Jets vs. Cowboys Week 5 grades: Plenty of blame to go around

OFFENSE: F

Pay no attention to those garbage time numbers, such as 25 first downs and 378 total yards and Justin Fields with a 100.2 passer rating and Breece Hall with 113 rushing yards — not to mention a closer-than-it-really-was 37-22 final score. This was a huge dud when it mattered, with the biggest play of the game being a fumble by Hall late in the first half that the Cowboys recovered at the Jets’ 9-yard line. It was 10-3 at that point. It was 23-3 at halftime. Fields had little protection and was sacked five times.

DEFENSE: F

Granted, the Cowboys have been one of the league’s most explosive offenses, but this was ridiculous, most of all late in the first half. The Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the final minute, the second of which came on a short TD pass from Dak Prescott to Jake Ferguson that was set up by a 66-yard run from Javone Williams. Williams finished with 135 rushing yards. Prescott had four TD passes. George Pickens had a 43-yard scoring catch that Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner said resulted from a blown coverage.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C

Nick Folk made fields goals of 25 and 48 yards.

COACHING: F

The Jets did not seem prepared for . . . well, anything. Among other problems were the usual damaging penalties (10 for 61 yards) and the usual lack of takeaways (zero, for a season total of zero). This was after a week in which the coaching staff emphasized the need to protect the ball and take it away from others. Coach Aaron Glenn said he was disappointed with his inability to keep the team’s spirits high after a backbreaking fumble by Hall late in the first half. The Jets could use a change of scenery and will get one in England this week, but that might not be enough.

By Neil Best

neil.best@newsday.com@sportswatch

Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.