For a second straight week, the Jets rallied for a come-from-behind victory and took down the Falcons 24-16 at MetLife Stadium. Here are three takeaways from the Green & White's second preseason game.
Cager Continues to Impress
TE Lawrence Cager, a converted WR, continues to flash under the lights. He's led the team in receiving yards in each preseason game with 40 yards against the Eagles and 65 yards against the Falcons.
"The physicality of the game is not too big for him," HC Robert Saleh said. "His mindset has been a complete 180 from a year ago in terms of how he approaches practice, rehab and all that stuff. It's been a really cool development to watch him over these last few weeks."
Cager's 34-yard score in the third quarter, a catch and run, was the team's first touchdown of the night. It capped an eight-play, 74-yard drive that cut the deficit to 16-10 and was the first of three second-half scores.
"It was a choice play," he said. "I saw man coverage. I knew I could beat the safety and Strevy [QB Chris Steveler] threw a great ball. I just made a play when my number was called."
Defensive Line Seals the Deal
The Jets defensive line brought the thunder again as the rain fell Monday night.
Jonathan Marshall and Bradlee Anae each had one sack and the D-line has accounted for six of the team's seven sacks in two preseason games. Marshall finished second on the team with five tackles against Atlanta. After sacking QB Feleipe Franks, he leveled RB Qadree Ollison for a three-yard loss on the ensuing play.
Anae all but secured the victory. He had a strip-sack on Franks, recovered the ball and ran it 30 yards for the score to put the Green & White up 24-16 with 10 minutes remaining.
"It was just taking my shot," Anae said. "I knew they were going to boot and had action coming my way, so I just pinned my ears back and I went for the ankle tackle. The ball came out and I was just thinking take it for a touchdown. … It's a great feeling."
While the Jets did tighten up defensively in the second half, they allowed 306 yards and 16 points in the first half. Anae said the defense is focusing on eliminating mental errors.
"We can't ever shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties," he said. "Cleaning stuff like that up, our assignments, our alignments and our playstyle. We're looking to build off of this game as well."
Finishers
The Jets have been a second-half team in the preseason.
Against Philadelphia, they gained 191 yards and put up 21 points in the second half compared to 111 yards and 3 points in the first. Monday night, the offense mustered 97 yards and 3 points in the first half. The Jets responded with 182 yards and 21 points (unanswered, too).
"It just shows the people we have in this building, the coaches we have and what the culture is starting to become here just fighting to the end," LB Jamien Sherwood said. "I don't know what it was like before I was here, but I feel like it's going in a great direction."
See the best images from the preseason victory over Atlanta on Monday Night Football.