The Jets lost a miserable one to New England on Monday, dropping a 45-3 game to the Patriots where they got outplayed in nearly every facet of the game. Back to the classroom for Jets head coach Rex Ryan and his team as the grades are in.
Quarterback: An unsightly 28.7 passer rating actually seemed a bit high for Mark Sanchez, whose showing was sporadic at best. Three interceptions mark a season high for Sanchez, who seemed indecisive, slow and a mental step behind all game long.
Grade: F
Running Backs: Perhaps the lone bright spot of the evening for the Jets was the performance of the ground game and the solid play of Shonn Greene, who has been quiet this year after a solid rookie campaign in 2009. Greene paced all rushers with 64 yards on the ground on 13 carries and showed a good sign by gaining yards after the initial hit. LaDainian Tomlinson had a quiet night with 47 yards rushing and two catches out of the backfield. If the Jets didn’t get down big early – they faced a 17-0 hole at the end of the first quarter – the rushing game could have been far more effective.
Grade: C+
O-line: Despite some halfway decent rushing numbers, the Jets offensive line once again conceded way too much turf to the Patriots rush. Matt Slauson suffered on the edge several times in the first half, saved only by the dancing and prancing of Sanchez in the pocket.
Grade: D-
Receivers: Here’s a humbling stat: Take away the Jets’ leading
receiver (Santonio Holmes with seven catches and 72 yards) and the other
five targets combined for 92 receiving yards. Former Jet Danny
Woodhead, who was cut in September, had 104 yards receiving.
Grade: D
Defensive Line: The Jets generated three sacks against New England, none of which were caused by the defensive line. The 3-4 scheme was neutralized by the Patriots, who limited any kind of pressure coming from the front three. It wasn’t a bad night for Sione Pouha, who tied for the team lead with six tackles, but several of those came in pursuit, chasing from behind. This group still lacks an elite pass-rusher and got bullied all night long.
Grade: D+
Linebackers: This was supposed to be a difference maker for the unit but time after time this has proven to be a very average linebacker corps. The linebackers failed to limit the Patriots tight ends over the middle and seemed at a loss as how to control Danny Woodhead, who played very much like a scat back on Monday night. Repeatedly, the play action killed the Jets, with Tom Brady using it well into the fourth quarter.
Grade: D-
Secondary: The loss of Jim Leonhard on Friday afternoon with a season-ending broken leg was bad news heading into a game with the league’s best passing attack, but Leonhard’s loss can’t explain a 45–point disaster. Eric Smith was caught napping and with his back to the action of an interference call that set up the game’s first touchdown midway through the first quarter and Antonio Cromartie struggled all night long with his positioning, giving way too much room off the line. What was claimed as the best secondary in the game was more fail then hail.
Grade: F
Special Teams: Is there a grade below F? Nick Folk’s failed field goal attempt in the first half landed somewhere near the Green Monster in Boston proper but still managed to be slightly better than Steve Weatherford’s 12-yard punt – a feat mad more remarkably bad considering he was kicking with the wind at his back. This is the worst game for this unit since then Miami receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last year – a game which Rex ironically referred to last week during a press conference.
Grade: F
