We’ve been breaking down this week’s game against the Patriots. We conclude today’s postgame analysis with a look at the special teams.
Let’s review the key contributions…
Return game – Isaiah Two-miss
The new rules promised more return game action, but the teams only punted four times between them and combined for 10 touchbacks on 13 kickoffs.
Xavier Gipson did get a chance to return three kickoffs and one punt though. It was his first chance at live dynamic kickoff reps having not played in preseason.
On two of his kickoff returns, he slipped the first tackle after Isaiah Davis missed his block. One of these was stopped shy of the 25 but the other saw Gipson scramble for several extra yards at the end of the run because he landed on the tackler and wasn’t down. On that one and his other kickoff return, he got out near the 30. Jamien Sherwood helped him out with a good block.
Gipson’s lone punt return was a short one as he slipped a tackle but then got taken down by the next guy. We can’t even be sure who the team’s primary vices are at this time, as the Jets left their starting defense out there and both Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed got burned easily by the gunners.
Kicking game – Less is Mor
Despite only punting three times, Thomas Morstead made a positive impression as he landed a 60-yarder and a 55-yarder inside the 10 and posted a net average of over 48 yards. His other punt was not quite as good, with a 37 yard net. Morstead was under pressure on two of these punts, as Davis and Thomas Hennessy were half-beaten.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein made his only kick, an extra point, and that was uncomfortably close to the goalpost considering he missed his last two kicks of preseason.
His contributions on kickoffs were better though, as he had four touchbacks on four kickoffs, including one that bounced before the goal line so that one met the requirements for the ball to be placed at the 20-yard line.
Brandin Echols was back in his role of almost blocking a couple of kicks a game but never actually causing a miss. He got close on one of them, crying out in anguish as it was just out of his reach. Jake Moody banked one in off the post but the Jets did not rush that one.
Kick coverage – Surratt and Certain Hope
The Jets were credited with just two tackles in coverage, one by Sherwood and the other by Chazz Surratt.
Sherwood forced the runner out after gunner Irv Charles got downfield well on Morstead’s longest punt but missed the tackle inside the 10.
Surratt’s tackle came on a short return after Echols, the other gunner, got downfield well and Sherwood missed an arm tackle.
Echols also got downfield well to force a fair catch on one other Morstead punt. Hopefully the coverage units will get more action in the weeks ahead, especially as we hope the Jets will be kicking off more often.
We’ll be back with the 3-on-D and 3-on-O over the next few days…