Gang Green Nation
With 29 seconds left in the first half, the Dallas Cowboys were content to run out the clock and go to the locker room with a 17-3 lead. Instead of taking a knee, they decide to hand the ball off to Javonte Williams on the off chance the running back can break a big run. They aren’t expecting much.
Of course, nothing can ever be simple with the 2025 Jets defense so a big run did indeed happen. 66 yards later, the Cowboys were on the Jets 1 yard line. One play later, they were in the end zone for a score before halftime that all but decided the game.
What happened? There are a few culprits for the Jets, but I think this ultimately comes down to the team’s safeties playing just brutal football.
Dallas pulls both of its guards at the snap.
Now if you watch this play in real time, it looks like Jamien Sherwood flies away from where the football is run inexplicably. It looks terrible for Sherwood.
Now I’m here to tell you that it’s not actually as bad as it looks for Sherwood. He’s getting a lot of blame for this play, but I’m not sure he’s the primary culprit. You have to remember that run defenders are assigned a gap. That is the space between two blockers. The pulling guards probably reset Sherwood’s gap, and he’s flowing to that area as part of his assignment.
Now would you like Sherwood to both read this play better and understand game situation? You’ve got me there. He probably should have stayed in a better spot to make a play. Still, the end result in this situation of a linebacker being in a bad place should not be a 66 yard run.
Tyler Baron has a chance to make a tackle and whiffs.
Really the only reasons Baron is on the field at this point are the injury to Jermaine Johnson and the Jets’ lack of depth on the defensive line. You normally wouldn’t have a late round rookie seeing an appreciable snap share. This is a tackle he should make nevertheless. Again, though, in a situation like this the consequence of a missed tackle, shouldn’t be 66 yard run.
The safety play here is just horrendous. These guys are the last line of defense. Their job is to prevent catastrophe, and the only way the Jets can be hurt in this situation is catastrophe.
Tony Adams and Andre Cisco take ridiculous paths to the ball.
I’m fine with saying this play was handled poorly across the board by a lot of defenders. There are some basic truths, though. The result of this play is fine for the Jets as long as it doesn’t go for a massive gain, and the only way it can go for a massive gain is if the safeties mess it up. Baron missing a tackle doesn’t create a big gain. Neither do Sherwood’s movements. Neither does Isaiah Oliver getting wiped...
