Darnold Can't Be Asked To Be Messiah

Inside Job: Inside linebacker Neville Hewitt has done a solid job filling in for injured C.J. Mosley.

Q: What did you think of the play of your defense against a really good Dallas offense?

Gase: I thought those guys did a great job. You try to contain (Ezekiel Elliott) as much as possible. You can have three or four guys hitting him and he doesn’t go down. He’s a tough matchup in the passing game, whether you are in zone or man. It’s a tough offense to play against. I thought our guys did a good job.

Leberfeld: The Jets did an OK job, but whoever asked Gase this question, clearly was ignoring the fact that both of Dallas’ offensive tackles missed this game, and the Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver, Amari Cooper, left the game with a quad injury very early in the contest. You can’t call Dallas’ offense “really good” without its two stud offensive tackles and star receiver. The outcome of this game might have been different if Dallas had those three cats.

Q: How much of a setback is Chris Herndon’s hamstring injury?

Gase: I feel bad for him just because he has been waiting to get back. For that to happen, I know the guys were looking forward to him getting back, too.

Leberfeld: I think Herndon is a heck of a player, but I don’t feel bad for him. Drunken driving is wrong. He was “waiting to get back” because he drove while under the influence. I’m not sure that makes him a sympathetic figure.

He’s a terrific talent who could become an NFL star if he stays on the straight and narrow, but I’m not entirely comfortable with the “feel bad for him” narrative right now.

Q: Is there a concern that too much is being put on Darnold’s shoulders with his return?