Holiday Hell

All I’ve been hearing this season is that we are a “Ground & Pound” team and that our defense is better than it was last year. This is true if “Ground & Pound” means keep running the same plays up the middle for 2 yards. This is also true that our defense is better, better at giving up a ton of yardage. This Jets team demonstrated this in their recent loss to the Bears, the Jets third loss in the last four games...

This game was disgusting on the defensive side of the ball and on special teams. The Jets started off in a quick hole due to lack of defense and then a horrible call by the coaches after already being down three points. It was 4th and short and the Jets were in punt formation. Instead of the ball being punted, Sanchez gets the snap and throws it to Brad Smith who lets the ball hit him right in the hands and drops it. This gives the Bears the ball in great field position and before I could even pee, we were down 10-0 just a few minutes into the game.

One that miserable first quarter ended, things started to change. Sanchez led a perfect drive down the field resulting in a Shon Greene touchdown run. Before you could blink, Dwight Lowery picks off Cutler for another touchdown. The 10-0 deficit was quickly erased and the Jets had all the momentum. Another nice drive later in that quarter put us 21-10 after LT ran one in. At that point, the offense was in sync and the Defense was playing okay.

The end of the 2nd quarter and then the third quarter, the Jets defense fell asleep. Cutler was eating the secondary alive with all the time in the world to throw due to the Jets lack of any pass rush. This team will not go anywhere unless they can get to the quarter back. When you can sit in the pocket for 7 to 10 seconds, you’ll eventually find a receiver and that is just what the Bears did.

Sanchez’ touchdown throwing drought ended when he hit Santonio Holmes for a touchdown but should have had one earlier when Keller dropped a sure TD which we then had to settle for a field goal. Again, another game where the Jets had the big drop that could have changed the game.

Still, the Jets had some time on their second to last drive, down by 4, to do something but some questionable play calling stalled that drive and they had to punt. The defense then came in and instead of stopping them on the first set of downs, they couldn’t stop them until the second set of downs resulting in the rest of the timeouts going away and most of the clock. We were now being set up for another potential Sanchez comeback which didn’t happen when he got picked off immediately.

You would think this team would have responded better knowing what was on the line. They were in a “win and you’re in” position and in typical Jets fashion; they lose but still make the playoffs due to the Jaguars losing in OT.

Now there is a meaningful game against Buffalo to end the regular season. We can’t get the 5th seed and are locked in that 6th spot. However, this team needs momentum. I don’t want them resting players or anything like that. This team needs to get a win under its belt to enter the post season on a high note instead of going into “The Show” as losers of 4 of 5.

It’s bitter sweet. We lost a big game as the Jets always manage too. However, we’d made the playoffs before the last week of the season which is rare for the Jets. I guess, 40 years of frustration, I’ll take it.