Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett didn’t know just how bad it was in the moment.
His offense converted a woeful 2 of 15 third downs during the Jets’ 13-10 overtime win over the Giants last Sunday. They failed to convert on their first 12 third downs, and did not pick up their first conversion until late in the fourth quarter.
It nearly, and likely should have, cost the Jets a victory if not for an epic Giants collapse.
That reality started to sink in for Hackett after the final whistle.
“You try not to get caught up in what the stats are,” Hackett said Thursday. “You don’t know until after the game. You’re just thinking about how you can do anything you can to hold the ball and get into a scoring position. … At the end of the game [I found out]. I did not know at that time [during the game].
“If you’re not converting on third down, that’s why you don’t feel that rhythm, so for us, we have to find a way to stay on the field.”
Sunday’s third-down performance was a low point of what was already a season-long problem for the Jets.
They have converted just 20 of 87 third downs this year (23.0 percent), dead last in the NFL by a wide margin. The Browns are next worst at 31.1 percent.
“I’d say we’re moving the ball, we’re just not producing on third downs, and that’s obviously where the fix needs to be,” quarterback Zach Wilson said earlier in the week. “We’re showing that we can move the ball, we’re doing some good things, so it’s really just trying to be more well balanced and find a way to get it done all the way around. … I’m trying to find anything I can do to find a way to help us be better on third downs. To be a great offense, you have to be great on third down.”
Beyond Zach Wilson finding a fix, star receiver Garrett Wilson believes he might already have one.
He wants to run shorter, quicker routes that will help his quarterback get the ball out of his hands faster. Though running back Breece Hall said Friday the Jets need to do a better job on first and second downs, they faced a plethora of manageable third downs against the Giants, not requiring the types of long-developing plays needed for third-and-longs.
Of the 15 third downs the Jets faced Sunday, seven of them were third-and-5 or less.
“I think personally, we can do some new things and see where that puts us,” Garrett Wilson said. “I’m the type of guy, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And if it is broken, let’s try some new things. I think that’s where we’re at now. We haven’t been where we want to be on third down. I put that a lot on my plate, not being open when it matters most, as far as third down, being able to move the chains, so I gotta be better, when they do know we’re passing the ball. I feel like that’ll help as well.
“Just making sure I’m doing my job, make sure I’m always 100 percent open, that might open up something else. Give Zach a quicker look so we’re not taking those sacks on third down, whatever it may be. We’re gonna try some new things this week and see how that works.”
Hackett has been forced to manage bubbling frustration with his offense’s inability to stay on the field.
The Jets’ offensive drives average just 2:15 on the field, once again dead last in the league, as is their 4.9 average plays per drive.
That means the Jets’ defense is forced onto the field over and over again, tasked with securing stop after stop to keep the game close.
Opponents average 32:59 time of possession against the Jets, the second-most in the NFL.
“We’re very frustrated with third down, second down, first down, a bunch of different situations from [Sunday],” receiver Allen Lazard said. “It just goes back to the details of things, putting ourself in a better position on third down. Ultimately, especially the short-yardage ones, just going out there and beating the man across from you. If you just go out there and execute to our standard, then it should be taken care of.”
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