Texans vs. Jets: Instant Grades, Analysis for New York

The Jets gave a valiant effort in front of a national television audience on Monday Night Football, but ultimately fell short, dropping a 23-17 game to the Houston Texans.

The Jets had one final chance to win the game on offense, but tight end Jeff Cumberland dropped a pass right into the hands of Kareem Jackson.

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Quarterbacks: C

 OVERALL GAME GRADE: C

Mark Sanchez again didn't have great completion percentage numbers, but he did have his share of nice passes.  He finished 14-for-30 for 230 yards and a touchdown.  He threw two interceptions, both off of deflections off of his teammates not doing what they were supposed to.

This game wasn't as bad as some of his other games, but it still isn't good enough.

FOURTH QUARTER: D

The Jets had three fourth-quarter drives and the Jets scored just three points.  Although not all of that falls on Sanchez, he still does share some of the blame.  At times he lacked focus and all the batted passes were frustrating to deal with. 

In the fourth quarter with the game in the balance, he made just one great pass, a 36-yarder to Jeremy Kerley.

THIRD QUARTER: B+

The Jets ran just four plays in the quarter, only one of them was a pass from Mark Sanchez.  He completed the pass to Jeff Cumberland for 24 yards on the final play of the quarter.

SECOND QUARTER: B

Mark Sanchez's second quarter was a perfect example of how sports is often determined by inches.  J.J. Watt got his fingertips on a pass, forcing a deflection that was intercepted, shutting down the Jets' best drive of the game. 

Also, if Antonio Cromartie was able to keep his toes in bounds and a pass to Jeff Cumberland was a few inches closer to the sidelines, he would have had a dynamite quarter.

Instead, it's another case of Sanchez and his receivers being just slightly off. 

Sanchez is 9-for-19 for 135 yards and a touchdown.

FIRST QUARTER: B-

Mark Sanchez hooked up with Jeff Cumberland on a beautiful 27-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at seven.  He shook off a few early mistakes to cash in Antonio Cromartie's interception.  A 27-yard pass to Clyde Gates set up the play.

Besides the touchdown, Sanchez did have struggles in his timing with his ever-changing receiving corps.  Sanchez missed an open Clyde Gates and Jeremy Kerley on each of the team's first two drives.  On both plays, Sanchez mistimed throws to receivers coming out of breaks.    

Tim Tebow took his first deep throw as a Jet and it resulted in a dropped pass by Jason Hill.  The play would have gone for huge yardage and would have energized the crowd.  Instead, it's just another drop. 

Offense: D

OVERALL GAME GRADE: D

Considering the lack of weapons and the lofty ranking of the Texans defense, the offense played as expected.  They moved the ball at times, and produced a touchdown on a nice grab by Jeff Cumberland.  However, they couldn't cash in with touchdowns on two other trips inside the 10-yard line.

At the very least, Jeremy Kerley continued some impressive play at wide receiver and Tim Tebow flashed a couple of nice plays, but the offense accounted for just 10 points on the night.

Jeff Cumberland and Jason Hill had huge drops.

FOURTH QUARTER: D

The Jets were given the ball down at their own 42-yard line down just six points and couldn't make anything happen.  They advanced the ball to the Texans' 35, but that was as far as they got.

Jeff Cumberland's dropped pass into an interception was an absolute killer and ultimately was the final straw that did the team in tonight. 

THIRD QUARTER: C

The Jets ran just four offensive plays in the quarter.  They ran three times for 17 yards and completed a pass to Jeff Cumberland for 24 yards.

SECOND QUARTER: B+

The Jets showed great life running the two-minute drill.  Keep that in mind going forward here.

The running game is a severe problem.  Whether it's linemen who aren't able to open holes or running backs not being able to make the correct reads, it's simply not working tonight, just as it hasn't all year.

