Jets Studs & Duds Scorecard: Week 3

Following each Jets game this season, I’ll be participating in the post-game tradition of listing out the studs and duds of the Jets’ previous game — but with a new twist.

Each player listed, whether they were a stud or a dud, is capable of earning up to five points positively or negatively, depending on how good or bad their performance was. In total, the scores of each player listed will add up to match the Jets’ scoring margin from their game that week. This past Sunday, the Jets fell by 16 points to the Patriots, so the combined point total of every player listed below will add up to -16.

At the end of the season, I’m hoping this scorecard system will help us get a good look at which players had the biggest impacts on the team, both positive and negative.

As an added note, no coaches (or general managers) will be involved in these lists.

The studs earn the privileges of having some nice colors attached to their name, while the duds merely get tagged with various levels of badness.

• Studs: Gotham Green (5 points), Platinum (4), Gold (3), Silver (2), Bronze (1)
• Duds: Level 5 (-5 points), Level 4 (-4), etc.

Here are my studs and duds from the Jets’ Week 3 loss. I have to admit, this one was a little difficult to complete, since a couple of fluky touchdowns made this game look a lot closer than it really was. Anyway, here goes!

Studs

Jamal Adams - Platinum (4 points)

Adams delivered his first career touchdown about midway through the fourth quarter, notching a 61-yard pick-six off of Jarrett Stidham. Obviously, it’s less impressive considering it came off of Stidham and not Brady, plus the Jets were already nailed into the coffin at that point of the game. Still, given our scoring system, Adams needs to receive major credit due to the play’s impact on the scoreboard. And it was a nice play, even if it didn’t matter.

While he was solid in the game, this was not necessarily a performance worthy of four points from Adams. But somebody had to get some credit to bring the point total up to -16, so Adams gets the best positive score.

Arthur Maulet - Gold (3 points)

Maulet became the first Jet to score a touchdown in Gillette Stadium since Chris Ivory took a Ryan Fitzpatrick dump-off nine yards to the house on October 25th, 2015 (giving the Jets a 17-16 third quarter lead. Crazy to think the Jets have actually led in Foxborough before!).

While the touchdown would not have happened without rookie punt returner Gunner Olszewski muffing the kick, Maulet still gave a solid effort on the play. He was able to beat the blocker he was matched up against, putting himself in position to recover the ball once it hit the ground.

Brian Poole - Gold (3 points)

Poole posted strong coverage numbers for the third consecutive game. Across seven targets in his direction, Poole allowed five catches for just 24 yards and one first down.

However, on one of those incomplete targets, Poole was schooled badly by Julian Edelman, but Edelman dropped the wide-open pass. I’m not sure Poole’s performance would be gold-worthy in most other games, but it was in this game.

Among the 86 cornerbacks to play at least 50% of their team’s cover snaps this year, Poole ranks second in fewest yards allowed per cover snap (0.36), behind only Shaquill Griffin. Even if this may just be a result of opponents instead targeting the Jets’ horrible outside cornerbacks, it is a nice silver lining to hold on to for now.

Sam Ficken - Bronze (1 point)

Kickin’ Ficken went 2-for-2 on extra points. Bravo, bravo!

Neville Hewitt - Bronze (1 point)

Hewitt had a sack and a pair of hurries, leading the Jets with three pressures. This is a terrible indictment on the defense, but it’s a nice stat for Hewitt.

It seemed Hewitt was usually not part of the issue when the Jets allowed a big play, but he did miss on an opportunity to stop Sony Michel’s touchdown run. I honestly don’t think Hewitt’s performance would warrant a “stud” designation in most other games, but in this one, he did enough to be less bad than most of his teammates.

Albert McClellan - Bronze (1 point)

Four tackles in the punt return game for the Jets’ veteran special teams ace.

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Duds

Kelvin Beachum, Kelechi Osemele, Ryan Kalil, Brian Winters - Level 2

Not a whole lot to discuss about this unit that you don’t already know. Anybody who has watched the Jets this season knows how much of an atrocity this unit has been in both phases.

The numbers in the run game are horrifying. Against New England, Le’Veon Bell rushed for 35 yards, with 38 of those yards coming after contact (-3 yards coming before, if you do the math). 155 of Bell’s 163 rushing yards this year have come after contact, a 95.1% portion.

On the season, with Bell picking up 8 yards before contact across 56 carries, he has progressed an average of 0.14 yards beyond the line of scrimmage per carry until being touched by a defender. That’s about five inches, which is slightly shorter than the width of a dollar bill.

Trumaine Johnson - Level 2

A limited snap count is the only reason Johnson receives just two points off. For some reason, the Jets put Johnson on the field to start this game, and the Patriots quickly exposed him. Playing his patented “I’m going to stand 10 yards off the line, please have this first down!” style of coverage, Johnson gave up two first downs across just eight snaps on the Patriots’ first drive of the game, allowing one to Julian Edelman and one to Josh Gordon.

The Jets realized their mistake and benched Johnson for the rest of the game after the first drive. It seems Gregg Williams has already realized that he would be better off sending ten players on the field than having Johnson out there.

Blake Cashman - Level 3

Cashman made two costly mistakes early in this one. On New England’s first touchdown, he was plowed out of the hole by a pulling Shaq Mason, clearing a lane for Sony Michel to pick up the five-yard score. You can’t help but imagine C.J. Mosley would have easily made that play if put in the same position.

On the next drive, Cashman bit way too hard on a play action fake, allowing Phillip Dorsett to waltz into the end zone untouched for a 25-yard score.

Luke Falk - Level 3

Falk did not get much help in New England, but he struggled mightily in his own right. The interception he tossed to Devin McCourty was brutal.

The Washington State product finished 12 of 22 for 98 yards. He became the first Jets quarterback to throw for under 100 yards on at least 20 passes since Mark Sanchez did it in the infamous Greg McElroy game back in 2012.

Henry Anderson and Leonard Williams - Level 3

Anderson and Williams led the Jets in pass rush snaps against the Patriots, playing 29 and 34, respectively. Yet, neither was able to get home for even a single pressure. Not one.

It’s been a disappointing start to the season for these two, with both players yet to record their first sack.

Darryl Roberts - Level 3

The Patriots went after their former cornerback, targeting Roberts 13 times and completing eight passes for 96 yards and five first downs. One of those firsts was a three-yard touchdown for Julian Edelman, in which the veteran left Roberts in the dust on an out route.

Brandon Shell - Level 4

Shell was credited with allowing a whopping six pressures in this contest, including two sacks and one hit. Shell and Winters poorly handled a stunt allowing Michael Bennett to get home, and later, Shell allowed Chase Winovich to blow by him with a rip move to bring down Falk.

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Here is a look at the Week 3 scorecard:

Here is a look at the scorecard throughout the season to date as we head into the early bye week.