Both teams combined for 7 turnovers, only 16 first downs and there was an assortment of mental mistakes. The Jets’ starting offense never got into a rhythm and Mark Sanchez, in particular, looked uncomfortable.

The Jets’ starting defense looked pretty good, not great. They were sloppy and committed a few mental errors.

There were a number of running plays the Jets’ had bottled up only to allow the runner to bounce outside for extra yardage. But Jets fans should not be too concerned. This is what the preseason is for.

There were some mental breakdowns, a few by Bart Scott in coverage, but these will be ironed out before the season starts. One player who looked especially sharp was Jim Leonhard who had an interception, a sack and was always around the ball.

The Jets’ starters on offense and defense were not particularly sharp but their special teams really shined. They forced three Carolina turnovers and consistently awarded the offense with excellent field position.

The Jets clearly have more work to do, particularly on offense, if they are to jump out to a fast start this season.

With two more games to play before the start of the regular season, here are a few of the more intriguing story lines from last night’s game.

Mark Sanchez

Sanchez did not sense pressure in front of him and held the ball too long. He did not throw the ball downfield, most probably by design, but also because the Panthers’ secondary did a good job shutting down the Jets’ receivers.

Sanchez was forced to check down to his running backs and the Carolina linebackers keyed on this tendency. Sanchez had -7 yards passing and the offense had only 29 total yards in the first quarter despite holding the ball for 10:24 and gaining great field position off 3 Panthers turnovers.

The Jets offense had seven “3 & outs”, was 0-3 in the red zone and 5-19 on 3rd down.
Sanchez was 5-10 for 12 yards but had a chance at a big play but could not convert.

He had a wide-open Braylon Edwards on a skinny post but over threw him. The positive from this play was he got the ball out in front of him, which is where that ball needed to be. He just overthrew him. He missed a chance at a big play but understood the concept of the play and did not risk a turnover (with the safety coming over).

Sanchez’ disappointing play highlighted one thing for Jets fans: this offense is still a work in progress and will rely on his development to see how far they can go.


Matt Slauson vs. Vladimir DuCasse

This battle has been one of the more intriguing ones in training camp but Slauson retained his lead in this game. He is just a more polished blocker.

DuCasse whiffed on his first pass blocking assignment and it resulted in a pressure that forced an incompletion from Mark Brunell. He still needs work on his footwork but I could see progress in his game compared to last week.

Slauson sticks his blocks better while DuCasse will fall off his blocks or whiff on a block altogether. Slauson also did a nice job getting to the second level, which is an area for which I thought he would struggle due to his limited athleticism.

The good news for Jets fans is that both guys can play. Slauson is more game-ready but DuCasse is developing quickly and could very well overtake him at some point later this year.


Special Teams

The Jets’ special teams was one of the few bright spots.

Nick Folk hit field goals of 43, 36 and 39 yards and looked confident. He also did an excellent job on kickoffs and boomed nearly every kick 3-5 yards deep in the end zone.

His kickoffs are particularly encouraging since the Jets struggled with field position last year. Jay Feely did not have a strong leg and rarely got kick offs deep enough.

Folk looks to be a significant upgrade.

Punter Steve Weatherford has stepped up his game. He averaged a solid 43.7 yards per kick last night and dropped three punts inside the 20.

The Panthers were terrible on special teams but it was Mike Westhoff’s schemes that created some of their turnovers.

Weatherford’s first punt was a perfect example. He pooched a kick that forced an in- between bounce for Carolina’s returner who could not move up to field it cleanly. He had to let it bounce and the ball just died.

It wound up hitting a blocker’s leg while his back was turned and the Jets recovered. It was a seemingly innocuous play but it was created by Westhoff’s design and Weatherford’s execution.

It is becoming clearer that the Jets’ special teams could be among the best in the league, again. The Panthers had major problems handling the football but it was the Jets, and more specifically Mike Westhoff’s designs, that forced some of these errors.


