Oakland Raiders vs. New York Jets: Full Report Card Grades for New York
It wasn't always pretty, but the New York Jets managed to open up the season with a victory for the fourth consecutive season.
The Jets were undone by penalties, turnovers and missed opportunities at times, but they physically dominated the Oakland Raiders for much of the game, particularly in the second half.
A home matchup against a bad Raiders team starting a rookie quarterback is probably New York's easiest game of the year, but the team took care of business nonetheless.
Now, Gang Green have to keep improving and cut out the mistakes.
Click through to see grades for each positional unit in the 19-14 victory.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Geno Smith looked like a much better version of his rookie self against the Raiders.
Smith was poised and confident for most of the game, as he evaded pass-rushers and made sharp throws all across the field.
However, Smith still made several key mistakes that cost the Jets points. He was a bit too aggressive on his interception, and his fumble was a result of him trying to do too much. He also made the error of backing up out of field-goal range in the fourth quarter when the Jets needed just three points to claim a two-possession lead.
The second-year man was very efficient, though, as he finished the day 23-of-28 for 221 yards, a touchdown and an interception, along with 38 yards and a fumble on 10 carries.
If you take away the few mistakes, Smith would have been terrific. He didn't just manage the game. He made big plays that led the offense downfield.
Nonetheless, turnovers are what decide games. Against better opponents, the West Virginia product cannot afford to be so careless with the ball.
Grade: C+
Running Back
2 of 10
New York's rushing offense was supposed to be one of the team's strongest points heading into the season, and the unit didn't disappoint in Week 1.
Given space to maneuver by the offensive line, Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory gashed Oakland's defensive front for chunks of yardage every time they touched the ball.
Johnson looked every bit as explosive as Jets fans hoped, and Ivory continued to victimize tacklers with his ferocious running style.
The pair of Chris' were also responsible for Gang Green's only two scores on the day. Johnson caught a flip pass from Smith and powered it into the end zone from five yards out, and then Ivory sealed the game with a tremendous 71-yard touchdown run.
Johnson and Ivory combined for 170 yards on 23 carries and two total touchdowns.
If the Jets' running game can be this good every week, there's no reason why the team can't compete with each opponent on the schedule.
Grade: A
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
The Jets receivers did a nice job of finding space in Oakland's secondary throughout the contest, but they made several mistakes that cost the team points.
Greg Salas dropped an easy touchdown pass in the first quarter, Eric Decker committed a pair of costly penalties and Jeff Cumberland missed a crucial block that put the team out of field-goal range.
However, Decker did look like the dangerous weapon the offense has lacked in recent years, as he caught five passes for 74 yards on just six targets.
Tight ends Cumberland and Jace Amaro also got involved, and they did a good job with their blocking assignments for most of the game.
The receiving corps will never be mistaken for one of the game's elite, but they didn't appear like one of the worst groups either.
If they can avoid costly drops and penalties, this could be a surprisingly productive unit in 2014.
Grade: C+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The offensive line was fantastic at holding off a Raiders defensive front that consists of Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley and Khalil Mack.
The unit continually got push up front and opened up holes for the running backs, and it was a huge reason why the offense racked up 212 rushing yards on a 6.2 yards-per-carry clip.
The line also gave Smith plenty of time to work with in the pocket. Smith was sacked just twice all game, and one of those had nothing to do with the protection from the offensive line.
However, penalties committed by the offensive line killed several promising drives throughout the game.
The unit, especially Willie Colon, committed what seemed like a half-dozen holding penalties, most of which put New York out of good field position.
If the line can stop committing penalties, it could be one of the team's strongest areas. Until that issue is addressed, though, it's hard to give them a high rating.
Grade: B
Defensive Line
5 of 10
There's no stopping the "Sons of Anarchy."
Damon Harrison, Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson were predictably dominant on Sunday, as they shut down Oakland's offense and had their way in the trenches.
Raiders starting running back Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for just 11 yards on nine carries, and the silver and black only managed 25 rushing yards in all for a pitiful average of 1.7 yards per carry.
