The Jets won’t be searching for moral victories after falling to the Lions by 31-24, despite a fourth-quarter surge to comeback from a 14-point deficit. But the play of QB Geno Smith leaves the Jets with a spark of confidence.
“There was a lot of pressure that was coming in his face, and I thought he was looking downfield to make sure that he could deliver the ball,” HC Aaron Glenn said on Monday. “And that’s tough to do with this defense, knowing that they’re going to pressure a lot. He had total confidence in the O-line protecting him and him getting a chance to deliver it.”
Smith was 31-of-37 passing for 321 yards and 3 TDs against the Lions, and he completed 11-of-12 passes under pressure for 147 yards, according to Next Gen Stats.
“We just try to, especially as a group, be there for him because we know that he’s going to put the ball where he needs to go and make great decisions,” TE Jelani Woods said of Smith’s accuracy. “It’s pretty simple: We get to our spots; he’s going to give us the ball. We always know we’re all live no matter what.”
Woods had his first reception of the season on a down-field explosive look that gained the Jets 20- yards. Smith placed the ball only within the reach of his 6-7 tight end.
The resilience of the offense, and how Smith operated late in the game, is something the Jets can continue to build on as the season progresses. Up next, the Green & White will face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
“He’s a great leader, calm under pressure and we love to rally around him,” Woods said. “We were able to keep trucking along, keep pushing and him being able to deliver under pressure in critical times like that is very encouraging.”