Broncos 23 Jets 0: Orange Crushed

The Jets were blown out today by the Broncos 23-0 in Denver. New York fell to 5-8 while suffering a loss that will likely finish the team’s postseason hopes. Almost everything went wrong in this game. Let’s discuss it below.

The Bad

Morris Claiborne: It is kind of amazing that we are starting with a defensive player in a game where the offense got shut out and accounted for less than 100 total yards. That is where we are, however. Claiborne had a dreadful game against Demaryius Thomas. Thomas had 8 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. It seemed like Claiborne lost every way imaginable whether it was being toasted on a route, outphysicaled, not finding the ball, missing a tackle, or giving too much cushion. He was also flagged twice for good measure.

Offensive Line: If you want to know the biggest reason the Jets could not move the ball, once again you can look to the offensive line. They couldn’t generate any push in the run game. Jets quarterbacks were sacked three times and hit consistently. For the third time this season, the Jets allowed a defensive lineman to go untouched up the middle of the line on the snap. It felt like only a matter of time before these guys got Josh McCown injured, and it finally happened.

Darryl Roberts: Roberts’ inability to find the ball on a big early play by the Broncos set up a field goal.

Darron Lee: Lee had a chance to end Denver’s first drive when he contacted a runner on third down short of the sticks and was dragged past them. One can only wonder whether the game would have gone differently had the Jets gotten that stop. Lee continued to allow extra yards grinded out as he made tackles during the game.

Jermaine Kearse: Kearse was coming off two stellar games, but he fell back to earth failing to win a pair of 50/50 balls in the air. On his only reception of the game, he was limited to 4 yards because a linebacker chased him down.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins: The only two times he stood out were on a drop and on his only reception, where he could not get to the sticks on third down to extend a drive.

Josh McCown: I went back and forth whether to put him here because his offensive line didn’t give him much of a chance, and he was clearly playing hurt for most of the game before he was knocked out for good. I think he had to end up here, though, because the two turnovers were on him. He fumbled one ball away, and on the interception he just lost track of the safety.

Bryce Petty: Petty was thrown into an impossible situation in relief of McCown, but his throws were very, very erratic.

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Things don’t get much easier for the Jets. They head to the Superdome next week to play the Saints probably with a new quarterback.