The Jets capped off their preseason slate with a 19-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday evening.
A month after they started coaching camp, the Jets can now formally look forward to Week 1 and their date in opposition to Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 7.
However earlier than we look forward to the season opener, here’s what we realized from the matchup in opposition to the Eagles.
TAYLOR AND THE BACKUP QB QUESTION
With Justin Fields sitting out Friday’s sport, undrafted rookie Brady Prepare dinner received the beginning in opposition to the defending Tremendous Bowl champs.
Though he accomplished 13-of-19 passes for 99 yards (with an interception), the Jets’ offense had bother getting out of impartial with Prepare dinner below middle. Throughout his first six drives, the Jets’ offense didn’t have greater than 5 performs in any of them.
It wasn’t till the ultimate drive within the half that Prepare dinner led the Jets to factors after Nick Folks‘s 41-yard subject objective earlier than halftime.
Adrian Martinez wasn’t a lot better after he accomplished 7-of-14 passes for 86 yards. He additionally had an interception, and a misplaced fumble. However he did lead the Jets again after trailing 19-3 early within the fourth quarter.
Tyrod Taylor was in attendance on the sideline, however he didn’t play in opposition to the Eagles. The veteran QB was beforehand dominated out of the preseason after he had his knee scoped earlier this month.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn advised reporters that he expects Taylor to be prepared for Week 1.
“I’m confident he will be. I am,” Glenn advised reporters after Friday’s sport.
If Taylor is just not 100% cleared to play in opposition to the Steelers, the Jets want to have a look at different backup quarterback choices.
Final week, the Jets had C.J. Beathard and Nathan Peterman in for tryouts. Neither Prepare dinner nor Martinez has taken a snap in an NFL regular-season sport.
If something had been to occur to Fields, the Jets want to verify they’ve a confirmed veteran who has taken significant snaps.
PENALTIES ARE STILL AN ISSUE
Though it is just preseason, penalties proceed to be a problem for the Jets.
They dedicated 10 penalties for 78 yards in Friday’s finale. Every week earlier, the Jets registered seven penalties for 65 yards in a loss to the Giants.
Glenn has been adamant about stopping the self-inflicting wounds. That’s why he had officers current throughout coaching camp practices and communicated their calls with gamers on the sector.
The Jets have led the NFL in penalties every of the final two seasons, which is why one in all Glenn’s focuses is to get rid of “undisciplined” penalties. Specifically, Glenn needs to take away the pre-snap errors and post-play penalties. However judging by the preseason, the Jets nonetheless have some work to do in that space.
VETERANS ON THE ROSTER BUBBLE
More often than not, when the starters are resting in preseason video games, so are the veteran gamers.
That wasn’t the case with Jeremy Ruckert and Derrick Nnadi, who each performed in opposition to the Eagles. May each gamers be on the roster bubble? Ruckert is projected to be the Jets’ second-string tight finish, however has suffered from a case of the drops throughout coaching camp.
The Jets signed the veteran Nnadi to a one-year, $1.42 million contract in March, hoping he would solidify their defensive deal with place reverse Quinnen Williams. However that hasn’t been the case. He performed through the fourth quarter in opposition to the Eagles, which says he’s removed from a lock to make the workforce.
Nnadi has been at occasions non-existent throughout coaching camp practices to the purpose the place youthful gamers reminiscent of Phidarian Mathis and Leonard Taylor III have outplayed the three-time Tremendous Bowl winner. On prime of that, the Jets acquired each Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs in separate trades with the Vikings and Browns.
Now it looks like Nnadi may very well be on the chopping block. The 53-man roster deadline is on Tuesday at 4 p.m., however the Jets might begin releasing gamers as early as this weekend.
“I told the guys this week, man, their job in this game was to make it hard on me as far as the evaluation process to make our team,” Glenn stated. “However then once more, put one thing on tape to make any individual else’s workforce. And I’m not afraid to say that to the gamers as a result of that’s what this league is about.
“And anything I can do to help those guys, I’m going to definitely help them. But my process this week is making sure we look at this game, get this game out of our system, get ready to go to practice on Monday, we have a walkthrough on Tuesday, and then, obviously, we’ve got to make our cuts.”
