It’s the worst of times for the New York Jets. It’s hard to find any silver linings from the Jets shellacking on Sunday (the defense does look fast, and pressured Mac Jones often), but I’m also not going to pile on the negative aspects (you can watch the highlights here if you feel like reliving the game. Also, check out my Jets season preview if you want know how I really feel!). We all know the Jets are bad, but the story from the game is the approach of two different organizations on how to rebuild.
The Pats, on one hand, are the gold standard, and Belichick and staff are putting Mac Jones in every opportunity to succeed. They keep him on schedule within the offense and give him manageable 3rd and shorts to convert.
On the other hand, the Jets simply can’t protect Zach Wilson, plain and simple. They did use their second pick in the draft on the offensive line, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. It remains to be seen if the Mormon Messiah is going to be any good (he looked ok to good last week, see more on HOPE below), but it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy if they don’t scheme it up better on offense (not letting Zach off the hook here though, he threw some of the worst interceptions I’ve seen in a very long time, rookie or not).
Even more telling of the differences in the organizations, we have to go back to the lead up of the draft last spring. The Jets made it known that Zach was their guy early on. The Pats stood pat (heh) and let Mac fall to them. You’re telling me that the Jets couldn’t have fielded offers from other teams (looking at you San Francisco) and received a couple of first rounders and still landed either Justin Fields or Mac Jones???? The Jet still would have gotten their franchise QB AND could have added a couple of blue chippers to help on such a depleted roster.
Hindsight is 20/20 as they say, but after so much futility, something has to give. Fair or not (FAIR), the Mormon Messiah and Mac the Knife (Justin Fields and Trey Lance too) careers will be forever linked. Sadly, just another losing chapter for Gang Green in the long history between the two organizations and the cities they play for.
I promised I wouldn’t pile on, so I’ll leave it to my friend Steph, a life-long die hard Jets fan, to sum up the current state of affairs for me…
“Ok soooo Jets Jets Jets!
I’m not gonna lie. I was hopeful we’d win this game I made friendly embarrassing bet that we’d win. I now will have to wear all Patriots gear to the Patriots vs Chargers game. Ha. I thought this was Zach Wilson’s week to show us his stuff sort of speak! I was hearing the hype about Mac Jones but many commentators were saying Wilson would prevail this season as a better rookie pick. Ok and to be clear I’m not jumping off the deep end yet. However, it is true to say recently the most exciting time to be a Jets fan is before the season starts. There’s all this hope. Especially this year. New coach. New QB. New Offense coordinator. Maybe we’ll win a bunch of games. Ok let’s be real I just was hoping for more than the two that we won last year. But this game played on all my heart strings. Four turnovers…no touchdowns…it’s hurts me heart. One thing I do have to say. The offense we are running this year although clearly didn’t translate on Sunday has a lot more, well balls is the word that comes to mind. We are throwing more , we are running plays that last year you could feel and see lacked confidence, so there was more “safe” play. So in my hopeful Jets mind we will turn this around. I do believe the organization is in better hands. I love coach Saleh. Maybe even more then I loved Rex Ryan. I just really want to see some Ws!!!”
Stockholm Syndrome is real people…
Up next for Jets, The Broncos and Teddy “Two Gloves.” If you’re looking for the best of times, rent the movie.
On second thought, you Jets fans have suffered enough…
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