Robert Saleh did it his way when he filled out his lineup cards for the Jets’ Monday night meeting with Atlanta at MetLife Stadium. He chose to go with no first-team offense or defense to speak of — by one count, 17 of the Jets’ 22 starters, including QB Joe Flacco, who would have replaced rehabbing starter Zach Wilson — did not play.
Meanwhile, like last week’s win at Philadelphia, the Jets coach started out with players higher up the depth chart food chain, twos and threes, and finished with the backups to the backups, threes and fours.
And once again, the Jets overcame a flat first half to with an energized second half to execute another come-from-behind victory, this one by 24-16 over the Falcons.
“The ultimate decision came down to the fact that we’re scrimmaging with the New York Giants on Thursday,” Saleh said of his call to sit his starters. “I do want to treat this week [ahead] as a dress rehearsal, and I felt it would be a heavy load for them to play in this game. We’ll practice Thursday, have a dress rehearsal and then call it a preseason.”
But before the Green & White put a wrap on summer, they need to bottle some of their second-half magic, manufactured on Monday night again by fourth-string QB Chris Streveler and also WR-turned-TE Lawrence Cager and DL Bradlee Anae.
The game, which got rainier as the night went on, started out like a quilt left out in the downpour. The Falcons, led by QBs Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder, built a 306-97 yardage edge in opening a 16-0 lead late in the half. Mariota victimized Jets CB starter Bryce Hall for a couple of plays, a 52-yard completion to TE Kyle Pitts and a 13-yard post to WR Olamide Zacchaeus.
“Yeah, it was sloppy on both sides, to be honest with you,” Saleh said of the first half. “A lot of flags were thrown, it was wet and rainy, and some guys were getting a little grabby. It’s something we’ve definitely got to fix.”
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at News…