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The Jets lost on Sunday to the Miami Dolphins, but they didn’t suffer huge drops in this week’s power rankings.
23. New York Jets (Last Week: 20)
Was the Jets’ hot Week 1 start just an illusion or will they make the Browns look silly on Thursday Night Football with a dominant showing? We’re still waiting for the real Jets to prove who they are.
25. New York Jets
Previous rank: No. 20
On the surface, the Sam Darnold Experience hiccupped in Sunday’s home opener vs. Miami. Yet, if you watched the whole game -- as opposed to just catching the early highlights -- you know Darnold showed as much promise as he did in Week 1. He endured his turnovers, but he also helped New York get back in the game, throwing for 334 yards and averaging a robust 8.2 yards per attempt. New York’s complete lack of a run game was key in this AFC East tilt. The Jets must provide their 21-year-old quarterback with more than 42 yards (at 2.2 yards per carry).
Power Rankings side note: Jamal Adams misplayed that back-breaking Frank Gore catch-and-run on third-and-19 that allowed Miami to salt away the clock. He broke off his coverage responsibility, leaving a (probably surprised) Gore with nothing but green to gain on Gang Green.
26. New York Jets (Last Week: 26)
At 21 years, 103 days old, Sam Darnold became the youngest player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards in a game in the Jets’ Week 2 loss. The defense also showed flashes with four sacks, a mark they only reached once last season (Week 9 versus the Bills).
23. Jets (22): Sam Darnold’s home debut didn’t go as planned, but he did make some history by becoming the youngest (21) player ever to pass for 300 yards.
23. New York Jets (1-1) | Last Week’s Rank: 19
It won’t be great every time out for QB Sam Darnold in his rookie year. Everyone needs to understand that, and the two-interception performance in the loss to the Dolphins qualifies as part of the learning process. Now it’s a quick turnaround for Thursday night’s game in Cleveland.