Three on O: Cannon, Burnett, Harrison

After each game, we're going to highlight three defensive and three offensive players and look in detail at their performance. We'll wrap up today with the offense:

Cannon of beef

As we've already discussed on JetsFix this week, the Jets were forced to used Trenton Cannon a lot more this week, but how they opted to use him left a lot to be desired. All six of Cannon's carries went between the tackles and he gained just 10 yards on those and another two yards on his first three targets in the passing game.

However, he showed some of what the Jets see in him on this nice play in the last minute:

Earlier on in the game, the Jets had looked for Cannon on a wheel route, similar to how they got their longest pass play in the Vikings game. However, the Bears were ready for this as the safety was ranging over and Darnold's pass sailed harmlessly out of bounds. They continue to look for big play opportunities though. Cannon motioned out wide later on and ran a skinny post against a linebacker, again drawing the safety across.

Aside from his first down catch in the last minute, Cannon's main contribution to the offense was to convert on a 4th-and-short run up the middle.

However, he is making some excellent contributions as a gunner on the punt cover unit. This week, he was credited with one tackle and in on two more, while also drawing a flag on a play where he blew past a double-team.

With Elijah McGuire's return imminent, it will be interesting to see if Cannon has done enough to still get some looks on offense.

Burnett up

Many people expected Deontay Burnett to return to the practice squad having been activated for last week's game. However, Robby Anderson's injury gave him a reprieve and he may have done enough to stick around for the rest of the year as he led the team in receiving on Sunday.

Entering the fourth quarter, Burnett had caught just one short pass, although it was a tough catch while tightly covered on the outside.

However, he had three nice first down catches in the fourth. The first, shown below, sees him set up his man nicely for the slant route and turn upfield on the catch:

via GIPHY

On his second catch, Burnett went up and over the defensive back and ripped the jump ball away from him on a play where the ball easily could have been intercepted. He had run an ineffective double-move on the play.

Burnett's final catch saw the defender all over him on a skinny post route, but he stopped on a dime and lost the defender so Sam Darnold could step up and hit him with a low throw that Burnett did well to dive and scoop off the turf.

With four catches on four targets, Burnett has demonstrated that he has better chemistry with his former collegiate teammate than most of the other receivers on the roster. That will buy him some time over the next few weeks and we'll see where he stands once Anderson and Quincy Enunwa return.

Jonotthan's whiffed

Spencer Long was active but for emergencies only as his finger injury continued to bother him. Due to the injury, Long had been having troubles with his shotgun snaps, so at least getting the ball snapped was one area where his replacement Jonotthan Harrison was certain to be an upgrade. Or was he?

Darnold fumbled one snap while under center and, as has been well publicized, the Jets had five false starts. This almost certainly was at least in part caused by Darnold and Harrison's unfamiliarity with one another. There may also have been some issues with aspects like setting the protections.

In terms of his blocking, Harrison didn't do too badly. He had an excellent block at the point of attack on Cannon's fourth down conversion and showed some nice athleticism to get out in from of Isaiah Crowell on a 3rd-and-long screen.

There were some negatives though. He was pushed back into Darnold in pass protection a few times, allowed his man to stuff a run on an early play and whiffed badly on this second level block to lead to another run stuff:

via GIPHY

It's uncertain how long Harrison will need to remain as the starter. Long might be back as early as this Sunday and the line is probably a stronger unit when he's in there. However, at least the Jets have someone who can hold up reasonably well in reserve.

PREVIOUSLY: 3-on-D: Williamson, Basham, Copeland