Over the course of today, we’ll be breaking down the performance of every player that took the field in the Jets’ preseason game against the Commanders. We’ll start now with the defense and look at offense and special teams later on.
Defensive Tackles – A Taylor two halves
After the game, there was plenty of hype over the performance of Leonard Taylor III who was the only player credited with a sack and also blew up another run in the backfield. He also beat his man into the backfield a couple of other times on pass rushes.
The issue with Taylor has always been his consistency and that showed up here. He missed two tackles and was driven off the line or controlled at the point of attack three times.
If he can give a more consistent effort, perhaps in a lighter rotational role, the Jets could have something here with Taylor.
Bruce Hector and Tanzel Smart were the other two players to split the majority of the workload with Taylor. In each case, they flashed a few times – Smart with three tackles near the line and Hector with a run stuff and a would-be sack, that was actually officially classified as a run – but in each case they were handled at the point of attack all day.
Smart’s issue was mostly getting driven off the line while Hector was sealed inside on outside runs multiple times.
Leki Fotu made the start and didn’t really do much to stand out either, as he was handled at the point of attack four times and only had one tackle on the first play of the game. Smart actually led the Jets with seven tackles.
Defensive Ends – Holmes where the heart is
Will McDonald and Micheal Clemons got the start on the edge with McDonald not registering any stats but showcasing one of the most impressive plays of the day when he span past the backup left tackle for a quarterback hit. The fact he was called for roughing the passer was weak but it was negated by another penalty anyway.
As for Clemons, although he only had one tackle and one quarterback hit in more reps than McDonald it was an active performance from a player who has been mostly working with the first team in camp. He had a pressure around the outside, a big hit on a stunt and got close to two other pressures with the quarterback getting rid of it quickly. He also blew up a run with penetration.
In terms of negatives, he misread two option keepers including on the opening touchdown, but held up well in the trenches.
Two more undrafted rookies, Eric Watts and Braiden McGregor each made a few plays. Watts once again appeared to have a sack as he chased down the quarterback but this was officially scored as another run. He was also in on two run stops near the line. McGregor had an impressive pressure on a bull rush and also registered pressure on this outside move.
Watts lost contain on an outside run and was sealed off on Washington’s go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, while McGregor misread an option keeper and had a missed tackle. Both made a solid early impression though.
Veterans Jayln Holmes and Takk McKinley also saw action on the edge. McKinley was productive with three pressures on an impressive bull rush, one where he split a double team and one with speed around the edge. He did miss a tackle and badly misread an option keeper though.
Holmes penetrated well once to force the runner out wide and had a quarterback hit on a stunt.
Linebackers – Zaire we go again
Chazz Surratt and Sam Eguavoen got the start at linebacker, but Surratt had a rough time as he was pancaked twice (albeit one of these was a penalty), missed a tackle and hurt his shoulder. He was in on two stops near the line though. Eguavoen stretched a run out to the sideline for no gain nicely and drew a holding penalty, but missed a tackle on a short yardage conversion and gave up an eight yard pass in coverage.
Zaire Barnes was the next man up and he was overall underwhelming despite drawing a hold and getting in on two stops near the line. He was kicked out on the fourth quarter touchdown run.
Marcelino McCrary-Ball was blocked off at the second level on a run that went for a big gain, also missing his tackle as he tried to get the angle on the runner down the field. He did make a third down stop underneath though.
Undrafted rookies Jackson Sirmon and Jimmy Ciarlo would have got plenty of work with the third unit but Ciarlo hurt his knee before he could get any defensive reps. Sirmon was blocked off on two screen passes and missed two tackles, but had a touchdown saving tackle and an assist on a third down stop.
Cornerbacks – Ready and Swilling
Jarrick Bernard-Converse got off to a bad start when a 42-yard pass was completed to Dyami Brown over him. However, even on that play, he was in a great position and just unlucky not to get a fingertip on the ball as Brown made a tough catch with Bernard-Converse all over him.
After that, Bernard-Converse was superb as Washington went after him several times and all of them were incomplete. He broke up one pass at the goal line and disrupted a few others, then added a run stop on the edge for good measure.
Rookie Qwan’tez Stiggers also got the start and wasn’t as successful as Bernard-Converse as he gave up two first downs, on a slant and a comebacker. He slipped on the latter play, so was somewhat unlucky. Stiggers did run blitz to blow up a run in the backfield nicely though.
Brandin Echols started in the slot, which was interesting. He gave up one eight yard catch but was in on a stop near the line.
Tre Swilling held up well as two downfield attempts against him were both incompletions as he was in a good position.
Kendall Sheffield saw action outside and in the slot, disrupting one pass on the outside and drawing an offensive pass interference call on a screen pass. He gave up a big completion in zone coverage, though.
Despite his lack of size, Brandon Codrington lined up in the slot and made a short yardage run stop in the box. He also had a pass defensed on the final series, although he never got his head turned and it hit him in the back.
Finally, the undrafted Shemar Bartholomew was in good position on one incompletion and made a stop on a short pass to the flat.
Undrafted rookie Myles Jones did not play. He was the only player who was not listed among the players not scheduled to participate that did not see action.
Safeties – Key contributor
Mr. Irrelevant Jaylen Key made the start and had six tackles, including one near the line, but gave up a couple of completions in coverage, was blocked out of a couple of plays and dropped a possible interception.
Isaiah Oliver was the other starter but he took a bad angle on the first touchdown and missed two other tackles including on this play where undrafted rookie Al Blades Jr. blew the coverage.
Blades did have good coverage on a downfield incompletion and a stop in the flat, but also missed a bad tackle in the open field.
The other undrafted rookie, Jarius Monroe, had a nice hit on an underneath pass and a third down stop on a screen pass. There were two other plays where he almost missed the tackle, but just about got enough of the man to trip him over, albeit that the ball carrier was able to stumble ahead for extra yardage each time.
We’ll be back with more on the offense and special teams later…