In Week 6, the Jets display fortitude while the Giants continue to falter
It was the most unlikely of victories for the Jets but one which gifted them renewed hope. Their 20-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday prevented them from falling three games behind the 5-1 AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins after just six games.
Going into last Sunday’s NFL Week 6 game against the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles at home at MetLife Stadium, the Jets, now 3-3 going into their bye week, were 2-3 and feeling better about themselves after a much needed 31-21 win over the Denver Broncos on the road the previous Sunday that ended a three-game losing streak.
However, the Eagles were 5-0, and after the San Francisco 49ers 19-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns earlier in the day, the only remaining undefeated team in the league. The struggling Jets’ offense, which entered the game versus the Eagles averaging just 18.6 points per game, would be playing without its best offensive lineman, Alijah Vera-Tucker, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tear against the Broncos.
It is the second straight season-ending injury for Tucker that both eerily occurred at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver versus the Broncos. The talented 24-year-old Vera-Tucker, who possesses All-Pro potential, tore a triceps tendon in Week 7 on October 23 last year.
So the Jets’ Super Bowl caliber defense, with injured quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines for the first time since his Achilles injury, took up the slack, forcing Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, last season’s league MVP runner up, into three interceptions. The most costly was an ill-advised pass on third-and-9 at the Eagles 46-yard line with his team leading 14-12 with 1:50 left in the game.
Jets safety Tony Adams picked Hurts and returned the ball to the Eagles 8-yard line. From there, running back Breece Hall ran for a touchdown on the next play and the Jets converted a two-point play on a pass from quarterback Zach Wilson to wide receiver Randall Cobb for a 20-14 lead, which would be the final score as the Eagles failed to execute a game winning drive after getting the ball back at 1:46.
It was the Jets’ first ever win in 13 games against the Eagles.
”Outstanding, per the usual,” said Jets head coach Robert Saleh of his defensive unit, which played without All-Pro second-year cornerback Sauce Gardner, who was listed as having a concussion and illness. The Jets’ other starting corner, D.J. Reed was also unavailable, missing his second straight game due to a concussion.
“Through these first six weeks,” added Saleh, “we’ve played a gauntlet of quarterbacks. I know we haven’t won them all, but we’ve embarrassed all of them. I’m just really, really proud of the defense and their resolve.”
The Giants also showed admirable will on Monday night against the Buffalo Bills on the road with quarterback Tyrod Taylor piloting the offense as regular starter Daniel Jones watched from the sideline with a neck injury. But they came up short 14-9 after failing to score any points to end the first half and the game with the ball on the 1-yard line on both final plays.
“ …I mean you don’t get trophies for trying so I appreciate their efforts,” said Giants head coach Brian Daboll after the loss that left his team 1-5 moving towards Sunday’s home game at MetLife against their 3-3 NFC East rival Washington Commanders.
“Came down to one yard and just missed it. Didn’t get it.”
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