Posted December 24, 2017 at 04:06 PM | Updated December 24, 2017 at 04:06 PM
By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
It's been a long and uneven season for the Jets, who hosted the Chargers in their home finale on Sunday, as they tried to send their long-suffering fans off on a positive note. Typical of the Jets' 2017 season, they were competitive Sunday, but couldn't come away with the victory, as the Chargers won, 14-7. The loss dropped the Jets to 5-10. (They went 5-11 last year.)
The Jets — who began the season 0-2 and then won three straight games — entered Sunday having lost seven of their past nine games, to eliminate themselves from playoff contention for the seventh straight year. But this rebuilding season, ultimately, is about progress from younger players, not the playoffs, as coach Todd Bowles tries to show ownership he is worth retaining for 2018.
The Jets finish this season on New Year's Eve at the Patriots, who crushed the Jets, 41-3, last year on Christmas Eve, in a Week 16 game. Will the Jets be able to come away with a better result this time?
Bilal Powell
AP Photo | Seth Wenig
As you ponder that question, let's take a look at the studs and duds from Sunday's Chargers-Jets game, as third-year quarterback Bryce Petty made his second start of the season and sixth of his career. Among Sunday's studs and duds — running back Bilal Powell, who sure looks like has a future with this organization.
STUD: BRANT BOYER
How about the Jets' special teams coordinator getting the game off to a positive start for his team? Boyer called for an onside kick on the opening kickoff, and the Jets recovered. They weren't able to turn the recovered onside kick (Marcus Maye got it) into any points, as they punted on their first drive. (The Jets won the coin flip, so they got the ball first in the second half, as well.) But this was a much-needed positive result for Boyer nonetheless. The Jets entered this game 22nd in Football Outsiders' special teams DVOA ratings this season, after finishing last season 31st, in Boyer's first year on the job.
DUD: DE MO WILKERSON
He is probably the Jets' dud of the year, considering his underwhelming performance on and off the field. The Jets made him inactive Sunday (no surprise), and they surely won't play him in the season finale in New England. No point. They're going to cut him after this season anyway. Why risk him getting seriously hurt and having to pay him his $16.75 million salary for 2018 (which is currently guaranteed only against injury)? Wilkerson made his own bed here. Nobody forced him to continually show up late to meetings. His tardiness cost him a quarter against the Chiefs earlier this month and the whole game at the Saints. And as it turns out, he'll surely wind up sitting out the season's final three games — Saints, Chargers, Patriots.
STUD: RB BILAL POWELL
His 57-yard touchdown run with 10 minutes left in the third quarter got the Jets on the board and tied the game at seven. He has done some encouraging this year, so the Jets can feel good about what he should be able to offer them in 2018. The Jets had just 143 yards before Powell's touchdown run. Powell finished Sunday's game with 19 carries for 145 yards and that one touchdown.