It’s hard to sugarcoat the struggles the New York Jets have had so far this season. Offensively, little has changed from the league-worst production seen over the last couple of years despite massive overhauls on that side of the ball.
Meanwhile, the defense has played at an elite level. However, that unit is not without struggles of its own. One of the defenders who has hit some early adversity is two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner.
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Will his run-stopping improve?
A big critique of Gardner is his inability to stop the run. To be fair to Gardner, his frame isn’t made for taking on ball carriers in the hole. Still, it’s an issue plaguing the Jets cornerback this season.
Entering Week 6, Gardner’s 41.6 run defense grade at Pro Football Focus is the fifth-worst among all cornerbacks (min. 50 snaps). This is largely due to his missed tackles. The Jets’ cornerback has a missed tackle percentage of 42.9, which is fourth-worst among qualifiers at the position. While some believe it’s a technique issue, others have begun questioning the cornerback’s mentality as a run-stopper.
I went through every play of the #Jets 10-9 loss to Denver and I noticed a disturbing trend with Sauce Gardner. He doesn't seem to want to tackle anymore. Here are 5 prime examples. pic.twitter.com/lQZ5apEXZH
— Mike Antoniou (@MikeASports) September 30, 2024
Whatever the case may be, it won’t be long before opposing teams consistently begin to target Gardner’s side of the field when running the ball. And while no one expects him to be an elite defender in this regard, it’s something that needs to improve.
Is the no-fly zone now open?
One aspect of Gardner’s game that has never worried fans is his coverage ability. Since his rookie year, the Jets’ cornerback has shown a prowess for being elite in this regard. However, the 2024 season has seemingly made Gardner look human in this regard.
While his PFF coverage grade is still respectable (67.5), is is nowhere near the 90+ grades he had in each of his first two seasons. Teams are starting to target Sauce – and winning. Opposing teams have begun taking deep shots at Gardner with success, as the Jets cornerback is allowing 13.6 yards per reception – 25th-worst among qualifying cornerbacks. His 117.6 passer rating allowed is also the 22nd-worst among qualifiers.
While those numbers aren’t exactly doom-and-gloom worthy just yet, it is definitely concerning to see the emergence of an issue that hadn’t plagued Gardner in his career before.
Against the Minnesota Vikings this past week, Gardner was flagged three times. While “holding” is something that opposing fanbases have critiqued the Jets cornerback for in the past, this game saw these calls actually being made. It’s something that took Gardner by surprise.
“We got quite a few calls, quite a few pass interferences, never called on us. It’s our job to play, the refs make calls. Ain’t nobody perfect,” Gardner said to reporters after Sunday’s game.
"We got quite a few calls, quite a few pass interferences, never called on us. It's our job to play, the refs make calls. Ain't nobody perfect."
Sauce Gardner talks about the play of the Jets' defense and the officiating today: pic.twitter.com/WDi8RZ6frU
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) October 6, 2024
In a now-deleted “X” post, Gardner made light of the penalties with a joke implying that if referees didn’t throw flags, then it wasn’t one; yet now that it’s happening, he can no longer say that.
While the coverage issues for Gardner are likely to sort themselves out, the increase in penalties is something to be wary of going forward. It’s something the Jets cornerback will have to navigate as the season continues.
Time to stop the distractions
Fans have criticized Gardner’s never-ending presence on social media. For many athletes, social media is a tool used for a variety of reasons. Yet for some, being perpetually online creates far more negatives than positives. In regard to Gardner, this seems to be the case.
Whether it’s appearing on streams discussing sensitive topics regarding the Jewish religion, creating misogynistic tweets, and making childish false claims about opposing female fans (along with a plethora of other avoidable drama), it’s pretty clear that Gardner can’t get out of his own way in regards to social media.
Considering many of his teammates utilize social media in a similar fashion without so much controversy, it’s clear that these issues are completely avoidable. And while part of Gardner’s appeal is his communication with fans, it’s probably something he should tone down – for his own good.
Gardner’s response is vital for NY Jets
With play struggles and drama surrounding the Jets cornerback, his response to adversity is vital. When the spotlight is magnified, some fold under pressure, and others respond in elite fashion.
After the Jets’ loss to the Vikings on Sunday, there seemed to be veiled shots taken throughout the team by players. In a world where passive-aggressive behavior is now more common than being direct, this isn’t surprising. However, it’s the response from the leaders of this team that will be more important than anything else. Among those leaders, Gardner is one of the most important figures in determining how this team will respond going forward.
It’s impossible to expect Gardner to lay off social media. However, returning to an elite level of play can help cure what ails the Jets. And with Monday night’s game against the Bills deciding who takes the lead in the AFC East, the stage couldn’t be set more perfectly for Gardner and the Jets to bounce back.