Joe McKnight

With 11 minutes left, Joe McKnight showed why the Jets drafted him. He juked and darted his way to a 67-yard punt return and nearly took it the distance.

McKnight has had a tough training camp. He has struggled to absorb the playbook but his natural gifts are obvious, as his punt return illustrated.

He is a very creative runner, can make people miss and has enough speed to break off big plays. He just has to mature into his role.

He looked more comfortable running with the football in this game than he did in the last but unfortunately ball security has surfaced as an issue. He fumbled on his first carry of the second half after a nice 7-yard gain and fumbled at the end of his punt return (but recovered it himself to retain possession).

McKnight is going to be a good back. His natural talent is hard to ignore. He has excellent change of direction skills and a natural slashing style.

It is clear he can create on his own and has big play potential. What I am most impressed with is his vision. He sees running lanes quickly and cuts back to exploit them.

He just needs to become a more patient runner and let plays develop. He often hits the line too quickly and runs into his blockers. That “feel” for the play in front of him will come.

What will also come is his ball security. Just like Shonn Greene last year, he is not accustomed to the hits on the ball at the end of plays.

Ball security is all about awareness and McKnight will learn to be more aware of the ball in his hands. He will get better at covering it up as tacklers try to pry it loose while he fights for extra yardage.


Dwight Lowery & Drew Coleman

Last week Rex Ryan called out his back ups from the secondary. This week they responded.

Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman, the two primary targets of Ryan’s criticism, both played with more intensity and aggressiveness.

On Carolina’s second series, Lowery lit up rookie Brandon LaFell on a short out. Playing zone, Lowery did a nice job peeling off his guy and timed a perfect hit to separate LaFell from the ball. This was a key third down play and forced the Panthers to punt.

Lowery would add another break up later in the game and was one of the better players on the field for the Jets’ second-string defense. He was flagged for an interference call but it was a bad call. There was some minor hand checking but nothing egregious. Overall, a very nice bounce back game for Lowery.

Drew Coleman also played well. His fourth quarter interception sealed the game after Carolina had driven down the field to put a scare in the Jets. Rookie QB Jimmy Clauson had his moments but he telegraphed a pass in the flat that Coleman jumped – a great, athletic play by the Jets’ corner who had to sky to pull down a ball with a lot of velocity on it.

"Rex said last week we had to play better," Coleman said of the DB reserves. "Me, Marquice (Cole) and Dwight (Lowery) felt we didn't play up to par as a Jet. We worked with DT (DB coach Dennis Thurman) the last couple of days just to come out more aggressive."


Vernon Gholston

Like most Jets fans, I have been very tough on Gholston. Being a top pick brings with it a lot of pressure and he has not developed quickly enough but I saw more progress in this game than in any prior.

He was using his hands and getting off blocks, which is a real breakthrough for him. He had a nice tackle for loss where he stood up his man, located the ball and dropped the back for a loss.

Gholston led the Jets with five tackles including two for loss.

He also played with better awareness. He dropped into coverage on a few plays and maneuvered himself into throwing lanes, demonstrating a good understanding of the Jets’ zone schemes. He still needs work in this area but it shows that Gholston’s skills are developing.

It will take a lot more than a solid outing against back ups to convince me that Gholston is truly on the rise but the fact that he is making progress is certainly encouraging.


Other Player Developments

I really liked TE Jeff Cumberland. He is big (6-4, 260) has soft hands and is athletic. He made a nice play on a low throw from Kellen Clemens and hung on for a first down.

I am not sure he will make the final roster but he has had a good camp. The Jets’ coaching staff likes his athleticism and toughness and he might be an ideal candidate for the practice squad.

DE Ropati Pitouitua’ blew out his Achilles tendon and will be lost for the season. His absence likely creates an opening on the roster for either another defensive end or a player at another position who might not have made the final cut.

This might be a great opportunity for DE’s Ty Steinkuhler or Matt Kroul although neither has really stood out to this point. A few other “bubble players” might benefit like DB’s Donovan Warren or Marquice Cole.

Written by Alan Levin