Justin Fields' debut reveals Jets' new offensive identity

Sunday ended miserably for New York Jets fans. But for a few hours in Week 1, the Jets had a quarterback and looked plenty capable of beating the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

In a comedy of truly Jetsian errors, New York lost 34-32 and fell to 0-1. It was another disappointment in a two-decade stretch of them. The loss was an ode to familiar territory -- head coach Aaron Glenn has not yet fixed the Jets. However, for a team desperate for quarterback play, it sure looks like Glenn made the right call when he told Aaron Rodgers that East Rutherford no longer suited him.  

New York wasted one of the best games of quarterback Justin Fields's career. In doing so, the Jets gave their fans a glimpse of hope under center and showcased what this offense is going to be about.

Shallow is here to stay

Offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand was a question mark for the Jets entering the year. He made a strong first impression on Sunday, and he leaned on Shallow more than any other passing concept.

The Jets called it early and often, including in the first quarter and twice on the unsuccessful final drive of the game. The concept, consisting of a short drag route and, typically, a stop route from the other side of the formation over the middle of the field, allows New York to get playmakers the ball with room to run or find intermediate completions. 

Fields has never been great in the quick game, but this lets Fields get the ball out of his hands easily. Likewise, the routes attached to the concept give New York answers for different coverages. Early in the game, Breece Hall ran a rail route, and when Fields saw he had leverage in man coverage against a linebacker, it took priority and led to a completion.

It's no surprise Engstrand leaned on Shallow. The Detroit Lions ran it often, and for good reason. It keeps things simple and exploits the Cover 3-heavy approach Pittsburgh deployed. The Steelers adjusted to defend the backside later in the game, giving Engstrand something to counter for Week 2. Expect to see more of it against the Buffalo Bills.

This ground game is exceptional

Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis is a lot of talent for one backfield to possess, and New York was happy to let each of them see the field in Week 1. Notably, Hall looked like the star that trampled defenses in his rookie season, totaling 145 total yards and a receiving touchdown. He was explosive and efficient with his feet.

MORE: Jets QB Justin Fields delivers fiery message to Steelers after loss

He also benefitted from a promising offensive line performance, which wasn't a guarantee after Alijah Vera-Tucker went down for the year. Right tackle Armand Membou found a few "welcome to the NFL" moments from T.J. Watt, but found payback in an encouraging NFL debut. The Jets may have two stars bookending their offensive line, and it might not be a coincidence that Joe Tippmann looked his best at guard instead of center. 

Fields' gravity as a runner was evident, and he may have left points on the board by not pulling a ball from Allen's gut early in the game. His mobility was never in question, and New York is going to use him frequently, much like the Chicago Bears did in 2022. Before the Monday Night Football game, the Jets rank fifth and sixth in rushing EPA and success rate, respectively (rbsdm). Among the silliness of a one-game sample size, New York's ability to win on the ground is rather sticky.

Engstrand is making life easy

The early returns of Engstrand's play-calling were encouraging. The Jets leaned into their best players' strengths, used plenty of motion and play-action, and didn't leave Fields out to dry as a prototypical dropback passer.

One play that stood out was Fields' biggest pass of the afternoon, a 33-yard touchdown pass to Wilson. This wasn't some innovative schematic masterpiece; running Ace Posts is a frequent audible from eight-year-olds throwing deep on Madden. But it's important to notice how Engstrand set his quarterback up to succeed.

The Steelers were giving the Jets a ton of Cover 3 looks. If the underneath defenders are occupied, there is an opportunity to isolate a corner on whichever post the centerfielder doesn't help. In this case, that's Wilson, who will take the chance to separate against 34-year-old Darius Slay Jr. every day of the week.

Pittsburgh deployed its edge rushers outside of the tight ends frequently when they were attached (or at least in close proximity) to the offensive line. New York brought Mason Taylor and Jeremy Ruckert to the line. Both blocked Steelers edge rushers before releasing onto their routes. This allowed Olu Fashanu and Membou to position themselves better and elongated the path to the passer. The interior held up its end of the bargain, and Fields had plenty of time to deliver a strike. 

Of course, things can still go south. Fields has flashed before, and Engstrand had months to prepare for Pittsburgh's defense. In the opener, though, the pairing aced its test. Jets fans have grown used to falling for passers. For now, they'll settle for an offense that looks far more watchable than years past.

MORE JETS NEWS

• The Aaron Rodgers-Jets era, explained
• Jets' Aaron Glenn makes strong postgame statement to players
• Game balls from Jets' loss to Steelers in epic season opener
• Steelers come under fire over Jets QB Justin Fields decision