This was a good homestand. Even today against a 1st place NFC playoff team. Defense - down men - held serve until late in the game, with the offense - down men - providing no support. The team, down multiple starters, held serve until the pattern broke. But the homestand was overall a success and potentially turned the season around. At least after the 8 quarters from Denver through Indy, and through the first half today, the team has proven it can compete. Coming off the 6 quarters of brutal football from the second half Cleveland through Jacksonville, the coaching staff corrected ship on multiple fronts and coaxed decent if dominant play at times from both sides of the ball…with a rookie QB - arguably already the best player on the team. The big take away is the 2-1 record over this stretch and the way the team fought back from the brink from 1-3 and looking like possibly the worst team since Kotite. While the season is primarily about Darnolds growth. Going forward, the season could still end with playoffs, because if the Jets were going to lose one of these last three games, the NFC game is the one to lose. It’s a throwaway. Just like next week. But over the home stand the Jets got 2 wins v AFC. Now, the Jets have an opportunity to bubble over if they can again go 2-1 versus Chicago at Chicago, Miami at Miami, and home to Buffalo leading into the bye. The throwaway game is Chicago. The team can factually lose two in a row to NFC North teams, get to 3-5 but they cannot lost the season psychologically if they lose again next week. Can they keep it even and keep it focused on the end goal every next game? This is the big if. Because Chicago ain’t going to be fun before playing in sun against a vulnerable Miami in S Florida and home v the Buffalo train wreck. The big ifs: Can they forget this game, quick, and feel good about a 2-1 homestand? Can the Jets figure out Center? Remedy Long or Start Harrison. End of story. You don’t worry about the Pass D, because with 3 starters down, the depth showed up better than can possibly expected. But finally: Can the jets figure out WR, and quick? Because the 6-5 230 injured RZ target is hurt and Burnett did nothing today, wasn’t even a part of the game plan. Andre Roberts and Peake are what Darnold is throwing to and they have no business being on the offense. When you shut down Anderson (when he can’t buy a PI call) and Kearse, darnolds got nothing.
Don't you realize the sky is falling. We lost yesterday which means we should only be reading emotionally charged posts about jumping off of bridges. Thanks for the optimism and common sense post. I can't say I was happy about yesterday but I am really happy about the season so far and the future of this team. I love seeing the development of Lee and Adam's this year. Not just Darnold. I am optimistic about Herndon and even Leggett. I don't think we are far away. A few years of development and learning by Sam along with 4 more OL and one edge rusher. I expect us to sign Bell next year which will not only help the running game but will upgrade our recieving core. This year is not about this year but about development for 2019 and beyond. The future looks bright.
Think of the options: 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3 How can we complain about going 2-1 over a crucial 3 game homestand? This is a young team. With a ton of injuries. Of course they aren’t going to win every game. Of course they will struggle with consistency. Of course there will be flashes and downers. After being 1-3 and to pull off that homestand is impressive.
Well, I just bet my manager $100 that we finish with a better record than Miami. So LETS GO DARNOLD Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
A fair and impartial assessment. Kudos. I don't know about making the playoffs but if we finish 8-8 and Darnold continues to progress, I'll be ecstatic.
Nice post, Vader, and welcome. I also like your avatar. I'm an armchair primatologist. : ) I'm sticking with my quasi-optimistic 7-9, but that will be the first time in the history of the Jets or my life as a fan that a mediocre record won't feel like a one way ticket to Palookavile . . . IF . . . Sam stays out of traction and I see the foundation of something potentially big. I'm kind of already seeing it. I will never lose my cynical side, though. I'm attached to it; but I'd also be committing psychological suicide if I let it go. My psyche as well as my brain need as much protection from further injury as they can get.
thing is - the entire AFC wildcard race is open. the chargers alone sit at 5-2, and everyone else, including the Colts at 2-5 are within a game or two of each other. while you may be correct about 7-9, the 2-1 stretch we just had has put us squarely in the thick of the wildcard race. there’s nothing saying it will remain the same. i believe that depends on how we do the next three games, two of which are both intra-conference and intra-division. the chicago game is a throwaway and i don’t expect to win it. Fact is i don’t expect to go 3-0 over the next 3 games and in terms of wildcard, we need to win v Miami and Buffalo.
I went to all 3 home games on this stand. This team has a real problem with the empty seats up top where I sat and way too many fans of the opposing team there. I was surrounded by opposing team fans especially during the Broncos and Vikings game. It quite honestly sucks. Woody bought the team and they had a 20 year wait for season tickets and now look where they are at. This is something the ownership needs to really fix whether it’s refunding the money to people who paid for psls and were screwed over. That and significantly lowering prices for tickets and concessions. This is a fan base of blue collar working people they need to realize that.
This is a team that isn't going to sniff the playoffs for 8 straight years yet they continuously rank in the top 10 most valuable franchises in the NFL. Management doesn't care, they got their cash.
Bowles would have to do wonders with a crap roster, true. But the players have to execute. Especially on offense. You see glimpses. With a decent offense, I think a huge load would be taken off the defense and they would be even better.