Antonio Cromartie flashed his athleticism on the first pass attempt thrown his way since high school, but wasn't able to keep his foot in bounds.  That won't be the last you see of him on offense.

Also, give Bilal Powell and Jeremy Kerley for hustling back after the interception to force the Texans into a field goal rather than a defensive touchdown.

FIRST QUARTER: B-

The Jets scored a touchdown, which is a step forward from last week.  Still though, the running game in nonexistent and lacks any creativity.

Mark Sanchez has had decent protection considering the opponent, and did make a couple of nice throws for sure.  However, he continues to have miscommunications with receivers out of their breaks.

The rhythm isn't exactly there yet, but they did have some positive plays against a very good defense.  

Defense: C

OVERALL GAME GRADE: C

It was an uneven game for sure, as the Jets were torched on the ground once again, but there were some good things from the defense tonight.

Teams have had an easy time running out the clock on the Jets in the fourth quarter, especially teams with elite running backs, but that didn't happen tonight.

Matt Schaub only completed 14 passes for 209 yards, so the Jets did a good job on him.  Antonio Cromartie played one of his best games as a Jet, shutting down Andre Johnson and interception a Schaub pass in the first half.

FOURTH QUARTER: A

After Nick Folk's field goal brought the Jets to within one score, the Jets defense came up with a huge three-and-out, forcing the Texans to punt from their own end zone.  When the Jets offense couldn't do anything from there, the Jets stopped the Texans again.

Their run defense  was dismal most of the game, but they didn't allow Arian Foster to run out the clock when they were trying to throughout the fourth quarter.

The Jets defense held the Texans scoreless in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.

THIRD QUARTER: B+

The Jets held the Texans offense to a field goal from 1st-and-goal towards the end of the quarter.  It was the second time in the quarter that the Texans had 1st-and-goal and the defense held them to a field goal.

The Jets defense was weak right down the middle of the field for a large part of the quarter, as the Texans converted three of four third downs on their initial drive of the quarter.  The Jets were lucky the Texans had to settle for a field goal as Matt Schaub missed a wide-open James Casey for what would have been another converted third down.

SECOND QUARTER: B

The Jets were bullied by Arian Foster on an explosive five-play touchdown drive in which Arian Foster simply scorched the Jets.  He has gained 100 yards on just nine carries.

The Jets still haven't been able to generate a consistent pass rush.  The one time Muhammad Wilkerson did get to Matt Schaub, it was a step too late and Foster beat David Harris for a 16-yard reception.

The Jets had the Texans on a 1st-and-20 with six minutes left in the half and allowed them to convert it in two plays.  The Jets defense stopped that drive though thanks to pressure from Aaron Maybin resulting in an incomplete pass.

Allowing just 14 points to the Texans in the first half is a good accomplishment, even if they continue to give up huge yardage on the ground.

FIRST QUARTER: A-

Aside from their first drive when the Texans took advantage of an overanxious defense, the Jets have held up well.

The big play in the quarter was the interception by Antonio Cromartie.  Matt Schaub targeted Andre Johnson twice, once an overthrow on a deep pass and the other on the interception.  The Jets have done a better job getting off the field on third down as the quarter progressed.

The Texans' opening drive of the game was horrific for the Jets though.  They fell for play actions, misdirections, an end-around and then a double move by Owen Daniels on the touchdown.  Of course, they couldn't get off the field on their only third down on the drive as well. 

Special Teams: A+

 OVERALL GAME GRADE: A+

If the Jets were going to upset what most people consider the most complete team in the NFL, they were going to need a big game from their special teams.  

They got it.

Joe McKnight was the hero here, breaking off a 100-yard kickoff return in the third quarter to make the score 20-14 after the game looked like it could start getting out of hand.

Tim Tebow converted another fake punt, Robert Malone was outstanding again punting, and Nick Folk converted his only field goal attempt. 

The only blip was a crucial one though, as Chaz Schilens had a great chance to recover an onsides kick go right through his hands.

