Armand Membou’s standout debut highlights reshuffled Jets offensive line in 34-32 loss

Armand Membou’s strong NFL debut and a surprisingly effective reshuffled offensive line were among the few bright spots for the New York Jets in a 34-32 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

With starting guard Alijah Vera-Tucker out for the season with a triceps injury, the Jets moved projected starting center Joe Tippmann to right guard and inserted Josh Myers at center. New personnel and youth on the edges did not slow the offense: New York rushed for 182 yards, did not punt in the first half and totaled 394 yards of offense.

Membou, the No. 7 pick out of Missouri in April, faced significant test visits from Steelers pass rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith and emerged without allowing a sack. Pro Football Focus credited Membou with not allowing a single quarterback pressure or hit in 25 passing snaps. Teammate Josh Myers, a free-agent acquisition from the Green Bay Packers who started in the middle, praised Membou’s athleticism, bend and technique.

"I think he has everything you want in a tackle. His bend, his athleticism, his ability to move [in the] run and pass game, is really impressive," Myers said. "Especially that being the first game of his career. That was an impressive showing out of him."

Left tackle Olu Fashanu also helped the young unit hold up against Pittsburgh’s edge rushers, allowing the Jets to sustain drives and keep the ball away from a defense that finished with the win. Coach Aaron Glenn credited the room for its adaptability and singled out Tippmann’s move to guard.

"I think that just speaks so much to the guys in our room, to Tipp being able to move to guard and play that well," Myers said. "And just everybody’s ability to handle it, from our coaches on down. It speaks to everyone involved."

The game featured a late first-half confrontation after Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey delivered a heavy hit on quarterback Justin Fields. A subsequent response from guard John Simpson, who threw Ramsey to the turf, drew a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. Garrett Wilson also engaged with Ramsey on the following play while blocking.

"That’s something we all have to learn from," Glenn said. "There are ways that we can protect our quarterback without getting those types of penalties. I know for a fact that John Simpson will do a better job in that."

Glenn said veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard was made inactive because he missed time in training camp while recovering from a shoulder injury, and the team wanted to ensure he was ‘‘up to speed on everything’’ before returning to play. The Jets signed wide receiver Tyler Johnson to the active 53-man roster and added offensive lineman Liam Fornadel to the practice squad. Johnson finished the game with two catches for 31 yards.

While the offensive line’s performance offered reasons for optimism about depth and the development of high draft picks, the Jets were unable to convert that success into a victory. The reshuffled front gave New York the ability to move the ball, but Pittsburgh outscored the Jets and held on for the one-score win. Coach and roster decisions made in response to injuries and late-game penalties will likely remain topics of focus as the Jets prepare for their next game.