Despite The Loss Last Night, It's Not Time To Panic About The Jets

Paul Kuroda. Shutterstock Images.

I'm not going to sugarcoat last night.

The Jets got manhandled. The 49ers had the ball for over 38 minutes. It was the kind of game where Jets fans like myself are saying shit in the third quarter like "If we score here and get a 2-point conversion, get a stop and do that again, we're back in this thing." This was a done deal before halftime.

Despite all that, I am not panicking about the Jets. I thought Aaron Rodgers looked pretty good. He just needs to throw the ball more. I understand wanting to get the ball in Breece Hall's hands but the 49ers held him in check the whole game. 54 yards on 16 carries isn't going to cut it. But of course, Robert Saleh and Nathaniel Hackett can't make an adjustment to save their lives. Or their jobs.

Paul Kuroda. Shutterstock Images.

There is clearly a divide at this moment between the elite teams and the Jets. They are not in the tier of the 49ers, Chiefs and Ravens. But I'm not panicked. I'm encouraged with how good Rodgers was throwing the ball the rare chances he was able to. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that TD throw to Allen Lazard was among the top throws a Jets QB has made the last couple of decades. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a great 2015, Brett Favre had some great throws until he got hurt and Sam Darnold had some bombs when he wasn't throwing picks but that's about it. 

Mike Williams did a great job impersonating Kevin Bacon in Hollow Man during the game. Not only did he not get a catch, he wasn't even targeted. Why? Did he not get open because the 49ers coverage is so good? Does Rodgers not trust him? Was it just a bad game like Breece Hall had? I keep harping on this point but I wish we saw Rodgers throw more. Only three receivers (beyond the two RB's) caught the ball last night for the Jets. That's not enough to win.

The defensive line was a problem. Now, the 49ers can run the ball like no one else but some of those running paths were cartoonishly big. That can't happen. Joe Douglas has to be the bigger man and at least meet with Haason Reddick to work this out. They mitigate the loss of Bryce Huff with Hanson Reddick being on board. That doesn't make up for losing John Franklin-Myers and Quinton Jefferson but it's a start.

The Jets aren't a perfect team by any stretch but I'm still confident they are a good team. Aaron Rodgers is still really accurate. Garrett Wilson looked great last night. Allen Lazard even looked good. I know Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall are great players. The offensive line looked much improved even if Hall didn't have his best night.

This 49ers game was also the toughest game on paper for the entire season. I had this as an L in my mind since the schedule was released. They have the Titans, Patriots, Broncos and Vikings up next. I'm not panicking. The Jets are going to be good. I can feel it in my scrawny bones.

But if they lose next week to the Titans, then I'm officially in Panic Mode.