Sauce Gardner Dominates Matchup Against DK Metcalf
Sauce Gardner closely followed DK Metcalf for most of Sunday’s game, making some notable adjustments compared to previous coaching strategies.
The Jets’ defense had mentioned this plan earlier, but it seems it wasn’t implemented in the past. Well, things felt different this time.
“I liked it. I’m a competitor,” Gardner commented after the Jets’ narrow 34-32 loss to the Steelers at MetLife Stadium. “When I was on him, he knew what was up. He was trying to push after the play.”
Interestingly, the Steelers occasionally found ways to get Metcalf away from Gardner. Overall, Gardner only allowed him one successful catch during his coverage. Metcalf seemed to struggle, forcing plays against himself on a couple of occasions as Greenwood created disruptions.
“He was getting physical with me, which is significant,” Gardner noted. “Towards the end, it was crucial because that brought them near field goal range.”
In other news, Allen Lazard didn’t play, which was unexpected since he hadn’t appeared on injury reports leading up to the game. The Jets have been somewhat solid with their receiving corps behind star Garrett Wilson, so his absence raised some eyebrows.
While Wilson earned his spot by catching seven passes for a touchdown and accumulating 95 yards, Reynolds and Johnson contributed with a couple of catches each.
Interestingly, Lazard experienced shoulder issues over the summer and seemed unable to secure a second wide receiver role during training camp. After signing a four-year, $44 million contract, he struggled over the past two seasons, only managing 60 receptions for 841 yards and seven touchdowns.
The new Jets regime wasn’t responsible for bringing Lazard on board, even though he played alongside Aaron Rodgers before. This connection was likely part of the rationale for his acquisition.
Moreover, the Jets had to adjust their lineup with Josh Myers and Joe Tipman stepping into key roles following a serious injury to Alijah Vera-Tucker. Adding to their woes, running back/kick returner Kene Nwangwu suffered a hamstring injury in the first quarter, not returning for the game.