FOURTH QUARTER

Robert Malone had his first punt of the quarter with 6:30 left in the game, and could have done better with it.  Malone hit just a 25-yarder to the Texans 15-yard line.

THIRD QUARTER: A

Joe McKnight provided the Jets with a huge play, returning a third-quarter kickoff 100 yards for a score.

The Jets failed at an ensuing onsides kick attempt, as Chaz Schilens failed to catch a ball that landed right in his hands. 

Robert Malone boomed his first punt 58 yards with great hang time.  He already has a 61-yard punt under his belt this game.  He should have a dynamite average this game.  

SECOND QUARTER: B-

For the second time this year, Tim Tebow successfully converted a fake punt.  Tebow took the direct snap and ran behind a nice block by Konrad Reuland for three yards.

Besides that, nothing special happened.  Robert Malone had two punts.  One of them went 61 yards for a touchback while the other went 45 yards.  Isaiah Trufant had an illegal touching penalty on his second punt.

FIRST QUARTER: B

Nick Folk's opening kickoff was a little shorter than usual, but Lex Hilliard made a nice tackle on Trindon Holliday at the 15-yard line.  

After a poor opening drive, Robert Malone hit a 42-yard punt to help the cause somewhat.  Not his best punt, but it worked just fine.  

Coaching: A-

OVERALL GAME GRADE: A-

The importance of this game came through with the aggression that the coaching staff called this game.  The Jets gambled all night long, and most of the time it paid off.

With the critical injuries the team has suffered, it was important that the staff showed the Jets they will not lay down against anyone.  

Sure, the staff will be taken to task for the onsides kick call and possibly for the lack of Tim Tebow inside the 10-yard line, but those aren't egregious errors by any means.

FOURTH QUARTER: A-

The Jets coaches continued to be aggressive on both offense and defense and put themselves in a position to win the game on the last drive against arguably the best team in the NFL.  The coaches exhausted all options in trying to pull this one out.

Even with the disappointing loss, the coaching staff instilled a belief in the team and  fanbase that they weren't giving up on this season.

THIRD QUARTER: B+

Give the Jets' coaching staff credit for trying to pull out every trick to try to win this game.  The onsides kick didn't work, but it was because Chaz Schilens failed to catch the kick which was right in his hands.

The play didn't work, and will be second-guessed for sure.  

The Jets got burned bad on a 3rd-and-10 blitz on the Texans' first drive.  The design left the middle of the field vacant, allowing Owen Daniels to catch a 19-yard pass for the conversion. 

SECOND QUARTER: A-

Although Tim Tebow's previous successful fake punt was called by Tebow himself, this one was likely called from the sidelines as the Jets had the first-quarter break to think about it.

For the first time this year, the Jets coaches looked like they were going to give Tim Tebow a full series to see what he could do.  However, he was replaced by Mark Sanchez on 3rd-and-4.  He completed a three-yard pass to Jeremy Kerley in another failed third-down conversion.

Ryan decided to go for it on 4th-and-1 from his own 38, a gutsy call to be sure.  Luckily, the Jets converted by about an inch. 

The Jets also used Antonio Cromartie at wide receiver for the first time, and it should have resulted in a long play.  Instead, Sanchez's throw tailed outside and Cromartie couldn't keep his feet in bounds.  

Give the Jets coaches credit for showing some guts here and being creative in the second quarter and putting together a nice two-minute drive.

FIRST QUARTER: B+

The Jets started the game horrifically on offense and defense.  That lack of preparation reflects on the coaching staff.   

Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine continue to struggle to develop blitz packages to get their defenders to the quarterback. 

However, the coaching staff needs to take credit for the adjustments made after each team's first drives.  The defense settled down and the offense moved the ball.  

Tony Sparano needs to find some creativity in the run game, because pounding the ball through the middle won;t work against the Texans and the Jets don;t have the speed to beat them outside.