The defensive front also never allowed Derek Carr to get comfortable, as it continually forced its way into the backfield to alter his throws and line of vision.
Wilkerson was especially great in this regard, as he recorded two pass deflections at the line of scrimmage late in the game.
This unit is incredibly exciting to watch, and it's scary knowing it'll only get better as the season wears on.
Grade: A-
Linebacker
6 of 10
The linebacker corps wasn't as dominant as the defensive line was, but it was terrific nonetheless.
The unit played a major role in the shutdown of the team's running game, and it was responsible for a lot of pressure put on Carr.
David Harris led the team with eight tackles, Demario Davis was all over the field and Jason Babin notched one of New York's pair of sacks.
Quinton Coples and Calvin Pace also made some impressive plays.
This linebacker corps is full of dynamic players, and it could be responsible for the majority of the defense's sacks and turnovers this season.
In short, this unit knows how to make big plays.
Grade: B+
Secondary
7 of 10
The Jets secondary was the team's biggest concern entering Sunday's contest, but the unit managed to hold up.
Antonio Allen was terrific in his first start at cornerback, as he made several impressive open-field tackles and didn't allow a single big play.
Darrin Walls, despite allowing a 30-yard touchdown in the waning moments of the game, was also mainly solid.
Veteran Dawan Landry was also all over the place, as he racked up seven tackles, a sack, a quarterback hit and a tackle for loss.
And even though rookie Calvin Pryor dropped a would-be pick-six, he made several impressive plays and recorded two pass deflections.
Now, it'll only get harder from here for the secondary. There's a big step up from Carr and the Raiders receivers to Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay's wideouts.
But you still can't overlook the impressive performance the unit registered on Sunday. They may have been playing weak competition, but they were a big reason for the defense's success.
Grade: B+
Special Teams
8 of 10
Nick Folk was as money as ever, as he nailed two field goals from beyond 40 yards.
Robert Quigley, following an unimpressive preseason, was solid in five punt attempts. He recorded a long of 56 yards and pinned Oakland inside its own 20 on two separate occasions.
The return game also showed some signs of life.
Saalim Hakim brought the opening kickoff back to the 40-yard line, and Jalen Saunders showed some explosiveness as the team's punt returner.
Grade: B+
Coaching
9 of 10
Discipline is becoming a concern for the Jets.
After committing a lot of penalties in the preseason, New York showcased a lack of control in Week 1, committing 11 penalties for 105 yards.
The undisciplined nature has to be put on Rex Ryan. The head coach has to get it under control before it ends up costing the team against better opponents.
Despite the negatives in that area, the Jets were actually very well-coached in Week 1.
Ryan showed off his brilliance in scheming on the defensive side of the ball, as he constantly confused Carr and never allowed the young signal-caller to get comfortable.
Marty Mornhinweg also called a great game, save for a few situations in which he tried to get too fancy. He allowed Smith to sling it on 3rd-and-long situations, while also exposing Oakland's questionable run defense by slamming it up the middle throughout the contest.
Mornhinweg also used short passes to open up the field and give Smith confidence, and it worked perfectly.
Jets fans have long had to deal with offensive coordinators who are too conservative, but that doesn't appear to be the case with Mornhinweg this season.
Grade: B+
Cumulative Grades
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Grade |
| Quarterback | C+ |
| Running Back | A |
| Wide Receiver and Tight End | C+ |
| Offensive Line | B |
| Defensive Line | A- |
| Linebacker | B+ |
| Secondary | B+ |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | B+ |
Cumulative Grade: B+
The score doesn't tell the story here. There wasn't a moment in this game where the Jets looked like they might lose.
Gang Green dominated Oakland in basically every area, outgaining the visitors by 244 yards. If not for some silly mistakes, it would have been a blowout.
The Jets certainly need to get a handle on the turnovers and penalties, as superior opponents will make them pay.
But the team took care of business on Sunday, and it did so in mostly impressive fashion.
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