Adam Gase’s signature game — a beautifully ugly ‘road’ win for Jets
Sam Darnold credits the Jets’ defense for their win vs. the Steelers on Sunday and gives his thoughts on Le’Veon Bell facing his former team. (0:51)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Two hours before kickoff, Le’Veon Bell set the tone of the day, walking into the New York Jets‘ locker room wearing a bright gold sweatshirt and black pants — Pittsburgh Steelers colors.
The former Steelers star and his Jets’ teammates saw plenty of black and gold Sunday at MetLife Stadium, which became Heinz Field on the Hackensack River — it was invaded by Pittsburgh fans. Playing a virtual road game, the Jets played better than their record and upset the playoff-contending Steelers, 16-10.
What does it all mean for the Jets (6-9), who will miss the playoffs for the ninth straight year?
This was Adam Gase’s signature win, and that’s encouraging because the first-year coach is Public Enemy No. 1 among the fan base. He needed a feel-good moment. Clearly, the team hasn’t quit on him, and that bodes well for the future. They defeated a team that absolutely needed the game, and they did it in an ugly, grind-it-out fashion — exactly what Gase told his team to expect.
The Jets won it with defense (two takeaways, four sacks) and they held on with Bell (72 rushing yards) picking up some tough yards in the fourth quarter. Don’t look now, but the Jets — once left for dead at 1-7 — could finish 7-9. They face the playoff-bound Buffalo Bills in the Week 17 finale, and the Bills — locked into the No. 5 seed — have nothing at stake.
QB breakdown: This was a solid day for Sam Darnold (16-for-26, 183 yards), who played the role of game manager. Facing the turnover-minded Steelers (8-7), his job was to protect the football. He had one turnover, and it wasn’t his fault — a blindside strip sack by T.J. Watt, who beat right tackle Brandon Shell. Darnold threw one great pass — a touchdown to wide receiver Robby Anderson — but he didn’t throw any interceptions. This was a nice step for him against a very good defense.
Maye day: Free safety Marcus Maye played his best game of the season, with an end-zone interception and a touchdown-saving pass break-up in the final seconds. It had been a quiet year for him, but, for a change, he overshadowed Pro Bowl teammate Jamal Adams.
Troubling trend: The offense continued its maddening tendency of going cold after a promising start. The Jets scored a touchdown on the opening drive, then hit the skids — three field goals for the remainder of the game. That’s a direct reflection of Gase, who doesn’t adjust well on the fly. Before Sunday, the Jets had gone three straight games without a third-quarter point. This time, they managed three in the third quarter, but this is an issue that continues to haunt the offense. Gase was conservative with his playcalling, but that probably had a lot to do with the Steelers’ quarterback situation. He didn’t think he would get beat by Duck Hodges and Mason Rudolph.
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Eye-popping NextGen Stat: On his 23-yard touchdown catch, Anderson beat double coverage and had 0.57 yards of separation when the ball arrived in the back of the end zone. Anderson, continuing his late-season salary drive before free agency, made a diving grab. It was a dime by Darnold, whose pass traveled 31 yards. Plays like that will force the front office to think long and hard about paying Anderson, who is seeking about $15 million per year. It would be a surprise if the Jets go that high. The reality is Anderson might have one game left in his Jets career.
Bad day for Blessuan Austin: The unheralded rookie had been one of the bright spots in this sorry season. He cracked the starting lineup and held up reasonably well for a sixth-round pick, considering he hadn’t played much in two years because of two knee surgeries. Then Sunday happened. Austin was benched after a rough first half, including a terrible mental gaffe with four seconds left. Somehow, Austin let wide receiver Diontae Johnson get behind him, resulting in a 29-yard touchdown reception. He should have known the Steelers would take a deep shot before settling for a field goal attempt; it was a lack of situational awareness. That made it 10-10 at halftime.