With Trevor Lawrence out of the picture, Sam Darnold continues to advocate for the Jets keeping him as their quarterback in 2021.
Darnold played a clean, if not spectacular game on Sunday in the 23-16 win over the Browns at MetLife Stadium. Darnold did not turn the ball over for the third consecutive game. That is the longest period in Darnold’s career without sales.
“As for not turning the ball over and playing consistently like that, I thought I was playing well,” said Darnold. Obviously, I thought there were some decisions, maybe I wouldn’t take the throws I could have made. However, when I look at the tape, I think there are going to be some decisions I want to go back or maybe throw at my first reading and not get rid of it. There is such a thing as that, but overall I’m glad I didn’t flip the ball and score if I had to. “
Darnold went on to pass 16 of 32 for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball seven times for 20 yards, and carried Browns linebacker Malcolm Smith on a single match.
The 23-year-old has been dealing with speculation all season about the Jets landing the No. 1 pick and Lawrence, the Clemson star. Now, however, the Jets are locked in the No. 2 pick, and Lawrence appears to be on his way to the Jaguars, who secured the No. 1 pick with their loss on Sunday and the Jets’ victory.
“It is what it is,” said Darnold. “Now that the season is going as it is, there will be talk of the number one pick or whatever you can think of, so for me I just did a good job tuning it and just go to work every week, and that really goes for our whole squad I feel like all the guys in the locker room and really got their heads down and went to work every week so far and again we’re just looking to top it off at a good Pats team. “
TE Chris Herndon had four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown. It was his most catches since week 1 at Buffalo, when he had six. The Jets needed production from Herndon with fellow tight Ryan Griffin on the reserve / COVID-19 list.
“I just feel like I’m trapped today, especially with Ryan Griffin unfortunately not here,” said Herndon. “I knew someone would have to get up and play an extra role. I feel like I did that today and did it at a high level for my team. “
RB Frank Gore has 16,000 hasty yards after hitting 48 on Sunday. He is the third player in NFL history to achieve that goal, joining Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton. Gore left the game in the second half with a chest injury. … RG Josh Andrews left the game with a groin injury. … The Jets finished at home with 1-7 this season.