Fields on Jets' passing game: 'We're fine with 8-yard completions' and tiring defenses with runs

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets' passing game has been short on long passes this summer.

The lack of deep throws has some fans anxious, wondering if Justin Fields and the offense will be able to stretch the field against opponents this season when needed. Well, relying on the run and mixing in short passes might be an effective alternative.

“I mean, yeah, we’re fine with taking 8-yard completions every play, if I’m being honest with you,” Fields said Tuesday before practice.

Fields and the starters on offense played just two series in the Jets' 31-12 preseason loss to the Giants last Saturday night — and it was hardly an eye-popping display through the air.

Fields, signed to a two-year, $40 million deal in the offseason to replace Aaron Rodgers as the Jets’ starting quarterback, went just 1-for-5 passing for 4 yards. Meanwhile, New York ran the ball 13 times for 55 yards — with Fields getting 5 yards on his lone run, which was originally called a pass play.

Boring, sure. And coach Aaron Glenn said the offense, in general, wasn't good enough. But Fields insists there's a method to methodically testing teams on the ground.

“Of course you want explosives, but like I said Saturday, we’re not going to force the ball down the field,” Fields said. “If they want to get depth on the second level, we're fine with taking the 8-, 10-yard completion and taking time off the clock and just driving down the field and having 10-, 15-play drives. It gets the defense tired.”

One of the Jets' strengths is their running game with the trio of Breece Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis in the backfield. They've all looked solid throughout training camp and the two preseason games, although Davis sat out against the Giants with an ankle issue.

The ground-and-pound approach was on full display Saturday night, when the Jets opened their second possession by running on 10 straight plays before an incompletion by Fields on third-and-2 to Garrett Wilson. The 11-play drive was capped by a 38-yard field goal by Nick Folk.

“It might not be as exciting on the offensive side of the ball for the fans,” Fields said. “Like I said, it’s efficient ball. It’s also getting the defense tired and, you know, just driving down the field like that.”

Left guard John Simpson welcomes it, saying he and his fellow offensive linemen light up a little more when they know it's going to be a run play.

“The identity of this team is physicality,” Simpson said. “No matter what play it is — run, pass, whatever — I think coach does a good job at telling us that that’s what he wants. He wants it to be, whatever it is, to be physical.

“And if that means we've got to run the ball 12 times, 15 times in a row, that’s what it is, so I’m ready for it.”

Just as he was Saturday night when he and his O-linemates heard the play calls for almost the entire second series.

“Let’s go, yeah, I love it,” Simpson said with a laugh. “I just want to be as physical as I can and just dominate. It don’t really matter to me what the play is, but when I do hear a run call, I do get a little bit excited.”

Fields would also appear to be a fine fit for a run-first system in new coordinator Tanner Engstrand’s offense. He has terrific scrambling ability, with a knack for turning what seems to be a broken play into a positive with his legs.

In his second NFL season with Chicago in 2022, Fields ran for a career-best 1,143 yards and eight scores. Simpson is used to playing with a quarterback who can run, having been teammates with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore during the 2023 season.

“It’s kind of not too different for me,” Simpson said. “At the end of the day, it’s just football. He’ll find an open hole if he’s got to get loose and run. It’s just us five (O-linemen) doing our job, protecting. And then if he’s got to get loose, he’ll get loose.”

Despite what the starting offense has shown through camp and the preseason, Glenn insists he remains “very confident” in Fields and the Jets' ability to get the ball down the field through the air.

“You have so many people that want to talk about a small amount of plays these guys get to go out there and play,” Glenn said. “Then, everything is falling down because we throw six passes. And then he's Johnny Unitas when we throw four passes. It bothers me and I laugh at it quite a bit.

“But the thing is I understand it. That's the noise that happens on the outside that our guys can't really listen to.”

Philly finale

Glenn announced “a good amount” of the Jets' starters will not play in New York's preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night. But he declined to say which players would sit.

Back in action

Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (calf) returned to practice and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson participated in some team drills for the first time since tearing his right Achilles tendon in Week 2 last season.

Cornerback Sauce Gardner was back from a calf injury that sidelined him a few practices. He came up limping after a play late in practice, but Glenn said he was just kicked in the leg and is fine.