After each game, we’ll be highlighting three defensive and three offensive players and looking in detail at their performance. We’ll wrap up today with the offense:
Smartt looks the part
Having patiently waited for an opportunity all season, free agent signing Stone Smartt was in the game for 20 snaps – more than the rest of the season combined.
In addition, he got his first chance to catch some passes and even started the game as the Jets opened up in 13 personnel.
In the end, Smart led the Jets with five catches, and although all of them came in garbage time and four of the five gained five yards or less, he still showed some encouraging things on those plays.
This was his lone “big” play, as he showed good concentration when a potential pick-six when through the defensive back’s hands.
None of the other catches were routine, though, which is encouraging, especially since he was targeted just five times and caught them all. One was a contested catch with a defender all over him, one was behind him as he made a nice adjustment to snag it, one was a dump off to the flat, but he made something out of nothing to gain four by breaking a tackle and falling forwards and, finally, his last grab saw him hold onto the ball despite a big hit.
It would be nice to be able to report on his blocking contributions too, but the Jets passed the ball on 19 of his 20 reps and he ran a route on 18 of those. That may be a sign that they view him as limited to being primarily a pass catcher.
Smartt only signed a one-year deal, probably expected a bigger opportunity than he has seen so far and now has two guys ahead of him that are both under contract for the next few years in the event he returns. However, that probably means the tight end position isn’t one where the Jets will use any free agent resources or a high pick so perhaps Smartt will consider returning.
Mason Taylor was expected back on Sunday but isn’t practicing yet so perhaps Smartt will get a chance to build on his garbage time exploits.
Not as Simpson as it may seem
On the face of it, Sunday wasn’t a good day for John Simpson, who moved into double figures for penalties on the season with two absolute drive-killers.
His chop block negated a successful 3rd-and-1 sneak and forced the Jets into a 3rd-and-16 and inevitable punt. However, his third quarter holding penalty was perhaps even more damaging. At the time the Jets were only down 9-6, and near midfield, but his hold led to a punt and the Saints’ touchdown on the next drive turned a close game into an eventual blowout.
It’s true that Simpson’s play in 2025 hasn’t been as good as last year. However, despite five penalties in five games, he is actually finishing the season quite well.
On Sunday, he was a monster in the running game, with four pancakes in the first three quarters. It would have been five if he had got away with the holding penalty. Early in the fourth quarter, he had his best play of all:
As a pass blocker, he also did a decent job for most of the game. Although Brady Cook was sacked eight times, you couldn’t pin any of these on him. In fact, most were Cook’s fault for being too indecisive. Simpson almost went the whole game without giving up any pressure but then had a bad whiff late in the fourth, before allowing his man to drive him into Cook’s lap on the next play.
Simpson is a pending free agent but keen to return. The Jets might not be a top destination for would-be free agents, so can they afford to pass on Simpson if he wants to be here? Reports indicate the Jets are keen to bring back Alijah Vera-Tucker too, so perhaps they intend to bring back their top six options, to protect against another Vera-Tucker injury, perhaps with some heir apparent types to arrive in the draft.
That would be a logical approach but it will come down to value. In Simpson’s case, that value may be difficult to agree upon.
Much to ad-Myers
Josh Myers is in a totally different situation to Simpson, having already signed a two-year extension a few weeks ago.
It was therefore disappointing to see him badly beaten by Jets legend Nathan Shepherd for a key strip sack.
At the time, the score was only 16-6 early in the fourth quarter and the Jets were in Saints’ territory. However, Myers was beaten on the bull jerk move and Shepherd punched the ball away from Cook.
The good news is that this was the only time Myers has given up a sack all season, although obviously it would be cause for concern if he suddenly starts giving them up every week now his contract is secure.
It’s also probably fair to say that Cook didn’t do a great job of anticipating and protecting the ball here. There have assuredly been other plays this year where Myers was beaten in a similar fashion but Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor escaped or got the ball out.
The other good news is that, aside from this play, Myers didn’t give up a single pressure again. In fact, had he not been beaten that one time, it would have been his fourth game in five with no pressures allowed.
As a run blocker, Myers was a mixed bag as usual but had his moments. It will be a feather in the cap of all these linemen if Breece Hall can get the 46 yards he needs for a thousand-yard season, so that will be something to watch for this weekend.
Previously: Three on D: Stiggers, Walker, McDonald