Jets won’t be able to carry Sam Darnold vs. Dolphins

The New York Jets won’t be able to carry rookie quarterback Sam Darnold against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.

It’s been a few days since Sam Darnold was anointed Joe Namath mark II. The hype’s faded somewhat since Darnold led the New York Jets to a 48-17 win over the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football.

Looking at Darnold’s first pro start with even judgement should tell the Jets two things. First, Darnold played good, but not great. Second, the Jets won’t be able to carry him the way they did at Ford Field when they host the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.

Unlike the Lions, who already look like candidates for the top pick in the 2019 NFL draft on the watch of out-of-his-depth Matt Patricia, the Jets’ AFC East rivals are a team to fear.

Although they ultimately scraped by the Tennessee Titans 27-20 in Week 1, the Dolphins still have a game-breaking pass rush and a resourceful secondary. Darnold didn’t see either of those things in Detroit.

Nor did the Jets’ defense have to deal with an offense as nuanced as the one head coach Adam Gase runs in Miami. Gase is 2-1 against Jets head coach Todd Bowles, a keen defensive mind who knew what was coming from the Lions, but will likely be kept guessing this week:

New York’s D’ had an edge, but it was nothing like the advantage afforded Darnold by the select big plays of his teammates. Andre Roberts took a punt back 78 yards for six, while he also had a return of 43 yards.

Darron Lee took one of the defense’s four interceptions 36 yards for a touchdown.

The splurge of big plays was a rarity for the Jets:

These things don’t happen every week, so Darnold now faces a tougher challenge. In fairness, the rookie made his own big plays, hitting on two touchdown passes.

There’s also nothing wrong with a quarterback being a complementary piece. They’re not all Tom Brady or Drew Brees.

If Darnold is ever going to get to their level how he performs against tougher opponents will be key. The Dolphins qualify thanks to a pair of players Darnold should look for as soon as he steps on the field at MetLife Stadium, rush ends Robert Quinn and Cameron Wake.

Neither recorded a sack against the Titans, but both are proven commodities bringing heat off the edge. Even without Quinn and Wake getting home, the Dolphins still have a shrewd set of defensive backs led by underrated safety Reshad Jones.

The combination of danger men up front and ball hawks on the back end explains Miami’s proficiency against the pass:

Darnold shouldn’t expect his running game to help out too much. Tackles Jordan Phillips and Akeem Spence can shut down Bilal Powell and Isaiah Crowell.

If Darnold falters, the Jets’ defense will have a heavier burden. The load can be eased by Bowles falling back on the sophisticated blitz pressure he used to call as coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals.

Blitzing hasn’t been a feature for the Jets because Bowles has quality linemen such as Leonard Williams and Henry Anderson. Both players could dominate against a Dolphins line weaker since center Mike Pouncey left for the Los Angeles Chargers.

New York’s D’ can keep the Jets in this one, but the onus will still be on Darnold. If he can’t manufacture plays against Wake, Jones and Quinn, the Jets are unlikely to compensate with as many big plays as they produced in Detroit.

Some teams have had defenses dominant enough and special teams dynamic enough to carry middling quarterback play. The Jets will find out in Week 2 if they have the right ingredients to still win when Darnold struggles.