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Rookie Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims has shown enough in the last four games that his coach is wondering what could have been.
What if Mims had been healthy and had no two hamstring injuries that cost him all of training camp and the first six games of the season?
“You’re playing the simulation game a bit,” said coach Adam Gase. “I know you’ve asked me about this before, I’d like to see what an offseason, a training camp, a full season with him would have been like. I have the impression that he is getting better quickly. He’s very coachable, he’s not afraid to ask questions, he tries to do things the way you want him to, he makes mistakes, but he learns from them. I think he’s only going to get better. He’s got a kind of boast about him, he has a self-confidence where he’s not afraid to go see him when it’s basically [crunch] time in the game. “
The offense has looked better with Mims in recent weeks. He had his best game last Sunday against the Chargers – when he not only posted a career-high 71 receiving yards, but he also took two key penalties on a touchdown. Mims has earned the trust of his coaches and quarterbacks. The Jets have targeted him seven times against the Chargers, including in their last practice as they were trying to draw.
“It feels good to be back and play with my teammates,” said Mims. “As far as the fact that they throw me in the fourth quarter and in the tough times, I’m proud that they throw it to me because it shows that they have a lot of confidence in me.
At 0-10, this season is now all about next year and which players can be in the core to move forward. Mims has shown enough promise to make you believe that he can become a key part of the offense if he can stay healthy.
Mims will be challenged this week by a Dolphins defense that has two good cornerbacks to Xavien Howard and Byron Jones. Dolphins coach Brian Flores enjoys playing man-to-man, blitzing and daring receivers to beat his corners.
“I think almost every team we’ve been against so far since he played has challenged him a lot,” Gase said. “He’s had some outings that we absolutely need to be fixed, where he’s been stopped, whether on the line of scrimmage or tied up in the field so he doesn’t go as far as we need to. But he also had some really good games where he had good outings, good attacking work in football, good work even if a guy is all over him, he always catches the ball and goes down with it. I’m excited when I see certain things on Sunday and see how he’s progressing and the questions he’s asking and the things he’s trying to do in practice. I can’t wait to see how this child will continue to grow. “
Mims said he was focused on getting the Jets’ first win and not much else. He admits there are many areas where he still needs to improve. One aspect of his game that has stood out is his ability to make contested holds or 50/50 balls. Mims said it was a skill he had been working on.
“It’s not really something you were born to be,” Mims said. “It takes work to get there. In college, early in my career, I struggled with that. I knew if I wanted to separate myself from the other big receivers I knew I had to do these 50/50 [catches]. At one point in our team we went 1-11 and the whole receiving group wasn’t winning on 50/50 balls. The following year I arrived and I was proud of it. I wanted to improve and I wanted to win 50/50 balls, and I just worked with my coach.
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