Revisiting Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye’s clutch performance vs. Dallas

Michael Nania reviews the vast number of timely plays that Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye made against the Dallas Cowboys.

Just a few days ago, I revisited Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye’s spectacular performance as a duo against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16. Each safety made a bunch of crucial plays – both noticeable and subtle – that helped push the Jets across the finish line in what was a gritty, low-scoring affair.

That was not the duo’s only signature performance against a prominent franchise in 2019. When the Jets picked up their first win of the season against the Cowboys in Week 6, it was Adams and Maye leading the charge.

Let’s take a look back at the best moments from the Jets’ young safeties in their first of two outstanding performances as a tandem.

1ST & 10 AT DAL 25 (Q1, 03:24)

Maye gets things started with a big-time tackle in a 2-on-1 situation against a pair of All-Pros. Dallas carves up a huge hole and Ezekiel Elliott breaks loose with Travis Frederick leading the way. Maye is able to make the diving stop, limiting a potential touchdown to 12 yards.

Here is another angle of that play. Maye does the right thing by taking an outside angle to force Elliott back inside towards traffic. That’s a textbook fundamental decision, but it is the tackle afterward that makes this play impressive. Maye doesn’t count on a teammate to clean up the run. He finishes the job himself, quickly flipping his hips inside and cutting Elliott down at the knees.