Who do Jets fans think is the most overrated player on the team heading into the 2020 season? This and other hot-button questions answered by the fanbase.
Previous fan survey breakdowns:
Around 200 Jets fans submitted their opinions in my 50-plus question survey regarding the future of the team. After going through the first chunk of questions, we move on to part two of three.
Let’s dig into the second chunk of data.
Sam Darnold – over/under 95.0 passer rating?
A passer rating of 95.0 would have ranked 13th-best among qualified quarterbacks in 2019.
About 63% of the voters believe that Darnold will ascend to a level that puts him comfortably above league average in terms of production. It’s not an overwhelming majority by any stretch, though. Slightly over one-third of fans (37%) do not see Darnold leaping that high just yet.
Darnold has been fantastic when given a shot by his offensive line. It just has not happened nearly frequently enough. He has enjoyed only eight career games (out of 26) in which he took pressure on fewer than 34% of his dropbacks (about league average) or less.
In those games, Darnold completed 156-of-229 passes for 2,039 yards (8.9 per attempt, 254.9 per game), 16 touchdowns (7.0% rate), and six interceptions (2.6% rate) – a tremendous passer rating of 108.3 (which would have ranked 4th-best in 2019). The Jets posted a 7-1 record in those games with the offense averaging 29.0 points.
The offensive line holds the keys to Darnold’s progression. If it struggles, Darnold’s low points will be low enough to cancel out his intermittent flashes of brilliance, making him a mediocre quarterback overall. If it can be competent – just giving him at least average protection on a frequent basis – Darnold has an excellent chance to ascend into the upper echelon, as he has already proven he is among the very best quarterbacks in the league at making the most out of a favorable situation.
Over/under 8.5 touchdowns for the Chris Herndon/Ryan Griffin duo?
Fans are expecting quite a bit from the tight end duo of Chris Herndon and Ryan Griffin. About 86% see them combining for at least nine touchdowns.
In 2018, Herndon scored four touchdowns, and in 2019, Griffin scored five (he also had two called back by penalty). How Adam Gase splits snaps and targets between his two solid pass-catchers will be a crucial decision in shaping the offense’s identity. With a lack of reliability on the outside, Herndon and Griffin could be one of the most heavily featured tight end duos in the league.
The teams with the most touchdown passes to tight ends in 2019: Baltimore (14), New Orleans (12), Philadelphia (12), Houston (9), Minnesota (8), and Oakland (8).
So, nine touchdowns for a tight end unit would have tied for the third-most last season.
Do Herndon and Griffin have that type of production in them? After diving to the ocean floor on the numbers of both players, that level of elite production actually does seem within the realm of realistic possibility for the duo.
Blessuan Austin – better/worse than the 60th percentile among CB in lowest passer rating allowed?
In 2019, Austin allowed a passer rating of 92.4 on throws in his direction, which ranked at the 60th percentile among cornerbacks, so this over/under is essentially asking whether he will improve off of that mark or take a step backward.
The fanbase seems to have a ton of confidence in Blessuan Austin establishing himself as a solid-or-better long-term starter (as do I). He is equipped with plenty of length, has fluid hips, can finish tackles attacking downhill, and is disciplined in zone coverage – a tailor-made toolbox for Gregg Williams’ defense.
What Austin accomplished last year in the face of numerous obstacles is incredibly impressive. It is exciting to think about what he could become as his game progresses.
Who will lead the Jets in sacks?
Jordan Jenkins took the victory at 37% after leading the Jets with eight sacks a year ago. In 2018, he tied for the team lead with Henry Anderson (7.0).
Jamal Adams, who was not far behind Jenkins with 6.5 sacks in 2019, took the third-most votes at 21%. Quinnen Williams placed second at 22%.
Anderson, Tarell Basham, and Jabari Zuniga split a small portion of votes, while C.J. Mosley, Kyle Phillips, and Jadeveon Clowney (who knows, he is still available) each got one write-in vote.
Who is the most overrated player on the roster?
Voters were able to write in their answer for this one – and boy, were there some interesting conclusions here.
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