Team Grades: Jets Avoid Upset Against Cowboys, Inch Closer Toward Playoffs
By Abraham Gutierrez
It wasn't pretty, but the New York Jets will certainly take it, extending their win streak to a season-high four games with a 19-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys Saturday night in Arlington, Texas. The victory puts Gang Green (at least momentarily) in fifth place in the AFC playoff standings at 9-5 on the year, further solidifying their chances to punch their ticket into the tournament.
"The biggest things is we cut down on the penalties in the second half," said Jets head coach Todd Bowles after the game. "We had seven in the first half and one in the second half. These were the kind of games we were losing in the first half of the year or the middle of the season that we are starting to win now, so I'm happy about that."
Offense: C+
Offensively, the Jets defense was met by a determined Dallas Cowboys defense that simply refused to quit. Playing to remain mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, the Boys' gave Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets all that they could handle.
In the end, New York tallied 20 first downs and 372 yards of total offense, out of which, 73 came on the ground and 299 through the air. The Jets also controlled the ball for most of the game, winning the time of possession battle with 32 minutes and 15 seconds of work, and also went 5-for-14 on third downs.
With the visitors failing to get the running game going (73 rushing yards on 26 carries), all the pressure was squarely on Fitzpatrick and the Jets receivers' shoulders. When it was all said and done, the Harvard product completed 67 percent of his passes, going 26-for-39 for 299 yards, a touchdown and a pick to earn a quarterback rating of 87.4.
Stepping up as usual were the Jets top two receivers in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. The UCF product led the team once again with 4 receptions for 74 yards, while the former Minnesota standout finished second in that department with six grabs for 55 yards and a score.
Defense: B+
Much like it's been all year, the Jets defense was able to keep this team in the game until the offense finally got something cooking. By far the difference in this contest was in the turnover battle, where the Jets dominated the Cowboys to the tune of 4-to-1. It's worth noting that three of those picks were thrown by Kellen Moore, who was making his first NFL start, and another one by well-traveled veteran quarterback Matt Cassel.
On the receiving end of those mistakes were safeties Calvin Pryor (4 tackles, PD) and Marcus Gilchrist (1 tackle, PD), along with cornerbacks Marcus Williams (1 tackle, PD) and, of course, Darrelle Revis (1 tackle, PD). Nevertheless, this team struggled to stop Darren McFadden (100 yards on 16 rushes), allowing 15 first downs, 309 yards of total offense (133 rushing yards, 176 passing yards), went 2-for-11 on third downs and held on to the ball for only 27 minutes and 43 seconds.
Special Teams: B-
With points coming at a premium in this one, the fact that Jets kicker Randy Bullock missed a 45-yard field goal and an extra point could have been the story of an upset. Nevertheless, the former Texas A&M standout got a chance to redeem himself in the fourth quarter, and did not waste his opportunity in the clutch.
With less than a minute left in regulation and both teams knotted up at 16 points apiece, Bullock erased his earlier misses, connecting on a game-winning 40-yard field goal. He would finish with seven points on the evening, going 1-for-2 on both, point-afters and field goals.
With field position playing such a huge role in the outcome of this type of game, the effort put forth by theJets punter has to be noted. The Boston College product averaged 40.6 yards on five punts, including a long of 57 yards, and a pair of boots that landed inside Dallas' 20-yard line.
Coaching: A
There's no question that Todd Bowles has to be commended for the tremendous job he's done with this year's New York Jets. At the start of the season – especially with all the hoopla surrounding the Miami Dolphins – no one expected this team to be the ones to contend for a Wild Card spot, let alone challenge the New England Patriots for the top spot in the division.
Like he said in his post-game press conference, these are the types of games the Jets would ended up on the losing end for most of the season. With the playoff fast approaching, the fact that they were able to shake off a forgettable first half and continue to fight against a Cowboys team that simply wouldn't go away is a testament to these players and Bowles' coaching staff.
Next up for the New York Jets is a showdown with the division-leading New England Patriots in Week 16 of the 2015 NFL season. This intradivisional clash is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 27at 1 p.m. ET from Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, Examiner.com and other online publications.
