Under different circumstances, the career-best performances by Braelon Allen and Adonai Mitchell could be celebrated as the Jets developing playmakers to complement Garrett Wilson.
That’s been a goal years in the making.
Instead, Allen’s 147 rushing yards and Mitchell’s 142 receiving yards were a footnote Sunday in a 38-33 loss to the Raiders that showed the Jets can find ways to waste great offense when they get it.
“The objective every week is to win,” Allen said. “There’s positives always — love our progress as a team, as an offense — but when you are supposed to win and when you don’t do that, it’s hard to enjoy.”
In five games starting in place of the injured Breece Hall, Allen has shown he is capable of being a lead back. He is averaging 5.4 yards per carry and 100 yards per game with two touchdowns.
But Allen only had three carries in the second half — including an untouched 21-yard touchdown run — after 18 for 121 yards in the first half. That was a head-scratcher from coordinator Frank Reich because the Raiders defense looked like the unit unwilling to tackle a running back — not the Jets defense, as Ashton Jeanty claimed.
“I’ve always prided myself on getting stronger as the game goes on,” Allen said. “Going back to college, I’ve always made my hay in the second half of games and being able to close it out in four-minute situations. Unfortunately, when the game doesn’t call for pounding the rock in the second, I have to do my part in other ways.”
Mitchell, who missed four games due to injury earlier this season and had zero catches last week in his return, became the fourth different pass catcher this season with a 100-yard game (Wilson, Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr.). He made a full-extension 47-yard catch into the red zone from Geno Smith.
“We worked that play during the week, we got the look we wanted,” Mitchell said. “Geno threw a great ball and we were able to convert.”
Mitchell nearly had another play but couldn’t adjust to Smith’s underthrow as he ran down the seam. The ball short-hopped his dive, but the Jets went right back to him two plays later for a 20-yard catch to convert a third-and-11.
“Credit to the OC [Frank Reich] and Geno for still believing in me,” Mitchell said. “You try to take advantage of every opportunity.”
Mitchell and Allen were big reasons why the Jets scored on each of their first six possessions — a first since 2008, when Brett Favre was at quarterback.
“We just didn’t do enough to win,” Mitchell said. “No matter how the game went, the only outcome we are looking for is a win.”
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