Tempers Flare as Jets lose to Bengals at Home: Jets Week 3 Recap

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

Stop me if you've heard this before, but I may have gotten ahead of myself after the Jets week 2 miracle win. I spent the entirety of the following week convincing myself that the struggling Bengals were the perfect opponent for the Jets to reach an above .500 record in what feels like a lifetime. While my perception of the game was slightly skewed due to the Miller Lites I indulged in at MetLife, I was coherent enough to realize that the defense is still a mess, Joe Flacco is on record pace for pass attempts in a season, and Duane Brown needs to be healthy as of yesterday. Unfortunately, the vibes of this team have done a full 180 since last Sunday.

What Went Wrong:

Very little went right for the Jets on Sunday, but a few things stood out above the rest. From my perspective while being at the game, Joe Flacco looked very very not good. If Tyler Conklin and Garrett Wilson weren't above average at creating separation, Flacco's check downs would look incredibly unimpressive. His deep and medium ball often lag behind his receivers, and he was oblivious to open receivers down the field all game. The chants for Mike White to be put in the game were deafening in the 4th quarter, and while he looked ready to go on the sidelines, he never saw any action. If for some reason Zach Wilson can't go again this week, I believe it's time to let Mike cook.

Source: Dayton Daily News

In addition to poor quarterback play, the defense looked all out of sorts. There was plenty of miscommunication in the secondary, and the two high defense Saleh was attempting to implement, which he is quoted in saying they ran for "90%" of defense snaps, was taken advantage by Burrow in the Bengals receiving core.

Things eventually became heated on the Jets sideline, as star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and Defensive Line coach Aaron Whitecotton got into an explosive verbal altercation. While the argument was later explained and chalked up to "passion" being displayed on the sidelines, the optics of it are not great. As of this Monday, cornerback DJ Reed has called for a players and coaches meeting to hopefully, finally, get everyone on the same page.

What's Next:

The Jets head west to Pittsburgh next Sunday to take on a 1-2 Steelers team. As another team looking to finally put it all together, and with some mediocre quarterback play of their own, the Steelers are equally desperate for another win to get back to .500