JACKSONVILLE — The Jets continue to spiral in the final month of the season.
Trevor Lawrence‘s six touchdowns helped the Jaguars steamroll the Jets 48-20 on a beautiful 70-degree day at EverBank Stadium.
Sunday marked the most points the Jets defense has allowed since 2021, when they allowed 54 to the Patriots.
Lawrence completed 20-of-32 passes for 330 yards with five passing touchdowns. He also scored on a 15-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Undrafted rookie Brady Cook got the first start of his career for the Jets after coming in for the injured Tyrod Taylor (groin) during last week’s loss to the Dolphins. He finished 16-of-23 for 144 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
After Taylor and backup Justin Fields (knee soreness) were ruled out this week by Jets coach Aaron Glenn, Cook was named the starting quarterback. Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand called a solid game for Cook by using his legs to extend plays and get the ball to his receivers.
After trailing 14-0 early in the first quarter, Cook led the Jets to an eight-play, 65-yard drive that was capped off by the first touchdown pass of his career. Cook found Adonai Mitchell for a nine-yard touchdown.
Unlike the first drive of the afternoon, Cook looked confident after finding Isaiah Williams for a 25-yard pass, which helped them get into Jaguars territory. But the offensive magic did not last for the Jets.
Cook struggled after the first drive and the Jets couldn’t get anything going on the ground with Breece Hall, who finished with 20 yards on 10 carries. After the Jets got down by 25 points in the third quarter, they had no choice but to throw the ball to try and get back within striking distance. He also threw two horrific interceptions, which include one that went directly to Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller in the end zone.
The Jets scored another touchdown when Isaiah Williams ran a 49-yard punt return to the end zone, but the play was nullified after Tre Brown was called for an illegal block.
Much like last weekend against the Dolphins, the Jets’ defense was a horror show. They only recorded two quarterback hits on Lawrence the entire day and didn’t sack him at all.
Jets defenders were often out of position and missed several tackles, leaving Jaguars receivers open for several explosive plays. It didn’t help that cornerback Azareye’h Thomas (shoulder) missed Sunday’s game and safety Tony Adams (groin) and Isaiah Oliver (knee) both suffered injuries and were ruled out.
The fall of the Jets defense remains a mystery. Before this season, the Jets finished in the top five in yards allowed from 2022-24. On Lawrence’s 15-yard touchdown run, Will McDonald had an opportunity to record the sack, but he whiffed, and Lawrence ran past him and got into the end zone.
But under first-year defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, the Jets defense has gone from one of the best in the NFL to the worst. In Robert Saleh’s first year as coach in 2021, the Jets had the league’s worst defense.
Despite the defensive rankings in 2021, Saleh retained defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. It remains to be seen if Glenn does the same with Wilks, who has been under fire the entire season.
The Jets have not registered a single interception through 14 games. They have just three turnovers (two fumbles) this season. One of them came in garbage time against the Jaguars after Brandon Stephens stripped wide receiver Dyami Brown and Malachi Moore recovered it.
Gang Green will be on the road again next weekend when they visit the Saints.
