What's with New York football teams and losing in gut-wrenching fashion. Last week it was the Giants against the Chargers, this week the Jets vs. the Jaguars.
Neither team played dominant football for the first 55 minutes, yet both were in position to walk away with a victory late in the fourth quarter.
For Gang Green, it was the Maurice Jones-Drew Show early and a lack of communication in the end that did them in -- and ended any dreams of a playoff run.
While in ordinary times having a decent season with a rookie head coach and quarterback is acceptable as part of the growing pains, there is a sense of disappointment surrounding the franchise.
In the past, starting a first-year QB from Week 1 was suiciding the year. And a head coach with no experience as the top-dog would be given a year to figure himself out.
Not for these Jets, not this year.
There are several reasons why expectations were higher than usual for this bunch:
1) Hot start: At the start of the season, there were no high expectations for this team, after getting out of the gate 3-0 that changed.
While many Jets rooters were attempting not to let it get to their head, it certainly changed the perception of the year. No longer was there the thought of this being a throw-away season, a playoff berth was certainly within reach.
2) Talk is cheap: Following the lead of Rex Ryan, many Jets were quite boisterous early on. Ryan was speaking of winning "multiple championships" before winning a game.
Sanchez wasn't exactly keeping a low profile himself. Posing for GQ before taking an NFL snap is no way to keep the pressure off yourself. Although appearing in a magazine is not the reason the Jets have lost four out of the last five, it did add unnecessary exposure (read: expectations).
3) Last year's success: Matt Ryan in Atlanta and Joe Flacco in Baltimore have many believing that putting quarterbacks behind center as a rookie is the wave of the future.
While the belief is true, few teams will duplicate their feat of going to the postseason with a novice head coach and first-year signal caller.
Despite the seeming disappointment, the Jets are actually having a decent season. With several eminently winnable games remaining on the calendar a .500 record is not out of the question.
There is obviously an issue closing out games as the numerous narrow losses prove. Many of those games come down to a play or two deciding the outcome.
Will the added experience change the Jets' fortunes in a close game later this season? Time will tell.
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What concerns me as a Jets fan isn't the losses, it's the manner in which they've lost; they continue to make the same mistakes game after game and season after season. Otherwise known as "same old Jets."
ReplyDeleteHow they lost has been heartbreaking. But a close game also means one play here or there and the Jets come out winners. A premiere pass-rusher and experienced QB can easily make the difference in those game. The fact that a rookie QB has only had one game where the lose can be squarely placed at his feet (Buffalo) tells you he's had a solid year.
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