Is the Jets’ soaring start a reason to believe or a prelude to despair?

Nobody noticed this coming.

The Jets are off to a 3-2 begin towards a tough schedule and are giving their followers some hope they haven't had shortly. It’s solely October, however the Jets seem like they might be forward of schedule on the way in which to being a contender … until that is all a mirage.

Jets followers have been fooled earlier than. The final time they began 3-2 was 2017 and the group completed the 12 months 5-11. The Jets began off 3-3 in 2018 on the way in which to 4-12. So, there’s loads of soccer left.

That mentioned, you'll be able to’t take away the great begin. The Jets have three wins when most anticipated them to be worse by 5 video games. The arduous half is wanting forward and making an attempt to determine what this begin means going ahead. 

We’ll give it the optimistic view after which the pessimistic one.

Sauce Gardner (1) celebrates with linebacker C.J. Mosley (57) after Gardner intercepted a pass in the second quarter against the Dolphins on Sunday.
Sauce Gardner (1) celebrates with linebacker C.J. Mosley (57) after Gardner intercepted a move within the second quarter towards the Dolphins on Sunday.
Invoice Kostroun

Causes to consider

1. The rookies have arrived a lot before anticipated. All of us knew the Jets did nicely within the draft with the three first-round picks — Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson — in addition to second-round choose Breece Corridor. However normally rookies take a while to regulate to the NFL earlier than they'll have a serious influence.

Not these rookies.

Gardner and Corridor led the way in which Sunday towards the Dolphins and Wilson was an enormous a part of the win over the Browns. The rookies look legit and they're approaching quick. There might be some rookie moments forward, however as Robert Saleh has mentioned, the sport doesn't look too huge for them. The expectation is they are going to proceed to get higher, and that might be scary for Jets opponents.

Carl Lawson (58) chases down Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson in Sunday's game.
Carl Lawson (58) chases down Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson in Sunday’s recreation.
Getty Photographs

2. This move rush is for actual. The Jets hit Dolphins quarterbacks 16 occasions on Sunday. It was simply the second time in franchise historical past that they had that top a quantity. Carl Lawson had seven quarterback hits on Sunday, a career-high. He's the one Jet to register seven hits in a single recreation since 2000 and is certainly one of solely 15 gamers within the NFL to have achieved so. John Franklin-Myers was proper there with him, hitting the quarterback 5 occasions. Solely the Browns’ Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney have additionally each had 5 quarterback hits in a recreation for a group during the last two years. 

The Jets are relying on the move rush to get house to assist out the secondary. Lawson seems to be like he's over his Achilles surgical procedure from a 12 months in the past. If the move rush continues to feast, the Jets protection might be powerful to beat. 

3. Over his final 5 quarters, quarterback Zach Wilson has led eight scoring drives and had no turnovers. Wilson had an ideal fourth quarter towards the Steelers and was environment friendly towards the Dolphins on Sunday and didn't drive something. The Jets are most likely going to wish Wilson to hold them for a recreation in some unspecified time in the future, however proper now they're profitable with him being a recreation supervisor.

Zach Wilson hasn't turned the ball over in his last five quarters and has led eight scoring drives in that span.
Zach Wilson hasn’t turned the ball over in his final 5 quarters and has led eight scoring drives in that span.
Getty Photographs

Causes to be really feel deceived

1. A recreation supervisor? The Jets drafted Wilson No. 2 general to be a recreation supervisor? Sure, Wilson makes each lists right here. Whereas he has not turned the ball over within the final 5 quarters, Wilson did throw two interceptions towards the Steelers earlier than he turned it on within the fourth quarter. He was additionally simply 8-of-24 earlier than that terrific fourth quarter. 

We nonetheless haven't seen THAT GAME from Wilson. He has but to throw for 300 yards in a recreation or for 3 touchdowns. There are nonetheless questions on whether or not Wilson is the man and till these are answered, it's arduous to think about the Jets being true contenders. 

2. The NFL is a quarterback league and the Jets have overwhelmed backup quarterbacks. A win is a win and you may’t diminish the three they've, however on this train we are attempting to challenge how good the Jets will be based mostly on what we have now seen. It's arduous to get excited concerning the Jets beating up on Dolphins third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson. The Jets have confronted two rookies of their first recreation motion during the last two weeks with Thompson and Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, who changed Mitch Trubisky at halftime. And whereas Jacoby Brissett has performed nicely at occasions this season, he's going to the bench the minute Deshaun Watson returns. 

The Jets face some reputable beginning quarterbacks, beginning with Aaron Rodgers on Sunday. In the event that they beat up on him, there might be extra purpose to consider. 

3. The Jets haven't performed an entire recreation in any of their wins. The win in Cleveland was fluky. You'll be able to watch 100 soccer video games and by no means see that once more. The Browns mismanaging the clock. The breakdown in protection. The onside kick. It ain’t occurring once more. A win is a win and the Jets received one there however it isn't just like the Jets performed a terrific recreation. In Pittsburgh, the Jets didn't play nicely late within the second quarter and into the third. They awakened within the fourth quarter and received the sport. The Dolphins might have taken the lead if Jason Sanders makes a 54-yard subject aim within the third quarter … with a third-string quarterback. He missed and the Jets performed nicely within the fourth quarter once more to show a 19-17 recreation into 40-17.

Once more, this isn't to decrease the Jets’ 3-2 report. The Jets are making issues occur late in video games that they've didn't do for years. However there are causes for optimism and causes for pessimism wanting forward.

Jim Leonhard’s second act

Former Jets safety Jim Leonhard led Wisconsin to a 42-17 win over Northwestern in his first game as the Badgers' interim head coach.
Former Jets security Jim Leonhard led Wisconsin to a 42-17 win over Northwestern in his first recreation because the Badgers’ interim head coach.
Getty Photographs

When he was with the Jets, Jim Leonhard was like a coach on the sphere for Rex Ryan. So, it’s no shock to see him now rising by the teaching ranks.

Leonhard, the previous Jets security, is the interim head coach at Wisconsin, his alma mater. The Badgers beat Northwestern 42-7 in Leonhard’s first recreation in cost. 

Ryan introduced Leonhard to the Jets with him from the Ravens in 2009. He wished to have somebody on the again finish to assist educate his protection. Bart Scott crammed an identical function at linebacker. Leonhard was all the time a wise participant and stored the Jets protection in the fitting place. When he broke his leg in 2010, the Jets received trounced by the Patriots days later, 45-3, partially as a result of the protection was misplaced with out Leonhard. He was all the time an attractive man to speak to within the locker room and you may inform how clever he was about soccer.

Right here’s hoping Leonhard lands the everlasting gig at Wisconsin.

Stat’s so

The Jets’ 40-17 win over the Dolphins on Sunday was a uncommon blowout win for the franchise. Listed below are the Jets’ largest margins of victory during the last decade (since 2013):

DateOpponentRatingLevel differential
Nov. 24, 2019vs. Raiders34-331
Sept. 10, 2018at Lions48-1731
Oct. 9, 2022vs. Dolphins40-1723
Dec. 13, 2015vs. Titans30-822
Sept. 13, 2015vs. Browns31-1021
Jan. 1, 2017vs. Payments30-1020
Oct. 7, 2018vs. Broncos34-1618
Nov. 29, 2015vs. Dolphins38-2018
Nov. 17, 2019at Washington34-1717
Sept. 24, 2017vs. Dolphins20-614
Oct. 18, 2015vs. Washington34-2014

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