Three on D: McDonald, Gardner, Sherwood

After each game, we'll be highlighting three defensive and three offensive players and looking in detail at their performance. We'll start today with the defense:

The Mac Exchange

The Jets got a big boost from Will McDonald on Sunday as the defensive end matched his sack total from his entire rookie season with three sacks. However, it's arguably not the three sacks which we should be most excited about. Instead, the fact he registered pressure on three plays in a row on the final series as the Titans turned the ball over on downs shows that he has that closer mentality many thought would be tricky to replace with Bryce Huff leaving.

Prior to that final series, McDonald hadn't made that much of an impact despite having been credited with two first half sacks. He was a handful for the Titans' tackles for sure, but they were generally able to redirect him upfield whenever he looked like he was going to get around the edge.

(That's a technical issue which hopefully is easily corrected because there are a few things he can get better at to prevent it. It won't happen as much if he can be more violent in getting his man's hands off him, can time his dip and/or rip better and can improve his strength so he isn't so easy to move).

Anyway, he had the first sack which really was a clean-up/coverage sack and the second one which he was lucky to get credit for (along with a forced fumble) as Will Levis tried to run and tripped over him then turned it over on an errant lateral. He does deserve some credit for the second one though, because he moved his man off his spot to collapse the pocket and flush Levis into the mistake.

On that final series, he was having more success with speed-to-power moves, which shows that he's not just a one-trick pony. And then he pulled out his signature spin move:

Against the run, McDonald fared much better this week as he was in for 14 running plays and none of them went for 10 yards. He even had a run stuff, although he really only had to stay home to make this play.

It's the pass rushing that the Jets will be excited about with McDonald though, so let's hope he can build on this week's success and that it wasn't just a mirage.

Lowering your Gardner

One outstanding player who had an uncharacteristically bad day on Sunday was Sauce Gardner. Having given up just 96 receiving yards in his past 12 games combined, Gardner gave up 97 on Sunday.

So, what happened?

40 of the yards came on Calvin Ridley's touchdown catch which was just a bizarre play. Gardner couldn't have been in a better position as he was draped all over Ridley between him and the ball. However, either Gardner assumed it wasn't catchable or was too preoccupied with not getting wiped out by Chuck Clark on his diving interception attempt so he didn't attempt to locate the ball or make a play on it. A well thrown ball wouldn't have had a chance but Ridley was able to track and scoop the underthrow off the turf.

It's also true that strictly speaking Ridley should have been ruled down by contact at the one.

The rest of the yardage comprised a 17-yard catch by Tyler Boyd, a 9-yard catch by Hopkins and two more first downs for Ridley.

On the Boyd catch, Gardner was the closest player in zone coverage and on the Hopkins catch he was playing off against a slant over the middle. The first of Ridley's other catches saw Gardner caught up in traffic by two rub routes. He seemed to get caught unaware on this play. Then he gave up this one on the last drive:

In Gardner's defense the Jets were leaning towards prevent-style defense on that drive so he may have given Ridley a little more room than usual, but you still don't expect a receiver to get two clear steps of separation on him on a route like that.

Gardner was in position on two incompletions, but one was negated by a roughing penalty and the other saw Gardner himself get away with a clear grab on Hopkins. He had two tackles, including one on a Levis scramble.

Hopefully this game was an aberration for Gardner and he'll settle down now. With the Jets noticeably rolling safety support over to Brandin Echols' side, the Jets need to rely on Gardner to shut down the other side on an island while they are banged-up at the corner positions.

Oh, and how about an interception, Sauce? It's now 26 games and counting since he last had one...

Laying the 'wood

Speaking of injuries, the Jets looked like they might be in trouble when they lost CJ Mosley to a toe injury. In the 49ers game, Mosley missed a few snaps and that was where the 49ers really got into a rhythm on offense.

However, this week they didn't miss a beat and arguably even played better after Mosley left the game.

It was Jamien Sherwood who stepped in for Mosley and had a productive game with nine tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed. He also added three more tackles on special teams.

Four of his nine tackles were close to the line of scrimmage, including three on running plays. On one of these, he was untouched to make the easy play in the hole. On another, it was when the Titans ran a play to set up the field goal just before halftime but he closed well to prevent the runner from bouncing outside to get it closer. Perhaps his best play saw him take on and beat a block for the stop in the backfield. This actually came while Mosley was still in there:

Sherwood didn't give anything up in coverage and ran stride for stride with Tyler Boyd on the play where he was credited with a pass defensed because the ball hit him in the back of the head. Ideally you'd like to see him turn and locate the ball there but it showed that he has good range as a converted safety.

This is a nice play where Sherwood sits in the middle of the field reacts to the short pass and then closes to limit the damage, which is something he'll need to do all the time if he has to fill in for Mosley rather than revert back to his old role.

Watch it again though, and you'll note that Sherwood is really a step slower to react than Mosley or Quincy Williams would be. They'd be on the move as the ball was being released, not once the ball is in the air. Sherwood has the athleticism to make up for this slower first step but if he can get his instincts up to the next level then he can be really good.

Sherwood really has come a long way since his rookie year where he was constantly stuck on blocks at the second level and lacking in awareness in coverage, especially on crossing routes. His physicality is noticeably improved and an extended spell with the starters should be good for his continued development.

This is a pivotal moment for Sherwood's career because he's out of contract at the end of the year. Is he going to be able to command starter money, contributor with potential starting upside money or just rotational minimum money? Time will tell. Let's see if the Patriots look to test him this week and how he responds.

Three-on-O will follow tomorrow.