PITTSBURGH – In his debut for the New York Jets on Sunday, Davante Adams made a significant impact not through catching passes or making runs, but by making a crucial tackle.
Adams recorded three receptions for 30 yards, none of which came in the second half, while being targeted nine times. His standout moment occurred after Beanie Bishop Jr. intercepted Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the second time, putting New York (2-5) deeper into trouble during their 37-15 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) on “Sunday Night Football.”
Adams, adjusting to the Jets’ environment, stated, “We just got to nut up and figure it out. That’s what football is about. You don’t get 20 opportunities.”
His night was better than that of teammate Garrett Wilson, who mishandled a pass that allowed Bishop Jr. to recover near the Jets’ 1-yard line. If Adams hadn’t sprinted to tackle Bishop Jr., the play could have easily resulted in a touchdown. Wilson also had another drop in the red zone and took full responsibility for the Jets’ fourth consecutive loss.
“I got to catch the damn ball. I’m playing like [expletive] right now. I got to fix it. I don’t take it lightly. I felt like it was the reason we lost the game. [Expletive] can’t happen. Can’t happen. I let the guys down today. I let the team down. It’s that simple.”
Wilson emphasized that his mistakes are a result of developing bad habits and not attacking the ball during games. “I got good hands. I got to use my hands to catch the damn – to catch the ball,” he said.
The Jets began their offensive drive with a familiar five-step drop from Rodgers to Adams, who had reunited with his former Green Bay Packers teammate. However, the throw was slightly off, resulting in an incompletion.
“I wouldn’t say rust,” Adams noted about his connection with Rodgers. “Obviously, we can continue to get on a better page. It’s football. It doesn’t always work perfectly.”
Adams’ first catch as a Jet came late in the first quarter, a nine-yard gain. Later, he stumbled while trying to break free in a route, resulting in an errant throw from Rodgers that left him looking for a penalty flag.
“We just shot ourselves in the foot a couple times,” Adams explained.
Adams expressed that practice had been productive throughout the week following his trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, which involved a conditional third-round pick that could become a second. This move came just a week after the Jets owner, Woody Johnson, fired head coach Robert Saleh after a loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London.
“There was great synergy and relationship that they had,” interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “It’s been a second since they played together, but as we go forward, that relationship and production will improve.”
Adams’ arrival is likely to affect Wilson’s targets, as he was previously Rodgers’ go-to receiver. Wilson caught five passes for 61 yards and contributed with a two-point conversion to bring the score to 15-6 in the first half. However, the Steelers would go on to score 31 unanswered points.
After the game, Rodgers shared a moment with Wilson, reiterating his commitment to continue targeting him. “He’s a dynamic player,” Rodgers remarked. “We need to target him. Obviously, nobody feels worse than him about that play.”
Despite the loss, Adams remained optimistic about the team’s offensive potential. “That’s almost what pisses you off even more,” he said, recognizing the talent the Jets possess. “I feel like a lot of it had to do with what we did to ourselves.”
With Adams, Wilson, and additional veteran talent like Mike Williams and Allen Lazard, Jets offensive play caller Todd Downing has numerous options. “Today could have been my day. I’m ready to rock now,” Adams stated. “Part of it is we got a lot of playmakers.”
Wilson believes the team’s struggles stem from issues that can be corrected, creating a sense of hope for improvement. “I think it makes it like, ‘We can go fix this,’” he said. “It’s still all in front of us, and at some point, if we want to get to where we want to go, we got to go on a run. And we got to do it now.”
Ulbrich acknowledged that he might need to consider easing Adams into the game plan instead of having him on the field for nearly the entire game, a sentiment he echoed regarding Wilson’s performance. This approach could be beneficial for all involved with the Jets.