New week, same result.
After a great start to the game that included a kickoff return touchdown to take a 21-6 lead, the New York Jets entered a tailspin. They could not replicate their success for the rest of the game, saw their defense struggle immensely with discipline, and simply just fell apart.
On the other hand, the Seahawks continued to play better and better throughout the game. They benefited from the Jets’ discipline woes (eight fourth-quarter penalties) and executed better down the stretch than New York.
Ultimately, though, it is the same type of loss the Jets have suffered all season. They showed some promise, but could not execute down the stretch and seal the victory. The Jets now fall to 3-9, their season all but over and their playoff hopes all but evaporated.
Follow along as we recap yet another crushing loss for the New York Jets
The offense deals with the same inconsistency
It was a different opponent, but it was very easy to feel deja vu when watching the Jets’ offense today.
Like usual, there were some positives for the Jets’ offense.
Breece Hall ran downhill effectively and churned out yards while on the field. Hall gained 60 yards and averaged five yards per carry.
Isaiah Davis showed burst and explosiveness, whether it was on his shovel pass touchdown or his 3rd and long check-down pass. Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams displayed great route-running, while offensive tackle Olu Fashanu showed why he was a valued target for the Jets.
But from an overall sense, the unit was just not good enough.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers struggled in the defeat, averaging just 4.7 yards per attempt across 39 passes. He completed 21-of-39 attempts for 185 yards, two touchdowns, and a costly pick-six in the red zone, which followed a misfired pass to a wide-open Garrett Wilson that would have put the Jets up by three scores.
After looking to push the ball down the field earlier in the game, Rodgers returned to his exclusively short and quick passing game. It resulted in the quarterback averaging a season-worst 4.8 yards per attempt from a clean pocket, his worst mark of the season. On passes ten yards or more, Rodgers was 2 of 14 and had a CPOE of -33%.
In other games, there are other factors to blame. The Jets have been let down by play calling, discipline, and other factors this season. But when it really boils down to it, the Jets’ offense was arguably the main culprit for the loss, with the quarterback being at the center of it.
The defense bends, then breaks
For most of the game, the Jets’ defense was a huge reason why they were in line to win.
New York held Seattle to only 259 yards of offense, limiting their rushing attack for most of the game. Will McDonald recorded two sacks, which brought him to ten sacks this season. McDonald is the first second-year Jets player to reach ten sacks since John Abraham in 2001.
Additionally, linebacker Quincy Williams performed great. He racked up a sack, a forced fumble, and seven overall tackles. Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed also performed well in coverage for most of the game.
However, the unit crumbled when the Jets needed them most. Seattle found success running the football late in the game and made big plays against the Jets’ secondary. One of these significant gains came on a deep pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a fourth-down pass in the third quarter.
Throw in some heavy undiscipline on multiple plays, and you have a defensive effort that significantly contributed to their loss. It was not all on the defense, but their inability to get the final stop was significant.
The story is the same for New York almost every week down the stretch, but it is just presented in different forms. With no complementary football in sight this week, the defense was bound to break. And once it did, the game was over for the Jets.
Discipline becomes a major issue once again
Outside of the play of their individual units, the Jets’ main issue was overall discipline.
Penalties were a significant issue, as the Jets finished with 12 of them for 83 yards. The most significant of these penalties came on the game-winning drive for the Seahawks. Between a pass interference, a horse-collar tackle, and an offsides penalty, New York arguably handed the game to their opposition.
Some of these penalties occurred on offense, too. Aaron Rodgers’s critical delay of game in the fourth quarter and a key illegal shift penalty negated positive plays from the team’s offense.
The lack of discipline has been a theme for this era of Jets’ football. When it is combined with inconsistent play and a lack of complementary football, you get a concoction that results in many lost football games. Until the Jets nip that issue in the bud, they will continue to lose games like the one they did today.
