Punter Thomas Morstead has been an unsung hero this season, particularly in the last two weeks.
The Jets have posted back-to-back games with a safety for the first time in franchise history.
Both safeties have come after penalties in the end zone by the Chiefs and Broncos. While Morstead was not the one applying pressure on the quarterback, his punts set up both safeties.
A punt to the 8-yard line against the Chiefs and the 6 against the Broncos led to the safeties.
“I don’t want to pretend like I got the safety,” Morstead said this week before the Jets’ showdown against the Eagles on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. “But it is exciting to be a punter on a team that has a really stout defense. When you have chances to pin them deep and you make the most of them and they end up doing that, everybody looks good.”
Jets head coach Robert Saleh said Morstead deserves an assist on the two safeties.
“One of the most more underrated aspects of football from not in the football world, but outside from a fan perspective, is what we call backed up situation. It’s when the offense has the ball inside the 10 yard line,” Saleh said.
“We treat it like a possible turnover because if you make them punt from there, or you get a safety … if you get a safety, obviously it is what it is, but if you can make them punt from there, odds are you’re getting the ball at the logo, which offense, you should get points. So, you’re smelling blood.
“So, [Morstead] is a big, big part of that. To be aggressive, to try to pin him inside the 10 yard line with his foot, rather than being satisfied with, all right, I got him inside the 20 which is the kind of the whatever the mark is for punters, he’s aggressive and wanting to get it inside the 10 and when he does, we feel as a defense that we’re pretty good in the sense that we can keep them inside the 10 yard line. If we do, those are points.”
Both safeties came with the Jets struggling to score points on offense and helped spark the team.
“In the past two weeks, it’s kind of helped start the scoring,” Morstead said. “It’s really cool to make plays like that. That’s what they preach about, never knowing which play is going to be the difference.”
The Jets activated rookie OT Carter Warren from IR.
They elevated CBs Craig James and Ke’Montae Hayes from the practice squad to provide depth at the position with D.J. Reed and Sauce Gardner out .
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