Jets defensive end Carl Lawson was a surprise inactive for Monday night’s 22-16 overtime victory against the Bills.
Lawson has recovered from the back injury that sidelined him during training camp, but the Jets wanted to be careful with Lawson as they enter a short week, according to sources.
The Jets defensive line is deep, so the Jets could afford to not play Lawson Monday.
Lawson missed most of training camp as he dealt with what Jets coach Robert Saleh called “back tightness.”
He returned to practice Aug. 29 after missing three weeks and all of the preseason.
Lawson practiced fully last week, but the Jets felt it was not smart to play him with their second game coming Sunday against the Cowboys in Dallas.
Unlike Duane Brown, who returned from a shoulder injury late in camp, Lawson did not have as much of a ramp-up period.
Brown returned gradually at the end of camp.
Lawson did not have the advantage of coming back for training camp practices when the Jets were not as focused on game planning for the Bills.
With Lawson inactive, the Jets still have Jermaine Johnson, John Franklin-Myers, Will McDonald, Micheal Clemons and Bryce Huff at defensive end.
The other inactives for the game were: RB Israel Abanikanda, WR Irvin Charles, WR Jason Brownlee, OT Max Mitchell and LB Zaire Barnes.
The Jets elevated LB Sam Eguavoen from the practice squad for the game.
In his first season as a Jet, safety Jordan Whitehead had two interceptions in 2022.
In the first game of his second season with the team, he already topped that number.
Whitehead intercepted Bills quarterback Josh Allen three times.
Two were deep passes and the third came in the fourth quarter to set the Jets up at midfield and they were able to score the game-tying touchdown to make it 13-13.
The Jets sacked Allen five times. Jermaine Johnson, John Franklin-Myers, Quinton Jefferson, Al Woods and Bryce Huff all had sacks. …. New WR Randall Cobb did not have a catch. He was targeted once.
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