Throughout the season, NewYorkJets.com will provide a stock report surrounding the Jets' matchup.
This week's report will preview which players and/or themes are trending up for Week 2 as the Green & White will take on the Tennessee Titans at 1p.m at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
WR Allen Lazard
Head coach Robert Saleh mentioned Lazard's renewed approach multiple times throughout the summer after he totaled 311 receiving yards last season, the fewest in his NFL career since his rookie season in 2018 when he took a single 1 snap.
Lazard carried his impressive training camp to Week 1 and led the Jets with 89 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns.
"It was great to be productive and kind of help the offense get things rolling," he said. "At the end of the day, as much individual success I had, what I care about the most is the team success and we came short of our goal last Monday. Got to learn from it and move on."
Lazard added of his mindset this season: "After last season, my biggest thing going into this year was just being healthy and having relit that fire that I once had, especially being an undrafted free agent, being cut twice and having to work my way up to where I am now. I just wanted to come out here and prove myself again, not necessarily to anyone else, but to myself just knowing that I belong in this league, I belong on this team and I can be a foundation to the success that we have here for a long time."
Lazard, who caught Aaron Rodgers' last touchdown with the Packers, caught Rodgers' first as a Jet on a 36-yard strike on a free play in which the Niners were offside.
Jets Pass Protection
The Green & White's new-look offensive line that started three new players pieces held up well in pass protection against a talented 49ers front led by first-team All-Pro and former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa. The Jets allowed 1 sack and 3 other QB hits. The unit ranked the No. 2 in the NFL in pass protection, according to a list compiled by the 33rd Team, which based its ranking on each team's Week 1 rank in pressure and sack rates.
"Obviously, it was our t first time out there, but to be able to protect the passer the way we did, that was huge," said LG John Simpson, who signed with the Jets this offseason from Baltimore. "We got to keep stacking days. There are definitely things we could have done better to not allow pressure, but I thought we had a pretty good day. I thought our communication was good, but when it comes to the defense running stunts and action like that, it's all about presence, having good body presence and knowing where to be when the other guy is going to be. We're taking that next step and continuing to jell."
The line's test this weekend will come against a pass rush led by two-time Pro Bowl DT Jeffery Simmons (21.5 sacks over the last three seasons) and Pro Bowl edge rusher Harold Landry (10.5 sacks last season).
Titans RB Tony Pollard
The Titans have a new lead horse in the backfield after as Derrick Henry, who played with Tennessee for eight seasons, signed with Baltimore this offseason. The Titans signed former Cowboys RB Tony Pollard, who was born in Memphis and played collegiately for the University of Memphis.
Pollard ran for 72 yards on 25 carries against the Jets last season, also ironically in Week 2, and had 82 yards on 16 carries (5.1 avg) in his Titans debut last week along with a touchdown.
"He's an every-down back," LB C.J. Mosley said. "Strong runner, fast, another guy that can get to the perimeter, so we know they're going to be searching for that. He has great hands coming out of the backfield, so he can hurt us with a lot of the screen looks that they have. Once they get the ball in his hands, as far as the pass, everybody [on defense] run and get to him. As far as the run, just have to do a better job of setting edged and make sure we don't have bigger spaces for the running backs to get through."
