Three takeaways from the Jets' Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Breece Hall of the Jets runs the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Aaron Glenn’s first game as a head coach ended with the Jets giving up a fourth-quarter lead and losing to the Steelers, 34-32. Here are three takeaways:
1. Mistakes buried the Jets
It was somewhat of a surprise that the Jets kept Xavier Gipson over Jamaal Pritchett, but they said it was because he was more sure-handed catching kickoffs and punts. Gipson’s fumble on a kickoff early in the fourth quarter in Jets territory was crushing. It led to Pittsburgh scoring 14 points in 50 seconds to regain the lead.
The Jets also were victimized by undisciplined penalties. Glenn put such an emphasis in training camp on playing disciplined football and not committing unnecessary penalties. They have more work to do.
“Turnovers, they lose you games; discipline issues, they lose you games,” Glenn said. “Those are some things we’re going to fix.”
Quincy Williams was flagged for unnecessary roughness for hitting rookie Kaleb Johnson after he was out of bounds on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive by the Steelers. Cornerback Brandon Stephens was flagged for a 19-yard pass-interference penalty on the Steelers’ last drive, which ended with a 60-yard field goal by Chris Boswell that made it 34-32 with 1:03 left.
John Simpson was called for unnecessary roughness while protecting quarterback Justin Fields late in the first half after he was hit hard by Jalen Ramsey. It’s good that Simpson stuck up for Fields, but the Jets were moving the ball pretty easily on Pittsburgh. The drive might have produced a field goal instead of the Jets letting the clock run out.
2. Fields and the offense impressed
Not many expected the Jets to be able to put up 32 points. It was a strong showing all the way around, and especially when you consider that last week, they lost their best offensive lineman in right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker for the season with a torn triceps.
The Jets slid Joe Tippmann from center to guard, played Josh Myers at center and handled their business. They recorded 394 yards of offense, including 182 on the ground.
Glenn and the coaches were not kidding when they said they would be a running team. Breece Hall, who had only one 100-yard rushing game last year, ran for 107 yards.
“That’s the standard we set in the running back room from the day the coaches got here,” Hall said. “We take pride in trying to be the spark and being the guys that show up and do our job every day.”
The O-line also did a good job of giving Fields time to throw. He was sacked only once, and it wasn’t T.J. Watt. Rookie right tackle Armand Membou, making his debut, did a good job of containing Watt.
3. Allen Lazard’s future is murky
Lazard was inactive. He did not appear on the injury report, so he was a healthy scratch. The Jets elevated receiver Tyler Johnson from the practice squad instead of an offensive lineman. This opens up questions about Lazard’s role and future with the team.
The Jets gave Lazard permission to seek a trade in the offseason before he ultimately took a pay cut. He has been linked to the Steelers because of his relationship with Aaron Rodgers, his former quarterback with the Packers and Jets.
Now that this game is over, a trade to Pittsburgh, or perhaps another team, could be possible.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
