A 16-11 win for the Jets is a fitting scoreline for a game that featured a Geno Smith vs. Charlie Whitehurst quarterback ‘battle’ in the second half and a combined 3.5 yards per carry average across both teams. There simply wasn’t much offense to go around, but a few key plays decided it and to spice things up, the teams added a controversial safety, a bench-clearing brawl and a less successful re-make attempt of the Music City Miracle.
With the win, the Jets move to 3-11 and out of the logjam for the top pick in the 2015 draft while the 12th Titan loss keeps them in contention for first-to-the-podium status.
New York Jets – Performances of Note
Quinton Coples: -1.0
Breakdown: In an uneven day, Coples had equal parts joy and frustration when comparing his work in getting after the quarterback (+1.2) with that done against the run (-2.4). Turned his 28 pass-rushing snaps into a sack and three hits but found himself handled with regularity by various members of the Tennessee offensive line when the Titans kept the ball on the ground.
Signature Play: 4Q 2:00, Protecting a fourth-quarter lead, Coples got around Titan left tackle Will Svitek with ease to take down Charlie Whitehurst just after the two-minute warning.
New York Safeties: +5.6 combined
Breakdown: Dawan Landry (+2.9), Calvin Pryor (+1.4), and Jaiguawn Jarrett (+1.3) formed a formidable back line, each playing 40+ snaps and bringing home positive marks against both the run and the pass. Just three of 10 passes sent their way were completed and the group supplied 14 total tackles including Landry’s on the last play to thwart Tennessee’s lateral-laden final hope.
Signature Stat: On the year, Jarrett carries the 11th-best coverage grade among 86 qualifying safeties (+5.2) while Landry holds the eighth-best run defense mark (+5.1).
Nick Mangold, C: +1.7
Breakdown: Cementing his lead with more fine work down the stretch, Mangold’s return to the throne as the league’s top-graded center is nearly complete. As mild positives in run and pass blocking added up to another green-graded game, Mangold not only holds the overall-grade lead among centers this season, but is tops in each of those two facets as well.
Signature Stat: From 2007 to 2011, Mangold finished no lower than second in our overall center rankings, twice taking the top spot.
Tennessee Titans – Performances of Note
Jurrell Casey: +3.2
Breakdown: Destined to be remembered most in this game for the swings he took during the melee, Casey managed to turn in another strong showing in a season that has been somewhat more jagged than we’ve seen from him in recent years. This, however, was his third green-graded game in the last five and the fourth time this season he’s been +1.0 or better in both run D and as a pass rusher on the same afternoon.
Signature Play: 2Q 12:13, Casey got past a pair of blockers (Oday Aboushi and Chris Ivory) on his way to forcing the safety that pushed Tennessee’s early lead to 5-0
Chance Warmack, RG: +3.2
Breakdown: Warmack has figured something out. Trudging through the first 10 weeks with nothing to show but a spattering of red marks on his book, the young guard has now put up five consecutive games in the green, the past four progressively improving on the one before. The clean sheet in pass pro against the Jets was his third straight.
Signature Play: 3Q 7:29, Warmack comes off of a double team to catch linebacker David Harris challenging at the point of attack before turning and tossing the Jet defender into the backfield and safely away from the play.
George Wilson: +2.2
Breakdown: Now sometime removed from his days as an under-utilized piece in the Buffalo defense, Wilson hasn’t enjoyed the same level of success during his time in Tennessee, but an effort like this suggests that player is still in him. Coming forward and invloved around the line of scrimmage for much of the game, Wilson logged four defensive stops and put up his highest grade of the season.
Signature Stat: Wilson’s 13.8 Tackling Efficiency (tackles per miss) is ninth among safeties.
PFF Game Ball
Not mentioned above but perhaps the brightest of Jet defensive standouts on Sunday with a hit, three hurries and three stops, Sheldon Richardson was a key cog in the defensive effort that held Tennessee short of the 16 points New York could muster.
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