Jets Edge Jaguars, 28-23; Top Five Observations

The past week, the NY Jets lost an ugly game to the Oakland Raiders, which consisted of multiple missed tackles, missed assignments, players getting injured, and honestly, looking like they didn’t care how the rest of the game was going to unfold after Ryan Fitzpatrick went down with a thumb injury. “You look back at it, really, a lot of these were self-inflicted – the turnovers and the penalties at inopportune times”. Eric Decker caught a 15-yard pass, setting up Chris Ivory’s 1-yard touchdown run that put the Jets up 14-3 with 43 seconds left in the opening quarter.

JAGS’ GAFFES: The Jaguars were driving in the fourth quarter, but after a holding call pushed them back, Calvin Pace had a strip-sack of Bortles and recovered the fumble.

“Last week was a rough week for us”, said defensive back Marcus Williams.

Meanwhile, the Jets are dealing with several other injuries, including a big one to kicker Nick Folk. With the Jets nursing a five-point lead in the final minute and Jacksonville out of timeouts, Quigley perfectly placed a punt inside the Jaguars’ 10-yard-line. His status for Thursday is uncertain. That’s a notable deviation from the Idzik “era”, during which a talent-starved roster needed to do everything right to have a chance to win.

“I was surprised at how little of an issue it was”, said Fitzpatrick, who wound up having a solid game by completing 21 of 34 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Running back T.J. Yeldon and Bortles combined for 96 rushing yards, punishing the Jets’ defense by averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Trust is a big thing that we talk about with our team.

“It was a positive step”, said wide receiver Allen Hurns, who increased his franchise record to six straight games with a TD reception.

“I think defensively, they’re doing a good job”, said Bradley. We might find out Thursday.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed in the National Football League world and Jacksonville wont get an easy pass to first place with Sunday afternoons matchup against the NY Jets. They have been blown out, 51-17 by the New England Patriots.

The game will be broadcast locally on CBS at 1 p.m. ET.

The NY Jets (5-3) got a huge win over the Jacksonville Jaguars but must now shift their focus to the Buffalo Bills (4-4).

As expected, quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick (left thumb) and Geno Smith (left shoulder) are probable, as is rookie wide receiver Devin Smith (foot). The Jets, who chose to start a one-handed Fitzpatrick over the two-handed Smith on Sunday, know the answer.

Those things told the story of the Jaguars’ fifth loss in the last six games, and were a major reason Bradley wasn’t talking about a two-game winning streak when he met the media for his weekly day-after press conference at EverBank Field Monday afternoon.

Antonio Cromartie said last week he wasn’t in a slump.

Heading into the practice week, head coach Todd Bowles had to have a Plan B and C for his quarterback situation, as well as a Plan A, for that matter. We’ll have to measure how he turns out at the end of his career and whether these early career struggles helped him become something better.