The New York Jets ran all over the New England Patriots in a powerful touchdown drive. The run and spirit quickly withered in an eventual 27-14 loss.
On a 14-play, 72-yard touchdown drive to open the primetime deficit, Justin Fields ran the ball five times for 28 yards, threw just twice and capped the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run. From there, the QB running plays disappeared. He rushed the ball six times the rest of the game for 39 yards. On the night, he completed 15 of 26 passes for 116 yards with one touchdown.
The Jets shifted gears after a tough first series. Fields did not run the ball on the next three drives. Gang Green went 3-and-out each time, allowing the Patriots to wrestle control of the game.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn defended the play, saying he didn’t want to run Fields into the ground.
“Well, the thing is, we don’t want to make it a habit for our quarterback to just keep running because we can put him in harm’s way,” he said via the team’s official transcript. “…I felt like if we get off to a fast start, we’ll be in a good position. And Justin ran the ball pretty hard. The thing is, man, we can’t put Justin in a position where it’s a quarterback, and I think we all know that because we’re going to hurt him. You’re right, he did a good job on some of those runs. We’ve just got to do it.”
Fields, who completed under 60 percent of his passes for the fifth time in 9 games, said he wouldn’t mind an increase in QB rushes, if that’s what’s being asked.
“Whatever I have to do to get this team as good as possible and for us to reach our highest potential, I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” he said. “So if it’s me running the ball, it is what it is.
Glenn is right not to want to grind Fields to a pulp. The QB’s own injury history in Chicago highlights the danger of repeated hits. As New York’s second team saw with Jaxson Dart, hits will eventually lead to injuries.
Perhaps admirably, Glenn’s insistence that offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand not put Fields in harm’s way when he runs the ball is clearly his best attribute. If nothing else, this season highlighted that Fields is not the long-term answer under center. The coaching staff, under fire from the media and fans, could deploy a military academy-style offense that would get Fields hit often. Instead, we look at a fraction with a square circular hole.
Fields’ inefficient pass rush hasn’t improved much in his five NFL seasons. There might be flashes, but it always comes back to panicky legs and slow processing when he’s forced to sit in the pocket.
Glenn pointed to some of the good throws Fields made that fell short – freshman wideout Adonai Mitchell particularly struggled with drops.
“I thought he put some balls in there,” Glenn said. “We’ve got to have some guys make some plays for him as well. I know for sure he’ll say there are things he can do better. We’ll have to watch the tape, but I thought there were some good things he did out there.”
These things were not enough to keep the win alive.
With Drake Maye on the other side, lighting up Glenn’s defense with nimble pocket moves and accurate darts, the split between the QBs couldn’t be greater. The Jets will continue to look for their very own Drake Maye next season. Until then, Glenn doesn’t sound like he’s willing to run his QB, even though that’s what he does best.