Jets Need Touchdowns to Match Their Young Talent

The Jets have a few young play makers that are starting to emerge. Braelon Allen kept making defenders work for every tackle. There were enough good individual performances in New England to make the final score even more frustrating. A football Sunday can come with plenty of second-screen browsing, from checking fantasy scores to comparing rapid payout casino platforms, but Omar Cooper Jr. gave Jets fans a reason to focus on the field. His return and another strong effort from Braelon Allen supplied some welcome excitement in New England. There were enough good individual performances to make the final score even more frustrating.

The Jets lost 26-19 to the Patriots and fell to 2-4. They have players who can create opportunities. Turning those opportunities into touchdowns remains the problem, and another AFC East game is coming with Miami visiting MetLife Stadium.

Cooper Can Help Wilson Without Replacing Him

Cooper finished with six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from an ankle injury. The 48-yard scoring play offered a useful glimpse of how the Jets can make their receivers work together.

Cooper explained afterward that the safety was reacting to Garrett Wilson’s route. Cooper used that movement to work across the safety and get downfield. Wilson’s presence helped create the opening even though somebody else caught the ball.

That is something the Jets should build on. When a defense gives Wilson extra attention, Cooper needs opportunities to make it pay. When that attention shifts, the ball should find Wilson again. The goal is to keep giving Geno Smith a useful answer rather than letting the defense take away one receiver and dictate the entire possession.

A rookie’s breakout should expand the offense. It should not become another reason Wilson spends too much of the afternoon waiting for his chance.

The Short Yardage Plan Needs More Answers

The Jets went 0-for-3 in the red zone and 3-for-10 on third down. They also failed on fourth-and-2 from the New England 30 and fourth-and-1 from the New England 39. That is a lot of useful field position to leave behind in a seven-point loss.

Being aggressive on fourth down is defensible. The call still has to give the offense a realistic way to beat the look in front of it. Aaron Glenn and Frank Reich need to review whether their short-yardage package creates enough uncertainty for the defense, along with whether the blocking and execution are good enough. The interior offensive line is leaving a lot to be desired right now and that problem probably won’t be fully solved until next season. Moving the ball between the 20s does little good when the offense cannot finish the last part of the trip.

Allen Gives the Jets More Than a Running Game

Allen rushed for 78 yards on 17 carries and added 26 yards receiving. He produced four runs of at least 10 yards against New England while continuing to fill in for Breece Hall. His value should extend beyond handing him the ball into a crowded front. A back who makes defenders respect the run can help create passing opportunities. His receiving work also gives Smith somewhere useful to go when a downfield play is covered.

The Jets can keep Allen involved without becoming predictable. Mix the timing of the runs, use play-action when the protection supports it, and make the same personnel group capable of doing more than one thing.

Allen has earned meaningful work. The coaching staff’s job is to make that work part of an offense that keeps the defense guessing, especially when Breece Hall returns.

The Defense Cannot Leave the Last Drive Unfinished

There was plenty to appreciate about the effort that produced two second-half takeaways. David Bailey forced a fumble that Jamien Sherwood recovered. Later, Sherwood chased down DeMario Douglas and forced another, with Minkah Fitzpatrick recovering.

Those plays gave the offense another chance. The defense still needed a stop when New England tried to close the game. Yet the defensive line was invisible when it counted most.

As JetNation’s game review noted, the Patriots ran eight consecutive times for 44 yards during that late possession despite missing three offensive line starters. Knowing the run is coming has to help the defense get off the field. Glenn can point to the pursuit and the takeaways. He also has to answer for a finish that allowed New England to drain the clock.

Make the Miami Game Look Different

The Dolphins come to MetLife at 0-5 and off their bye. The Jets have enough problems of their own to avoid treating anybody as an automatic win.

The priorities are clear. Make Cooper a regular part of the passing game while keeping Wilson involved. Give Allen work that creates opportunities for the rest of the offense. Have a better answer when a drive comes down to one or two yards. Figure out how to get Kenyon Sadiq more involved. Get the defensive stop when the opponent is trying to run out the clock.

Fans do not need another explanation of how close the Jets are. They need to see the players who are producing put in position to decide a game. Cooper and Allen gave the offense something to work with in New England. Against Miami, more of that work needs to end in the end zone.

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