Jets start strong, then sputter in loss to Gardner Minshew, Eagles
The Jets couldn’ t stop the run and allowed 185 yards— 120 to Philadelphia running back Miles Sanders, alone. Eagles starting QB Jalen Hurts was ruled out with a foot injury, a positive for the Jets defense which didn’ t have to deal with Hurts’ dynamic dual threat ability. Gardner Minshew stepped in for Hurts and tore them apart.
The Jets defense reverted back to their old ways on Sunday, when they allowed the Eagles offense to jump to a 33-18 win.
It was another week the defense allowed an offense to put up 400 yards or more and everything that could go wrong for that Jets unit … did go wrong.
Eagles punter Arryn Siposs’ services were rarely needed with the Eagles scoring on all but one drive.
The Jets couldn’t stop the run and allowed 185 yards — 120 to Philadelphia running back Miles Sanders, alone.
Eagles starting QB Jalen Hurts was ruled out with a foot injury, a positive for the Jets defense which didn’t have to deal with Hurts’ dynamic dual threat ability. But it didn’t matter.
Gardner Minshew stepped in for Hurts and tore them apart. Minshew had only five incomplete passes, but threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
On Minshew’s first drive, he completed three passes for 61 yards and a touchdown to tight end Dallas Goedert.
While the defense struggled early, the offense under Zach Wilson finally looked functional to open a game. Wilson finished 23-of-38 for 226 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
Braxton Berrios sparked the offense with a 79-yard kickoff return to the Eagles’ 21. Then Wilson threw to Elijah Moore for a two-yard touchdown on the Jets’ opening drive.
The Eagles answered with a score, but the Jets offense fired right back as Wilson led the Jets on an 11-play, 68-yard drive and finished it off with a quarterback sneak to give the Jets a 12-7 lead.
The defense allowed another score to the Eagles, but Wilson’s hot streak continued. He took the Jets on a nine-play, 75-yard drive, which was capped with a two-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Griffin on fourth down, to extend the Jet lead to 18-14.
The Jets defense allowed another score before the end of the half, making it 24-18. It looked like the game was heading for a shootout with Jets offense matching the Eagles offense.
Gang Green had 155 yards of total offense and Wilson had three total touchdowns with 108 yards.
But the wheels fell off the Jets’ wagon in the second half. Their offense sputtered, unable to score and had under 140 yards for the half.
And while the offense struggled, the defense allowed three field goals, which shut the door on any hopes of a comeback.
The Jets entered Week 14 at 3-9 with a matchup against the New Orleans Saints on the horizon.