In-depth analysis: Jets-Panthers (Part One

Over the course of today, we'll be breaking down the performance of every player that took the field in the Jets' preseason game against the Panthers. We'll start now with the defense and look at offense and special teams later on.

Defensive Tackles - Bruce Almighty

The Jets appeared to dress just three defensive tackles this week, with Leki Fotu inactive. However, Jalyn Holmes - who played exclusively on the edge last week - was part of the interior rotation this week as he played a dual role.

Interestingly, out of the four linemen who played inside, Holmes seemed to hold up the best in the trenches, penetrating to bottle up a couple of runs and recording one tackle for loss. His only real negative was a missed tackle, but even that was a positive play as he stretched out a run to the outside. Holmes had one pressure, although that came off the edge.

Bruce Hector and Tanzel Smart got the start this week and Hector fared better as he was in on two stops behind the line, although he also missed a tackle and was controlled in the trenches a few times. Smart jumped offside, overpursued on a cutback and was driven off the line a few times but did penetrate the pocket to force the quarterback to step up once and was in on a third down stop.

Leonard Taylor III had a quiet game this week although he blew up a run in the backfield on the final series. He was blocked to the ground on one play. Taylor almost broke through a double team to stop the runner at the goal line on the last play, but the runner had the momentum to break the plane.

Defensive Ends - Watts going on?

Will McDonald and Micheal Clemons got the start again this week with McDonald stealing some headlines with a nice sack off another great inside spin move. McDonald beat his man around the edge one other time but the quarterback got rid of the ball quickly. He was also blocked to the ground on one play, although this might have been a hold, and overpursued on a cutback run.

Clemons had one quarterback hit and also had a play where he had a chance to blow up a run in the backfield but overpursued. However, this forced the runner to cut back and he was stopped for a loss anyway. He was also blocked out on one running play and sealed inside on a run that got bounced outside. He'll probably get criticized for the latter play but it looked like he filled his lane well to force the bounce-out and it was only a successful run because two other players who were in position on the edge to make the stop failed to do so.

The three-man rotation of Takk McKinley, Braiden McGregor and Eric Watts handled the majority of the rest of the reps between them, although Holmes also played some reps on the edge, as previously noted.

Watts was the most interesting case here because he had a rough game with three missed tackles, including on the Panthers touchdown. He was also dominated in the trenches on the 23-yard run that set up that score, as he lined up at defensive tackle for some reason. Watts did pressure the quarterback once but that was not immediate pressure and came after another player forced the quarterback to step up into him.

McGregor had a decent performance as he penetrated upfield against a tight end to force a run out wide and had three pressures, including one where he almost had a sack but the quarterback slipped out of his tackle. He let himself down with a couple of negatives at the end of the game, though. One saw him stay at home on the edge and then miss with a diving tackle attempt as the back burst up the middle for a first down and the other saw him misread a handoff to leave a big gap off tackle for the runner.

McKinley was solid with three late pressures and two good plays against the run early; one run stuff in the hole and one where he stretched a pop pass out to the sideline. He was sealed off on one run.

Linebackers - All that Chazz

Chazz Surratt and Sam Eguavoen again started at linebacker, with Eguavoen wearing the headset and blitzing to hit the quarterback's arm to disrupt a throw. He only had one tackle though, and missed a tackle badly in the open field.

Surratt had six tackles, including four near the line of scrimmage, but he also missed two tackles and had a personal foul.

Zaire Barnes went Surratt one better with a game-high seven tackles, four of which were near the line of scrimmage. Perhaps his best play, however, saw him take out the lead blocker on a play where his teammates rallied to stop the run. He did give up a short pass for a first down in coverage.

Marcelino McCrary-Ball had five tackles in only 13 snaps, including one nice run stop, but he was blocked out at the second level on the biggest run of the day, had a missed tackle and got dragged for a first down on a play where he also got called for a face mask penalty.

Undrafted rookie Jackson Sirmon saw action late and flashed a few times this week, especially on a play where he was unblocked to stuff a run in the hole. He also got in on a tackle in the backfield and a third down stop.

Finally, the newest Jets defensive player, Anthony Hines, saw action on four snaps and was in on a stop behind the line but got sealed off on the Panthers touchdown run.

Cornerbacks - Alas, Poor Jarrick

Jarrick Bernard-Converse and Qwan'tez Stiggers got the start again this week, with Brandin Echols again in the slot. Stiggers impressed as he was in on a stop behind the line and a tackle for a short gain in the flat. Bernard-Converse did give up one first down in coverage but he held up well otherwise, disrupting one high throw at the pylon.

Echols is probably on the bubble right now but he drew a hold and made a tackle behind the line on a reverse. He did have one blown coverage which left a receiver open in the flat for an easy first down, though.

Tre Swilling had a nice play to break on the ball and disrupt a third down pass and also drew an offensive pass interference flag when his man pushed off down the field. He did miss a tackle though.

Kendall Sheffield also had a missed tackle, as the runner bounced outside and hit him with a stiff arm. He made a good open field tackle near the line of scrimmage on a screen pass though.

Undrafted rookie Shemar Bartholomew showed off some physical coverage this week as he broke up a pass in the end zone and disrupted a downfield throw, although he didn't get his head turned on the latter so that could easily have been a flag. Bartholomew also blew up a screen pass in the backfield and was in on the run stop on the outside. He did miss a tackle, but that play was called back anyway.

Brandon Codrington also saw brief action on defense having already made waves on special teams. He gave up a first down by being positioned too close to the middle of the field on one play.

Safeties - Blades of Glory

Jaylen Key and Jarius Monroe started and got most of the work at safety this week, as Isaiah Oliver did not play. Key was in on one stop but also had a missed tackle and took a bad angle on another play. Monroe was in on a couple of stops near the line but also missed a tackle and got dragged down to the goal line on the play before the Panthers touchdown.

Undrafted rookie Al Blades Jr. was the only other safety to see action and he blew his big chance to make an impact when he dropped an interception.

We'll be back with more on the offense and special teams later...