attack to work the ball downfield.
On the opening drive of the third quarter, Rex Burkhead ran for 25 yards and a touchdown while Damien Harris contributed 19 yards of his own.
Burkhead and Harris did most of the damage on the ground since Newton only gained 16 yards on 10 carries. He did have a pair of touchdowns, but they both came from within the five-yard-line.
When it came time for the Jets to make the most important stop of the game, they failed and allowed their divisional rival to win in regulation.
After the three-and-out, Newton hit James White for two passes accounting for 16 yards, White ran for five yards, Newton carried the rock for four yards and then the quarterback hit Jakobi Meyers for 20 yards across the middle to set up Folk's game-winning field goal.
Monday marked the seventh time the Jets allowed over 100 rushing yards this season, and it was the third time in the last five games in which they conceded at least 250 passing yards and 100 yards on the ground.
Jets Will Win a Game with All Wide Receivers Healthy
One of the reasons Flacco was so successful on Monday night was that he had a healthy wide receiving corps to work with.
Perriman led the Jets with five receptions, 101 yards and two touchdowns, while Crowder produced two catches for 26 yards and a score. Their presence in the lineup allowed Denzel Mims and Braxton Berrios to play secondary roles, instead of being the primary target for the quarterback.
Perriman and Crowder form a decent one-two punch, and if they stay healthy for the rest of the season, they will win the Jets a game by torturing an opposing secondary.
Monday's 257-yard performance through the air was the best of the season for the Jets, and it marked the second time this year that they eclipsed 200 passing yards.
With two experienced targets headlining the group and a few dangerous young wideouts working the seams beneath them, the Jets should have a chance to win if Flacco or Sam Darnold play well.
Since the Jets have challenged the Patriots and Buffalo Bills in their last two home games, they could threaten the Miami Dolphins in Week 12 or Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13 at MetLife Stadium. A Week 11 trip to face the struggling Los Angeles Chargers may be the team's best opportunity to win on the road.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.