Jets grades vs. Steelers: Offense proves to be lone bright spot
Jaylen Warren of the Pittsburgh Steelers scores a touchdown early in the fourth quarter against the Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Credit: Errol Anderson
OFFENSE: B+
All that preseason hand-wringing over Justin Fields and he was 16-for-22 for 218 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 48 yards on 12 carries with two scores. His connection with Garrett Wilson (seven catches, 95 yards, one TD) was on point. Breece Hall looked strong (107 rushing yards on 19 carries). This was the first time the Jets scored points on their first four possessions of a game since 2016 and the first time they opened a season like that in more than 50 years. But they were also 0-for-2 on two-point conversions in a game ultimately decided by two points.
DEFENSE: D
The Jets' brass may not have thought Aaron Rodgers had much left but the Jets defense seemed determined to prove otherwise. Rodgers was 22-for-30 for 244 yards and four touchdowns. Despite live tackling drills in the preseason, the Jets had difficulty bringing down DK Metcalf when he had the ball. Penalties (19 yards on pass interference against Brandon Stephens and a late hit against Quincy Williiams) were harmful.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D
Xavier Gipson’s special teams play helped give Rodgers’ team the win the last two times he opened a season at MetLife Stadium. This time it was Gipson’s fumble on a kickoff early in the fourth quarter that allowed the Steelers to score two touchdowns 50 seconds apart for a 31-26 lead. Gipson also fumbled a kickoff earlier in the game when he was tripped up — but by his own player, not an opponent — and he left the ball on the turf. Luckily for the Jets, Marcelino McCrary-Ball was there to pounce on it. Nick Folk’s missed extra point was negated by a Steelers penalty but he did connect from 51 and 35 yards on his field goals.
COACHING: D
That the Jets left a timeout on the scoreboard at the end of the game is almost as bad as why they had only one of them left for their final drive after burning two on the previous possession . . . including one spent to set up a failed two-point conversion. Penalties continue to be an issue for this team no matter who the coach is. The more surprising deficiency was from Aaron Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, whose unit had those huge holes in the secondary.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
