Jets vs Falcons : Jets front seven shines, secondary burned vs Falcons in Preseason Week 2
The New York Jets defense had its ups and downs in their second preseason game. See how each unit faired during Thursday’s game.
We’re one game closer to seeing regular-season football. The New York Jets took a victory in their second preseason game, beating the Atlanta Falcons 22-10 on the road. The win means next to nothing, but it’s nice to see a Jets win no matter the circumstances.
The New York defense only allowed 10 points, which is a good sign. Although the Falcons missed out on several opportunities to put more points on the board, missing two field goals, and had two would-be touchdown catches that were dropped by the receivers.
The Jets defense forced three turnovers, two fumbles, and one interception.
They also forced two three-and-out punts, keeping Falcons punter Matt Bosher busy throughout the game. It was a good day for most of the Jets defense, starters and backups alike.
How did each unit perform? Analysis and letter grades for each group of the Jets’ defense’s performance on Thursday:
The NY defensive line had a day. Gregg Williams was dialing up blitzes left and right, and it paid off.
The Jets got to the quarterback all night long, totaling 5 sacks and applying pressure several more times. The defense brought the heat tonight, and the Falcons weren’t ready for it.
Bronson Kaufusi had a fantastic outing. He sacked the quarterback once and knocked him down another time. He also batted down two passes as a defensive end.
His highlight of the night was forcing a fumble on quarterback Matt Simms, which was recovered by Anthony Wintand returned for 26 yards to put the Jets in good field position. The takeaway set up a touchdown for the offense.
Kaufusi was a bubble player heading into training camp. Now he’s not only made a strong case to keep a spot on the roster, but he’s put himself into conversations at starting defensive end.
His strong summer continued on Thursday in week two.
The run defense thrived once again, holding the Falcons to 3.2 yards per carry on 26 rushes.
If the preseason means anything regarding the expectations for the regular season, the Jets’ run defense should be among its strongest attributes.
Quinnen Williams had a solid game on Thursday as well. His only statistic was his one QB hit, but his presence was felt in several pass-rushing situations.
One play of his went viral on social media, where he bullied the Falcons’ starting offensive guard and crashed Matt Ryan‘s pocket to force an incompletion on third down.
The Jets’ defensive line looks good. They’ve shut down the run in both games and got to the quarterback a ton against the Falcons. They have more than enough depth and should perform well throughout the entire season with Gregg Williams calling plays.
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