Jets OC Tanner Engstrand makes explosive plays a central objective after Week 1

Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said Thursday he wants to make explosive plays a defining feature of the offense, setting a target of eight per game after the unit produced 11 in the season opener.

"We are always shooting for eight," Engstrand said. "The more explosives you get, the higher [the] percentage of scoring drives, and so we’re always hunting those explosives. Again, something we have talked about since Day 1 here. The more explosives that you can find in a game, the higher chance you have to score, and the more points you are going to put on the board."

Explosive plays are counted by the Jets as passes of 16 or more yards and runs of 12 or more yards. By that metric, New York's offense generated 11 such plays in Week 1 while producing 394 yards and 32 points, yardage and scoring outputs the club reached only twice all of last season.

Engstrand, 43, is in his first season as the Jets' offensive coordinator after serving as the Detroit Lions' passing game coordinator the past two years. He previously called plays in the 2019 XFL and at the University of San Diego. He said calling plays in a regular-season game felt "good," though he acknowledged a few calls he would like back and moments when he wished he could have relayed plays to quarterback Justin Fields more quickly.

The emphasis on big plays comes as the Jets attempt to balance aggressive downfield opportunities with personnel challenges. Veteran receiver Josh Reynolds was held out of Thursday's practice with a hamstring injury, a development that could open the door for Allen Lazard to make his 2025 debut. Lazard was a healthy scratch in the opener; head coach Aaron Glenn said Monday that Lazard was behind after missing time in the preseason with a shoulder injury.

Defensive back Sauce Gardner appeared on the injury report Thursday with a groin issue and was listed as limited, as was fellow defensive back Michael Carter II (shoulder). Running back and kick returner Kene Nwangwu remained out with a hamstring injury, and defensive lineman Jay Tufele was sidelined with an illness. Rookie tight end Mason Taylor was limited with an ankle issue and told The Post he expects to play Sunday.

The state of the receiving corps and other injuries add context to Engstrand’s push for explosives. Stretching defenses vertically and creating chunk plays can shorten drives and reduce the number of snaps a backup or less-experienced player must handle, but it also requires timing and chemistry with the quarterback, elements Engstrand said he is continuing to refine.

Outside the Jets' building, Buffalo defensive tackle Ed Oliver was held out of practice Thursday and pictured in a walking boot as he deals with an ankle injury. Oliver registered six tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, two quarterback hits and three tackles for loss in Buffalo’s Week 1 win over Baltimore.

Engstrand’s first regular-season game-calling sample and the offense’s Week 1 production provide an early indication of the direction he seeks to take the Jets: pursue explosive plays aggressively while managing personnel and health concerns. The team heads into its next game with those goals and the injury report shaping how many and which players will contribute to that approach.