The Jets let kicker Sam Ficken surprise a bit on Saturday.
Ficken, in nine games for the Jets this season, made 13 of his 15 field goal attempts and went on extra points 12 of 15. He had blocked two kicks against the Browns last week, one shot for a field goal and one point after attempt. Ficken missed five games this year with a groin injury after kicking off 15 games for the Jets in 2019.
Chase McLaughlin will be the kicker in New England in Sunday’s season finale. The Jets claimed McLaughlin was relinquishing the Jaguars last month, but he has not appeared in a game for them. McLaughlin played in three games for Jacksonville this season, hitting 4-for-5 on field goals and 3-for-4 on extra points. He will be the third kicker the Jets have used this season.
The Jets had blocked two kicks last week, something that infuriated special teams coordinator Brant Boyer. Ficken had blocked an extra point attempt and a shot for a field goal.
“This is a kids-rated show, so I’ll try to temper what I’m saying here,” Boyer said. “It was a collaboration of things. We gave up a little too much pressure inside, a bit of a low kick, and then we had a guy fill in at the last minute to get him in there in the second. I think we can certainly do better. “
All that is to stop the internal pressure. They didn’t get that much push, and that’s the thing, not enough to usually block a kick. So we should definitely get that fixed before this week. Obviously, that can never happen, and it happened twice in one game. So it goes without saying that I’m not happy with it, that’s for sure. “
The Jets activated guard Greg Van Roten from the injured reserve on Saturday. He is expected to start at Judge, where he started for the first 12 games of the Jets season. He sustained a turf toe injury that ended up on an injured reserve on December 12. Cornerback Bless Austin was ruled out after he went missing with a non-COVID-19 illness this week. Lamar Jackson is expected to start in his place.
The Jets also signed DL Tanzel Smart and LB Sharif Finch for the active roster of the exhibition squad. They took LB’s Noah Dawkins and Brady Sheldon from the exhibition squad.
Jets rookie WR Denzel Mims had a quiet game against the Browns last week, which was held without a flyout for the first time in a game this season.
Mims has had an up and down rookie year that was bothered early on by hamstring injuries. He’s shown the skill that caused the Jets to get him out of Baylor in the second round, but he hasn’t got a monster game yet. Could that come against the patriots on Sunday?
The Jets said there were reasons why he was held by Cleveland without capture.
“I think there were a few things that – coverage dictates where the ball goes,” said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. “Obviously the inner guys had a bigger game [Jamison] Crowder, [Braxton] Berrios and [TE Chris] Herndon. I think we had eight targets for the outside guys and were 0-for-8. There were some contested balls, a few go routes thrown. Sometimes a game turns like this and when the ball goes out to your boys, they have to make controversial plays. And if you don’t do those plays, sometimes your stat line isn’t that great. “
Mims has 22 catches for 342 yards in eight games this season. He is still looking for his first touchdown.