There was way too much aqua and orange in a stadium that is supposed to be a home-field advantage. It seems all but the most loyal fans have given up on the Jets this season and that’s understandable.
The Jets aren’t worth watching if you’re looking for a playoff contender this season. A 34-13 loss to the Dolphins on Saturday night at barren MetLife Stadium was a reminder how miserable the things have gone: too many turnovers, too many special team blunders, too many broken plays and busted coverages.
“None of us played well when you lose 34-13,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said.
That is not entirely true. Amid the ashes of another one-sided loss emerged one important question: Where has Bilal Powell been all season? When the Jets start planning for 2017, if they haven’t already, Powell needs to have a more prominent role in the offense. His talents as a dual threat running back have been underutilized in 2016.
Powell, the sixth-year veteran, was the best player on the field for the first half of Saturday night’s game when he rushed 10 times for 46 yards and caught 8 passes for a another 67. The Jets were still very much in the game, trailing 13-10 after two quarters, before it all came apart for the home team in the second half.
“The offensive line did a tremendous job opening holes for me and we got in some formations and some looks that we were able to execute against their defense,” Powell would say of the first half.
He would finish the game with 84 yards rushing on 16 carries and 11 receptions for 78 yards, making a positive impression that will linger throughout the summer. Matt Forte might be the primary running back making all the money, but Powell’s presence makes the Jets a more versatile football team.
Bilal PowellPaul J. Bereswill
“Whenever my number is called, I just try to take full advantage of my opportunity,” Powell said.
His play was the highlight of an evening where the Jets looked competitive early, but suffered too many self-inflicted wounds to stay close. The Jets committed five turnovers and had a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. And Bryce Petty wound up leaving the game with a chest injury in the fourth quarter.
But the game was not a complete disaster if you’re looking long-term, which is the only way the Jets can be looking these days. Rookie receiver Robby Anderson caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Petty to validate his growing reputation as a deep threat and rookie offensive lineman Brandon Shell held his own in his first start at right tackle, though too many Dolphins pass rushers had a free path to Petty. And then there’s Powell.
While the Jets defense was folding in the second half when the game got out of hand, there was Powell picking up 11 yards on the first carry after the Dolphins had gone up 34-10. If some of the Jets quit, he wasn’t among them. He kept running the ball and catching the ball, doing all he could to help his team and his quarterback.
Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said the plan all season was for Powell and Forte to share the ball.
“We are fortunate to have two pretty good players [at running back],” Gailey said earlier this week. “We’ve been trying to split it up and let them both play.”
But Powell didn’t really see much action until Forte was injured against San Francisco last weekend. Powell wound up gaining 179 yards from scrimmage on 34 touches, which was more than triple his previous high of 11 touches in a game this season. Clearly, the more he is involved, the more productive he can be.
The remainder of the Jets’ schedule is about finding what players to keep for next season. Players that come prepared, give all they’ve got and don’t quit. Players like Bilal Powell.
