When it was time for Jets head coach Todd Bowles to recount positives from this past Sunday’s 21-12 defeat at the Buffalo Bills, you’d have to excuse him if it took some time to think of any.
But, hard as it might be to believe, there was one player who stood out and managed to draw praise from Bowles in the aftermath.
Rookie safety Jamal Adams has been turning heads in a good away, specifically catching the attention of the one voice in the room which matters – the head coach.
“It wasn’t so much just the plays, “Bowles said. “His eyes were good, his reads were good. Everything he did, he did it the right way. He made the tackles when opportunities presented themselves. He made the plays, he was supposed to make.”
If there’s one thing Bowles doesn’t do is throw high praise around just for the heck of it. He’s as old school as they come, earn respect with your play on the field.
This is why Adams’ impressive training camp and preseason drawing high reviews from Bowles, shouldn’t go unnoticed.
The Jets have to be more than thrilled with the early return they’re getting from their first-round draft pick, number six overall, out of LSU.
Adams, along with fellow rookie safety Marcus Maye, are being counted on to play major roles in reviving the Jets secondary. As good as the defensive line is, despite this past Sunday’s poor showing in Buffalo, the secondary must still hold up their part in order for the unit to thrive as expected.
Bowles’ early observations of Adams have been spot-on. He plays the game with excellent awareness and he’s showing signs of having what it takes to emerge as a team leader.
On a team expected to have its share of struggles this season, having a young talent like Adams show this type of maturity so early in his development is one less concern for Bowles to worry himself with.
It’s only one game, and that’s important to keep in mind, but the Jets need all the good vibes they can gather. The next test for Adams will be more strenuous, the Jets head to Oakland.
When Raiders quarterback Derek Carr isn’t throwing to wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper, he’ll be handing off to Marshawn Lynch.
Oakland’s coming off an impressive win over the Tennessee Titans, they’ll be ready to dish out more of the same for the Jets. Adams and the secondary will have their hands full.
For Adams, his coming of age is moving in the right direction as the Jets continue to shape the future of their franchise. He’s creating a buzz for himself through his maturity and strong play, the right combination.
If Adams continues along the right path, it can only mean higher praise from Bowles – the only voice in the room which matters.