Breaking down New York Jets' crushing win against Green Bay Packers in Week 6
Having already covered the Cincinnati Bengals' early-season struggles on offense and power rankings at the quarter-pole of the NFL season among other topics, this is the right time to really dive into one of the most exciting games from this past weekend.
The New York Jets strolled into Lambeau Field and dismantled the Green Bay Packers in what was arguably the upset of the weekend. The Packers struggled to put points on the board and the Jets took full advantage, racing to a 27-10 win.
Here, we look at the factors that contributed to the Jets' win:
Jets Offense vs. Packers Defense
Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur is doing a great job right now, particularly in the run game. On Sunday, they set up plays with the way they threatened the edges on a series of toss plays, either cracking down with receivers in reduced splits or using guys on the move as lead-blockers.
They also had 20-yard touchdown by Braxton Berrios, where they pulled the guard and tight-end one way, with the latter pivoting back around and landing the key block on the corner.
And then off that, they had a couple of really cool designs, where they ultimately handed it to Breece Hall. This was not only during the long touchdown in the fourth quarter, where they faked a reverse on a GT power play, but also earlier in the first half, where they lined him up as the offset receiver in a bunch set, and used the tight-end inside on a lead sweep, after faking the toss to their original side with Michael Carter Jr.
They also ran an impressive screen play in the fourth quarter, where they motioned the Z receiver in a two-by-two set across and showed what looked like the trips side on a four verts concept. They got the ball to the tight-end on the opposite side after acting like he was in protection, to where he had three linemen out in front, with a ton of space.
The crazy things is that second-year quarterback Zach Wilson isn’t playing well at all right now. Whether it’s being a tick late on route plays or the ball-placement being off, he;s really struggled to get going. He also made one horrible decision, which almost cost them an easy field-goal, as he threw it up into the endzone whilst falling out of bounds on third down, with the ball very nearly picked off.
For the Packers, meanwhile, it’s kind of been the same old story – they can’t stop the better run games consistently. After finishing 30th in yards allowed per carry last season, they’re right on pace yet again at 4.7 yards per carry.
We can point to Joe Barry’s lack of willingness to drop one of his safeties down into the cadence of the quarterback, maybe blitz the run more on early downs and other factors, but really what it comes down to is that their individual players in the box have to play better.
That’s concerning, considering their nose-tackle and two linebackers earn in the double-digit millions per year, plus they just drafted two guys from Georgia’s historically great defense in the first round.
Quay Walker, in particular, has been a complete liability against the run, with a PFF run-defense grade of 29.9. Rashan Gary is actually the only player in the front-seven with a grade of 70+. As a unit, the defense is the worst in the league in terms of EPA allowed per rush in two-high looks, which their defensive coordinator seems to have no concern living in, because that’s what he believes in schematically.
We did finally see him allow Jaire Alexander to play more press-man coverage, even though he was going up against the Z on the field side more regularly, and he locked up guys like Corey Davis and Garrett all day long.
They didn’t nearly do a good enough job of beating blockers to the spot, to funnel the ball back towards their team-mates, or replacing those guys when necessary, as they frequently allowed the Jets to get to the perimeter. And then off that, even when New York used soft play-action fakes from the gun, there were some wide open passing lanes over the middle.
Packers Offense vs. Jets Defense
Green Bay tried so hard to get out to the edges with wide zone and toss plays against a team with great speed on the second level and more than willing tacklers on the perimeter.
They had their most success in that regard handing the ball to A.J. Dillon from the shotgun on power or trap plays, when the defense was in a wide-nine front and playing the pass. Their backs should have hit those cutbacks more regularly, looking at how hard the backside linebacker chased on lateral run schemes.
Aaron Jones once did and ripped off a big chunk, but Elgton Jenkins was called for pretty much a panic hold. When they did drop back, it was a ton of quick game and West Coast concepts, where nobody was able to really create any clear windows with separation against man. Against zone, they basically got no yardage after the catch.
Due to that, the Packers got to third down 19 times in this game, with eight of those for seven or more yards. Other than three first downs gifted to them by penalties, they went 4-of-16.
When Rodgers actually needed to read the field and work through progressions, he never really felt comfortable behind his O-line. It clearly seemed like he didn't trust his young receivers and preferred to hold onto the ball an extra beat, to see them work their way open.
At this point, it’s clearly visible that Rodgers takes a deep shot whenever the other team put together a long scoring drive. Those balls aren’t necessarily bad, but he doesn’t really have a guy who will make those plays for him on the back-end regularly.
For the Jets, Sauce Gardner has transformed what they are on the back-end, with the physicality he brings and the confidence he has in himself.
The Jets are confident of leaving him one-on-one with the X receiver consistently and have been playing man-coverage on third down as much as any other unit in the league. Combine that with all the games they run on the D-line and it points to a pretty formidable unit.
They pressured Rodgers on a season-low percentage of dropbacks, but they sacked him four times, routinely made the walls around him close in and the Packers O-line was called for holding twice.
On multiple occasions, Rodgers tried to step into creases like in a pocket presence drill, but a delayed looper always showed up. Quinnen Williams was a monster, crashing across the face of offensive linemen and dominating every solo-block he went up against.
Jordan Whitehead was also an exciting watch, charging up the alley in the run game and buzzing down to blow up blockers. This has allowed Gang Green to be one of four defenses to surrender less than four yards per carry, despite losing their best run-defender from a year ago in nose-tackle Folorunso Fatukasi.
Having that quasi plus-one in the box, even though the offense largely can’t account for it, has been key in that regard.
Pieces are falling into place for the New York Jets
The development of this Jets defense is the biggest talking point in this game, closely followed by how capped this Packers offense feels.
The Jets finally have all the pieces in place, whether it’s the young guys finding their ways or veterans being healthy. What Mike LaFleur has built in the run game is also impressive. If they can get Zach Wilson to get the ball out a touch quicker and a couple inches further towards where his receivers are heading, they can play the kind of football to beat pretty much team any in the league.
However, let’s not gloss over the fact that Wilson had 110 yards passing and the offense went 1-of-11 on third downs for the day. They won’t have a punt blocked for a touchdown every week. So far they’ve only played the Dolphins once at home from their division – who they beat up pretty good. They’ll have plenty of chances to prove themselves.
For Green Bay, for how much they want to play two-high coverage, they simply don’t have the guys in the front-seven to keep opponents behind the chains and eliminate explosives on the ground.
Offensively, there's no real solution with the personnel they have right now. Rodgers has the ability to identify spatial advantages and get the ball out in a hurry, but if those receivers don’t create that quick separation like Davante Adams was able to, they will get to third-and-long situations.
Moreover, it's hard to trust the receivers or O-line to make the right route adjustments on the fly or hold up long enough in pass protection if Rodgers has to pull the ball down.
An option would be to move Elgton Jenkins back to right guard, where he’s been an All Pro selection, and then try Yosh Nijman or one of their rookies at tackle next to him, where they can chip and slide that way, to help, now that David Bakhtiari is back on the blindside. But they definitely need to make some kind of move at receiver.