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Week 1 Game Recap: New York Jets 24, Houston Texans 7
New York Jets
| QB Mark Sanchez, Pass: 18 - 31 - 272 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 6 - 0 |
What a debut for the rookie. He didn't look like a rookie in his ball-handling on play action fakes, or in his clarity reading the defense and making quick, strong decisions. Sanchez had few errant throws or bad reads, and he also kept a few plays alive with his legs. He clearly trusts Jerricho Cotchery in crucial situations, and Sanchez sensed the pressure like a vet. He made a few rookie mistakes - he didn't expect the defender covering Tony Richardson in the flat to peel off and cover Dustin Keller, leading to the interception that ended up a defensive TD when Dustin Keller stripped John Busing after he picked the ball off, only to have Dominique Barber pick it up and do an impression of his big brother Marion. Sanchez also didn't read Mario Williams dropping into coverage, and almost gave him an INT. Sanchez doesn't like to get hit - he was fading away from imminent pressure, but he did show some willingness to take a hit to make a throw. Sanchez showed great mental toughness and competitiveness throughout. He converted a key 3rd down when the Texans crowd was urging them to get back in the game on a perfect downfield throw to Dustin Keller, and he dove to get a first down to help ice the game. The Jets have a keeper.
| RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 20 - 107 - 2 |
Jones got off to a very slow start, often being met in the backfield and hesitating for little to no gain, or even a loss, but his superior conditioning outlasted the aggressive Texans defense. Jones got most of his yards on two runs - a 39 yard TD run with a nice subtle cut and the burst of a younger back, and 39 yard cutback run where the Texans overpursued the run to one side of the field. Until the game-killing drive, Jones had split snaps and touches equally with Washington, even in the red zone, but Jones got the call on the one-yard plunge to give him his first TD of the game. Jones should be a solid RB2 play anytime the Jets have a good matchup, but he is clearly no longer a bell cow, and Shonn Greene could threaten to take away some of his carries when Greene returns.
| RB Leon Washington, Rush: 15 - 60 - 0, Rec: 4 - 24 - 0 (6 targets) |
Washington is now a 1A, not a complement or change of pace back. He got some standard carries up the gut, but didn't do too much with them, so the Jets could dial those back when Shonn Greene returns. Washington looked like his normal dynamic self on outside carries, and he got good gains in the "Seminole", the Jets version of the wildcat, including one carry down to the one-yard line, only to see Thomas Jones vulture the TD. Washington broke multiple tackles and generally gave defenders fits in the open field. Washington was basically even with Jones in snaps and touches until the game-killing drive. He's a solid RB2 in PPR leagues, and a fine flex play in any format.
| RB Shonn Greene |
Greene was inactive for this game, but he still has a role to play in this backfield.
| WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 6 - 90 - 0 (7 targets) |
Cotchery was the most sure-handed receiver on the Jets, and he's clearly in synch with Mark Sanchez. He converted four third-down targets from Sanchez with precise routes and very tough running after the catch. Cotchery also present his number to Sanchez when he can to give the QB a big target. He was targeted in the red zone on a well-thrown pass that was barely broken up, or he would have had an even bigger day. Cotchery looks like an excellent WR3, and a solid WR2 with Sanchez ahead of schedule.
| WR Chansi Stuckey, Rec: 4 - 64 - 1 (8 targets) |
Stuckey had a nice line, but his touchdown was on a busted coverage. He did convert a first down on a WR screen with some tough running, and he seems to have a knack for getting open when the play breaks down (and Sanchez has a knack for finding him). Stuckey's production might be up and down, but he is a strong secondary target in this passing offense.
| WR Brad Smith, Rush: 1 - 15 - 0 (1 targets) |
Smith was barely targeted in the passing game, but he did have a nice run on an end around.
| WR David Clowney (1 targets) |
Clowney was nowhere to be found after another preseason filled with long TDs.
| TE Dustin Keller, Rec: 4 - 94 - 0 (7 targets) |
Dustin Keller is not your father's TE. He is a downfield weapon for this team, as evidenced by his gaudy yards per catch average. He runs with the speed of a wide receiver, and he showed the ability to break short passes into long gains. Keller had the key target on 3rd and 3 when it felt like the Texans were gaining momentum, and his run after catch to turn it into a 40 yard gain seemed to break the Texans back. He was targeted frequently enough that you can trust him in your lineup as an everyweek starter at TE.
Houston Texans
| QB Matt Schaub, Pass: 18 - 33 - 166 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0 |
Schaub had a day he would rather soon forget, but he didn't really play badly. He had two or three errant passes, but mostly he was just ill-prepared for the variety of relentless blitzes Rex Ryan threw at him all day. Schaub seemed to take a hit on every second or third dropback. The few times Schaub did have time to look downfield, there was nothing open for him, surely due mainly to Darrelle Revis, who was blanketing Andre Johnson. Schaub probably missed his favorite secondary target, Kevin Walter, who missed the game with a hamstring injury. Schaub still hung in to make tough throws into small windows, although the pressure seemed to affect to his mindset late in the game. Schaub's only interception came when he just had to get rid of the ball downfield to avoid a crushing sack. Chalk this one up to a great game plan by Rex Ryan more than a failure by Schaub.
| RB Steve Slaton, Rush: 9 - 17 - 0, Rec: 3 - 35 - 0 (6 targets) |
Slaton had quite possibly his worst day as a pro. The Jets front seven was constantly in his face, giving him no room to run when he did get the few carries he had on the day. His only good run of the day came on a pitch outside when he had the speed to get to the corner. He ran well after the catch on his targets, but his best gain of the gain resulted in a fumble inside the red zone after a couple of good moves to get extra yardage. Slaton did convert a short yardage carry in the second half, so maybe he'll get more looks in that situation going forward. Don't overreact, the whole Texans offense was flummoxed by the Jets defensive gameplan.
| RB Chris Brown, Rush: 3 - 15 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (1 targets) |
Brown got a short yardage carry early and ran hard, looking like the Brown that was a productive back earlier this decade, but the Texans didn't get in third and short or even sustain a drive long enough for him to get significant action. We also didn't get a chance to see if he would be the goal line back.
| RB Vonta Leach, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (2 targets) |
Leach was his usual trusty self as a target out of the backfield, and he actually had two of the more productive targets on the day.
| WR Andre Johnson, Rec: 4 - 35 - 0 (7 targets) |
Johnson will have nightmares about Darrelle Revis this week and probably look over his shoulder for him until next week's game against Tennessee. He fought hard for extra yards on his short catches, and did finally get a downfield catch in the second half, but suffered a solid hit to make that happen. Johnson only got one real deep target, and it was poorly thrown into double coverage.
| WR Andre Davis, Rec: 3 - 14 - 0 (4 targets) |
Davis dropped an early target and never really got going after that. He had a few short gains, but eventually suffered a concussion. His mediocre performance squandered a precious opportunity to make a case for more playing time with Kevin Walter out.
| WR David Anderson, Rec: 1 - 14 - 0 (4 targets) |
Anderson had a handful of targets, but he didn't step up and play well enough to demand a bigger role in the absence of Kevin Walter.
| WR Kevin Walter |
Walter was declared inactive with a hamstring injury. His absence was definitely felt throughout the Texans offense, but he couldn't have done that much unless he can pick up blitzes that overload to one side of the offensive line.
| TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 4 - 44 - 0 (8 targets) |
Daniels never broke free on downfield routes. The one catch he did make downfield was threaded in between two defenders by Schaub. He did get some short targets, but he was tackled immediately. Daniels looked very average athletically compared to Dustin Keller.