ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys throttled the Jets, 30-10, on Sunday afternoon, reminding the guests from New York — as if any reminders have been wanted — of what the remainder of their season could appear to be with out quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers lasted simply three official performs within the Jets’ season opener final week earlier than he tore his left Achilles’ tendon. The Jets (1-1) managed to drag off a 22-16 victory in additional time towards the Buffalo Bills due to their great protection and pounding run sport.
The Jets’ protection did its half Sunday, too, stopping the Cowboys (2-0) a number of instances within the pink zone and forcing Dallas to accept discipline targets on 5 drives. But Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott wore down the protection with brief passes to neutralize the Jets’ gifted defensive backs. He linked with extensive receiver CeeDee Lamb 11 instances for 143 yards. Running again Tony Pollard caught one other seven passes for 37 yards and rushed for 72 yards on 25 carries.
In all, Prescott accomplished 31 of 38 makes an attempt for 255 yards and two touchdowns, thrown to tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker.
Rodgers’s alternative, Zach Wilson, the second total decide within the 2021 draft, picked up the place he left off final season. Under stress all sport from Dallas’s fearsome entrance 4, Wilson was sacked 3 times and threw three fourth-quarter interceptions, because the Jets tried to nip away at a scoring deficit. Wilson completed with 170 yards on 12 of 27 passing, main the staff with 36 yards dashing. He was hounded all through the evening by Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, who had 4 quarterback hits, together with two sacks.
Wilson’s few brilliant moments got here early and with the help of his teammates. Dallas took an early lead on Prescott’s first-quarter landing cross to Ferguson, and added 3 factors on Brandon Aubrey’s 35-yard discipline aim. Midway via the second quarter, Wilson opened a drive from the Jets’ 32-yard line by discovering Garrett Wilson, the 2022 offensive rookie of the 12 months, on a play-action cross. The receiver broke freed from a sort out and sprinted 68 yards into the top zone to slim the rating to 10-7.
Ultimately, the Cowboys returned to the components that helped them upend the Giants, 40-0, final week in New Jersey. Prescott removed the ball shortly and Pollard, who turned the staff’s prime operating again final season, saved the Jets from locking in on the cross rush.
Parsons additionally stripped operating again Dalvin Cook of the ball on the Jets’ second drive of the third quarter, short-circuiting their try to shut a scoring hole that had ballooned to 21-10.
Playing from behind and below stress, Zach Wilson threw interceptions on the Jets’ last three possessions. The first of them, early within the fourth quarter, was picked off by Cowboys security Jayron Kearse, who returned the ball 32 yards to the Jets’ 17-yard line. The Cowboys added a discipline aim to push their result in 30-10.
The last two interceptions have been nabbed after the Jets approached midfield and the Dallas secondary sat again on Wilson’s throws. The matchup, like a lot of the Jets’ schedule earlier than Rodgers’s damage, had been an attention-grabbing measuring stick for a staff with newfound postseason hopes.
Unfortunately for Jets followers and the tv networks, the Jets, who have been hyped on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” in the course of the summer season, are prone to battle as they search for an offensive components that works with out Rodgers, the Hall of Fame caliber quarterback they anticipated to steer them this season.
Discussion about this post