Garrett Wilson doesn’t need much help to make the Jets’ offense look different. He just needs the ball.
That much was obvious Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. After being effectively shut out of the game in Chicago the week before, Wilson was front and center from the jump, and the Jets made him the focal point on their first drive. New York targeted him four times on that opening march, and he turned three of those chances into 70 yards and the game’s first touchdown.
Then came the stretch that has become all too familiar for the Jets: Wilson disappeared for the rest of the first half, and the offense went with him. New York didn’t score again before halftime.
The good news for the Jets was that offensive coordinator Frank Reich and the offense adjusted after the break. They found different ways to get Wilson involved once Cleveland had slowed things down, and the production followed. Wilson finished with 11 targets, seven catches, 104 yards and a touchdown.
For the Jets, that connection is the clearest thing they have on offense. When Wilson is part of the plan, the unit looks one way; when he isn’t, it looks like a completely different team.
That was the story in Chicago, where he drew only four targets and the Jets struggled to move the chains. It was also the story in Week 5 against Cleveland, when he touched the ball early, then went quiet, and the scoring dried up with him.
Sunday marked Wilson’s second 100-yard receiving game of the season, and it was another reminder that his role can’t be occasional. For a player of his caliber, double-digit targets should be the expectation every week. The Jets keep learning the same lesson: when they throw him the ball, good things happen.
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Garrett Wilsons Message Said A Lot About These Jets
After the Jets win over the Browns, Garrett Wilson made a point of using social media to stand up for a teammate whose impact had already been felt on the field. The moment fit the mood around a locker room that has been trying to turn a good performance into something a little more meaningful, and Wilsons post said plenty about how players inside the building view one another when the spotlight is on.
Wilson had every reason to feel good about the day himself after catching 7 of 11 targets for 104 yards and a touchdown, but he still took the time to back David Bailey in the aftermath. Baileys work against Cleveland was impossible to miss, and Wilsons response added another layer to a win that felt bigger than a single box score, even if the outside recognition still hasnt caught up. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Kept Their Season Alive But Aaron Glenn Questions Remain
The Jets needed a response in Week 5, and they got one with a win over the Browns that nudged them to 2-3 and kept their season from drifting any further. It was their first victory in a true must-win spot this year, and the defense did plenty of the heavy lifting with a disruptive day that kept Cleveland from comfortably settling in.
Aaron Glenn still comes out of it with more questions than answers, though. The rookie head coachs overall mark is now 5-17, and even with the season hanging around for another week, the bigger conversation in Florham Park is whether this kind of win changes anything about the long view on his future. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Snapped Their Skid Behind A Finish Fans Will Be Talking About
Braelon Allen gave the Jets exactly the kind of running-game spark they had been searching for, piling up 116 yards while helping New York grind out a 17-12 win over the Browns. The offense did enough to stay in front when it mattered, with Geno Smith throwing for 182 yards and a touchdown as the Jets finally found a way to turn a close game into a needed victory.
New York still had to survive a tense finish, and the defense made sure the skid ended there. After a late fumble recovery put the Jets in position to close it out, the pass rush came through again in the final minute, leaving Cleveland to sort through another frustrating afternoon after dropped passes and its first loss since Week 1. [Read more 🡒]