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Posted on 12 September 2018 at 07:30 | Updated September 12, 2018 at 8:15 am
By Matt Stypulkoski | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The Jets started their 2018 NFL season with a tight 48-17 start against Lions at Ford Field on Monday night. This is the kind of victory that builds trust, especially during the first week. But there will always be disadvantages and areas to improve as well. Here, we highlight what made Monday's win so encouraging for the Jets and also highlight some areas that should still give them a break and require more attention.
APTOPIX Lions Football
Photo AP / Rick Osentoski
5 REASONS FOR OPTIMISM
Here are five things that should make the Jets confident after Monday night's win.
1) Resilience
Sam Darnold has been credible time and time again for that and is well deserved – what he did after launching this appalling choice of six to start the game was impressive. But the entire Jets team was also resilient. Over the past few years, the Jets have taken possession of the field after the Lions defeat after half-time and quickly tied the game at 17-17. This group scored 31 points in the quarter to put the game aside. The way the Jets reacted to each adversity against the Lions was striking.
2) Superb ground game
The Jets have been horrible running football during the pre-season. But Monday night, they averaged 4.7 yards per race, including a handful of knees at the end of the game. They collected 169 yards and were also explosive, as in Isaiah Crowell's 62-yard touchdown run. The fact that they have been able to constantly put themselves in good situations and move the chains by running the ball is essential to keep some of the pressure on Darnold.
3) stable targets
Darnold has launched seven different receivers, including a mix of wide receivers, tight ends and trailers. Quincy Enunwa was away from his master, getting 10 targets and six catches. But Darnold felt comfortable launching just about anyone, which is encouraging. It was also interesting to see Terrelle Pryor and Neal Sterling – two guys who seemed to be emerging as threats, but who are still question marks at this point – who have three caught each.
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