The Michael Vick era started off rough for the Jets. The veteran quarterback was knocked out for part of the game and the Jets were knocked around in a 24-10 loss at the Chiefs.
The Jets (1-8) gave up two touchdowns to the Chiefs in the first quarter as their offense was stuck in neutral. They rebounded for a touchdown and a field goal in the second quarter butVick was knocked out of the game with the Jetsdown, 24-10, in the fourth quarter. Matt Simms, signed from the practice squad on Saturday, came into the game with Geno Smith inactive. Simms was solid in his one series before Vick returned, but it was Vick who was the storyline. He had no turnovers en route to going 21-of-28 for 198 yards and a touchdown.
Metro looks at three things we learned in the loss.
1. Offensive to offense
The offense was downright offensive to start the game, with some puzzling playcalls from offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg leading to serious struggles. The Jets registered their initial first down of the game with 2:22 left in the opening quarter, while the Chiefs already had 11 first downs. The offense took a long time to get started on Sunday, but it looked promising when it did. They had two scoring drives in the second quarter and moved the ball well for the rest of the game, even if points were hard to come by. They sustained drives and limited turnovers, even when Simms came into the game late. 2. Even when things go right
For a split-second, it looked the Jets had a big play. With the Chiefs on the goal line, linebacker Calvin Pace rose up and deflected an Alex Smith pass straight up in the air. Anthony Fasano, a Verona, New Jersey native and the Chiefs’ starting tight end, was lying on the ground as the ball fell into his hands. He leaned forward for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead for the Chiefs. Even when something goes right for the Jets, it ends up going horribly wrong. In other words, it was the season in a nutshell. 3. Harvin settles in
Percy Harvin’s biggest contribution in his debut was on special teams. But he had nine catches for 109 yards and two kickoff returns for 44 yards against the Chiefs. It was nice to see the variety of ways the Jets can utilize Harvin, their one true downfield threat on the roster. His speed stretches the field and opens up plays underneath. It’s something that can help the Jets as Vick gets more comfortable with his personnel. Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
Jets offense improves, still comes up short in loss to Chiefs
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