Aaron Glenn
NFL New York Jets Training Camp - JetNation.com - New York Jets Blog & Forum
Jets Camp this week saw two joint practices with the Bucs, day two wrapped up on Wednesday. After Tuesday featured several fights and the scary scene involving Qwan’tez Stiggers, Day Two was calmer, although the teams still had a few heated moments.
The biggest change was on offense. The Jets started much faster and moved the ball well early in practice. The finish wasn’t nearly as strong, though, as the offense struggled during the final two-minute drill.
Jets Camp General Notes
There were more fights between the Jets and Tampa Bay, but nothing close to what we saw on Day One.
One skirmish started after Isaiah Williams was taken out of bounds near the Tampa Bay sideline. Another came after a Breece Hall run.
The Jets offense got off to a much better start than it did on Tuesday. Geno Smith was sharp early, completing his first five passes during team periods.
Baker Mayfield had a good day against the Jets defense and was particularly effective during the final two-minute drill.
David Bailey continues to show up. The rookie edge rusher recorded another would-be sack and continues to be one of the most noticeable players in Jets camp.
Jets Offense Starts Fast
The difference from Day One was noticeable immediately.
Geno Smith and the Jets offense looked much more comfortable early. Smith completed his first five passes during team work, and the offense was able to establish some rhythm.
Breece Hall found the end zone during red-zone work, while Mason Taylor continued his impressive camp with a touchdown reception from Smith.
Cade Klubnik also connected with Arian Smith on a deep touchdown, one of the biggest offensive plays of the day.
Overall, it was a much more encouraging start for the offense after Tampa Bay’s defense controlled large portions of Tuesday’s practice.
More Fights
There was still some bad blood between the two teams.
Isaiah Williams was taken out of bounds near the Tampa Bay sideline on one play, which quickly brought players from both teams together. There was another confrontation following a Breece Hall run.
There was plenty of pushing and shoving, but the incidents didn’t reach the level of the fights from Tuesday.
Baker Mayfield Has a Good Day
Baker Mayfield had success against the Jets defense throughout practice. The Jets generated pressure at times, but Mayfield did a good job getting the ball out quickly and finding open receivers.
He was at his best during the final two-minute period. With the situation set up as a tie game and just over a minute remaining, Mayfield moved Tampa Bay down the field and finished the drive with a touchdown pass. It was an impressive drive and a strong finish for Mayfield against the Jets defense.
David Bailey
Another practice, another sack for David Bailey. He recorded another would-be sack during team work and continued what has been an impressive training camp. At this point, seeing No. 31 in the backfield is becoming a regular occurrence.
Field Goals
The Jets continued evaluating their kicking competition.
Cade York: 4-of-5
Jason Sanders: 3-of-5
York showed off a big leg during the field goal period.
Sanders also received another opportunity later during the final 11-on-11 two-minute drill. His attempt from 61 yards was no good.
Two-Minute Drill
The final two-minute period was one of the most interesting parts of practice. Tampa Bay went first, and Mayfield took advantage of the opportunity. He moved the offense 68 yards and finished the drive with a touchdown pass to Cade Otton.
The Jets then took over at their own 32-yard line with 1:06 remaining. The drive didn’t start well. Braelon Allen dropped a short pass, and an attempt to Garrett Wilson fell incomplete. Smith then connected with Mason Taylor for 11 yards. The biggest play came from Jeremy Ruckert. Smith threw the ball downfield into traffic, and Ruckert went up and made an excellent contested catch. The play gained 19 yards and moved the Jets down near the Tampa Bay 20-yard line. It was one of the best catches of the day and another strong moment for Ruckert, who continues to make his case in a crowded tight end room.
The Jets couldn’t finish the drive. Pressure, penalties and incompletions stalled the offense, leaving Sanders with a field goal attempt from 61 yards. The kick was no good.
After starting practice much better offensively, the Jets weren’t able to close it out during the final situational period.
Standouts
Jeremy Ruckert: His catch during the two-minute drill was one of the offensive highlights of practice.
Cade York: Went 4-of-5 and showed plenty of leg during the field goal period.
David Bailey: Added another sack and continues to make plays seemingly every day.
Baker Mayfield: Had a strong practice against the Jets defense and finished it with an impressive touchdown drive during the two-minute period.
Final Thoughts
Day Two was a better offensive performance for the Jets, particularly early in practice. Smith and the first-team offense came out with much better rhythm, and there were several encouraging plays throughout the day. The finish was a different story.
Mayfield put together an impressive two-minute touchdown drive against the Jets defense, while the Jets offense moved into scoring territory but couldn’t finish its own opportunity.
There were more fights, but they were considerably less intense than Tuesday’s confrontations. With two days of joint practices complete, the Jets and Tampa Bay will see each other one more time Friday night when the preseason gets underway at MetLife Stadium.