Jets film review: A look at Marcus Maye’s nightmare start vs. Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce had a field day against the Jets early in Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The tight end accounted for a pair of touchdowns in the first five minutes of the first quarter. On both of them rookie Marcus Maye appeared to be responsible for the primary coverage.

Kelce’s first touchdown was set up by play action. Maye bit too hard on it.

Pretty much everywhere else across the field you see man coverage. The fact Maye is going straight back in Kelce’s direction after realizing he has overcommitted against play action is a sign Kelce is his man. There is another issue on the play. Rontez Miles is supposed to provide help over the top. He is looking in the wrong direction, though, to the middle of the field where there is nobody to help because Kelce sold his route there. With Morris Claiborne occupied at the top of the picture by another receiver, this allows Kelce to head outside to the corner without drawing a defender.

What you see below is not what double coverage is supposed to look like. Kelce is wide open even though two Jets have responsibility for this play. This isn’t really the type of miscommunication you saw plague the Jets in 2016. It is two guys totally busting their assignment.

The second touchdown is simpler. Marcus Maye was in man coverage, and he read Kelce’s route wrong. He thought Kelce was running this route.

Kelce was actually running this route.

Maye trails Kelce to the sideline.

But Kelce unexpectedly turns upfield leaving Maye in his dust.

Even a solid rookie can get exposed by a great player, and that is what we saw. Maye’s game got off to a nightmarish start as a result. Fortunately the Jets were able to overcome it.