62
× SAM DARNOLD PROGRESSES. The
No. 3 pick from 2018 can play from in
and out of the pocket. New coach Adam
Gase lives with the occasional interception
from Darnold because his decisiveness
allows Gase’s system to mostly operate as
designed. Gase has always
catered to his QBs. Here,
that means loosening the
timing on later progres-
sion reads and featuring
more bootlegs and rollouts
to highlight Darnold’s on-
the-move throwing.
×LE’VEON BELL THRIVES
DOWN THE STRETCH. This
isn’t because he is fresh
from having sat out ’18 but
because Gase, who hadn’t
prioritized the running
back position as the offen-
sive architect in Denver, Chicago or Miami,
dreams up new ways to use Bell’s skills as
the season goes on. The Jets complement
Bell with receiving backs Ty Montgomery
and Trenton Cannon and tight end Chris
Herndon (who boosts the offense when he
returns from a four-game suspension for
a DWI). Their versatile pieces offset the
lack of a big-bodied perimeter receiver.× FREE-AGENT PICKUP JAMISON
CROWDER PAYS OFF. The passing
game goes through speedy wideout
Robby Anderson. But Crowder, who pros-
pered from the slot in similar circumstances
in Washington, becomes an important cog.
×OPPONENTS STRUGGLE TO RUN THE
BALL. New York is stout and athletic up
front with Leonard Williams and rookie
Quinnen Williams , the No. 3 pick,
from Alabama. New coordinator Gregg
Williams takes advantage of this by
aligning his tackles more directly over
opposing guards, creating hybrid 4–3
and 3–4 fronts that frustrate most run-
blocking structures. Free-
agent linebacker C.J. Mos-
ley is great at reading these
fronts, and he has the long
arms and strong hands to
shed blocks. The former
Raven might not quite be
worth the $51 million that
the Jets guaranteed him in
free agency, but then again,
with Avery Williamson out
with an ACL injury, Mosley
is the only proven three-
down linebacker they can
rely on.
× THE PASS D STRUGGLES. The lack of a
quality edge rusher keeps Williams from
leaning on his disguised Cover 2 looks,
and he has to limit his aggressive interior
blitzes because his cornerbacks can’t be
trusted to cover one-on-one. Trumaine
Johnson is coming off a disappointing
season, and the Jets have no clear No. 2
corner opposite him.WHAT LIES AHEAD
The offense improves dramatically with the development of Darnold and the
addition of Bell, but the pass defense holds the team back.St
re
ng
thSI’S 2019
PREDICTION
8 – 8
2018 RECORD 4Ð 12
SEP T. 8
VS. BUF
SEP T. 16
VS. CLE
SEP T. 22
@ NE
SEP T. 2 9
BYE
OC T. 6
@ PHI
OC T. 1 3
VS. DAL
OC T. 21
VS. NE
OC T. 2 7
@ JAX
NOV. 3
@ MIA
NOV. 10
VS. NYG
NOV. 17
@ WAS
NOV. 24
VS. OAK
DEC. 1
@ CIN
DEC. 08
VS. MIA
DEC. 12
@ BAL
DEC. 22
VS. PIT
DEC. 29
@ BUF
QB
18
RB
3
WR/TE
16
OL
13
FRONT 7
17
DB
29
RO
B (^) T
RIN
GA
LI (^) (
DAR
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