Jets found at least one foundational piece despite disastrous 2024 season
In a season to forget for the New York Jets, they may have found something worth remembering, and it’s big. It’s really big. Like 6’6” 313 lbs. big. I’m talking about Jets first round pick Olu Fashanu. The New York Jets defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars by a final of 32-25 on Sunday thanks in large […]
In a season to forget for the New York Jets, they may have found something worth remembering, and it’s big. It’s really big. Like 6’6” 313 lbs. big.
I’m talking about Jets first round pick Olu Fashanu.
The New York Jets defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars by a final of 32-25 on Sunday thanks in large part to turn-back-the-clock performances from quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his BFF Davante Adams who caught nine passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. And while Rodgers was very complimentary of his long-time best bud after the game, most of his praise was heaped on his offensive line.
Rodgers had good cause to praise the line after the victory. Per TruMedia, Rodgers had an average time to throw of 3.26 seconds which is by far his highest amount of time of the season. The Jets only allowed four pressures the entire game. One pressure each for Morgan Moses, John Simpson, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Olu Fashanu. Joe Tippmann did not allow one pressure.
Considering the amount of time Rodgers had to throw along with the fact that he was only pressured four times, it was a dominant day for the offensive line, something the Jets haven’t been able to boast about for years.
One of the key components to that dominant performance was rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu, who has been getting some criticism as of late simply for not being Brock Bowers. Many fans have been quick to criticize the Jets for not selected star tight end Brock Bowers in the draft, instead taking the quiet Fashanu. Bowers is having an all-time season for the Las Vegas Raiders and grabbing a lot headlines.
Fashanu started the season slowly, mostly for playing out of position. The Jets tried to use the lifetime left tackle as a Swiss army man, plugging him in at right tackle and right guard, two positions he never played in his football career.
What makes Fashanu’s performance even more impressive is that it was not against lackluster talent. The Jaguars, despite their many flaws, do have two premier pass-rushers on the edge in Josh Hines-Allen and former number one overall pick Travon Walker. The two have combined for 15.5 sacks on the year but didn’t touch Rodgers on Sunday.
Fashanu has been one of the better tackles in the league since he returned to his natural starting position of left tackle after the injury to Tyron Smith. Fashanu has posted the 24th-best pass blocking grade and 27th-best overall grade in that span. Only 19 qualified tackles have allowed zero sacks since Week 10 and Fashanu has surrendered only one.
Fashanu won’t win offensive rookie of the year. That will be an award fought between Bowers, Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and Jaguars star wide receiver Brian Thomas in all likelihood. But for a team looking to build for the future, staple left tackle is a big item to have checked off the list.
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