It has taken me until now but I am starting to be able to step back from this loss and look at the way the rest of the NFL is shaping up. With our loss we go to 3-3. If we figure that the Patriots lose tonight, that puts us tied for the first wild card spot with the Patriots, Ravens, Jaguars, and Colts. Have any of these teams shown the kind of stability that a playoff team exhibits? The clear answer to this is no. None of those teams have shown that they can consistently play good football every Sunday. Even throwing in teams like San Diego and Cleveland, none of these teams have shown that they are above and beyond better than we are. I realize that we are all upset about this loss because of the way it ended and the way we played. However, most of these doomsday threads aren't needed this early in the season. Can we at least wait until we are getting blown out of the division and wild card race to declare ourselves done. Give this team a chance to gel and come together and we will see what the end result is. There is a good chance that this will be a bad-average season. However, there is also the chance that we go 9-7 and grab a wild card spot in a division that is littered with underachieving teams. Every team in the AFC minus the Titans and Bills have shown glaring weaknesses so far that can be exploited. We have an easy schedule and a chance to redeem ourselves with a home game against a 1-5 team next week. If we can't take advantage of that game I would agree with most that our season is not looking good. However, instead of just expecting us to be the class of the AFC as many people have done, take a step back and realize that we are one of 5-6 teams with weaknesses that need to be worked out.
I'm still bitter and pissed. This loss was totally unexpected, inexcusable and embarrassing. 1) Figure that the Patriots will lose tonight so we can tie for a wildcard spot? I'm sick of counting on other teams to lose. And we shouldn't settle for backing into wildcard spots. 2) Give the team a chance to gel and come together? I thought that's what we've been doing for the past 6 games. And what was the Bye Week for? What the hell did we accomplish? We gave them a 4-day weekend, that's what we accomplished. So much for "gelling" and Favre's "chemistry." We showed neither yesterday. 3) "Redeem ourselves" with a win over a 1-5 team at home next week? How so? The Chiefs stink. A win over them shows me we could also beat the Linden High School Tigers at home if given the chance. Neither would "redeem" us. 4) Weaknesses that need to be "worked out?" Again, that's what our worthless Bye Week was for, for "working out" these problems, for gelling, and for promoting the "chemistry." Instead we have a 4-day, gloating, laid back, take a flight home for the weekend Bye that practices nothing, works out nothing, achieves no further chemistry and accomplishes squat, other than to tell outselves we're pretty damned good at 2-2. Now we're 3-3 with what I would consider MORE problems than we had at 2-2. Our O-line sucked unmercifully, our receivers were either never given the opportunity (because of playcalling) to get open and our coaching and strategy throughout the game was dismal. Just venting here.... sorry fellas. But I'm still pissed over this. We squandered our Bye Week with 4-Day weekends and filling our heads that we only need to "tweak" a few things. Our O-line in particular doesn't need to "tweak" a damned thing, they need to man up and own up to the fact that they fucked up this game for us. They should be embarrassed beyond belief, all of them. The game was attrocious.
I agree with most of what you said. If the Jets make the playoffs, I want it to be because the team improved throughout the season to the point of being a legitimate contender. If the Jets make the playoffs because of their soft schedule, that just makes them frauds who will get bounced in the first round much like 2006. No thanks. I'd rather miss the playoffs altogether.
Yes, I'm sick and tired of "soft schedules" also, as if that somehow should make me feel better. Bullshit. I want a freakin' team that doesn't need a soft schedule. I want a team that performs consistently, or "consisency," as Mangini professes. He talks consistently of "consisency," but then it never appears on the field. One freakin' stupid penalty after another, for openers. I want a team, for once in my freakin' lifetime (besides 1969), that walks the walk after they talk the talk. Not that that 1969 team was ever "dominating" or intimidating or ever considered an awesome opponent. It's just that that team went out and executed and overcame odds and never counted on "soft schedules." Hell, Namath would never have wanted a soft schedule. "Bring 'em on, the best of them!" would have been his motto. Our O-line needs to hang their collective heads in shame this week... all of them. Since the Bye they haven't shown squat. You pay these bastards all that money and bring them in and even give them a HOF QB and a decent running game and they're just not holding their own. You can't run the ball if you don't have running lanes and you sure as hell can't run the ball if the line is collapsing. Same thing with the pass. You need time. We should have seen this coming. 4-Day weekend my ass. The O-line needed to stay at home and watch film until it came out their ears. I hope they're good and disgusted with themselves, because they should be.
The problem is that our weaknesses are not based on players and ability but rather based upon dumb decision making and poor game management by the CS. People fumble sometimes. People drop passes sometimes. They jump offsides, and move illegally. These are physical errors that are certain to occur. How the hell do you change a coaching staff that are outwitted and outgame planned vs. their opponents--and also seemingly unwilling to change philosophy? Also, fuck Chris Baker--its now obvious to all he should have been traded or cut. Any NFL player makes the catch necessary. How I wish I wasn't right that he should have been cut or traded. Now all you Baker "touchdown maker" "fans" can see the results of your support.
ok the yelling over the 4 day weekend of the bye is unwarranted. no team comes into practice all week during the bye. the cardinals were on bye last week guess how many times they practiced last week. they practiced one time on wednesday. so they had a 5 day weekend. im sure the 4 day weekend is not odd for an nfl team on by. and come on the TEAM lost yesterday. not one player. we are now crying because baker tripped? when in the same breath we talk about how physical errors are certain to occur. it was a shitty loss, we are all pissed. move on, the season is not over yet, not by a long shot.
I don't understand how Baker got so much support when he was demanding more money. It's even more pathetic that apparently he did get something. Shoulda just ignored him and told him he can sit out the year and be fined every game, and then cut him by mid-season.
I hate settling for backing into the playoffs also. However, what I am trying to respond to are the threads around here that say "The Jets are done". I am not saying that we didn't play a horribly embarrassing game against a bad team. However, even with this game we are not "done." We are 3-3 in a conference where nobody is establishing themselves as a dominant team. Every team in the conference (save the Titans, for now) is still having problems in this week. I'm not sure if the expectations were too high for some people. Maybe people thought we would be the best team in the conference. However, I saw us improving into being a wild card team and that goal is still well within reach.
^ you make great points and its all true. The pain comes from losing a game that on paper, shouldn't be a loss. Its a psychological thing. But looking ahead, if the Jets win their next two games, then going 3-1 after the bye in these 4 games was expected, and they are where they should have been at 6-3. I think a Bills win is capable as long as balls are grown and turnovers are limited.
I can't dissagree with any of this. This loss was inexcusable and very painful. We basically pissed away any cushion we may have had in even reaching a wildcard birth. Our "soft schedule" be damned now. These guys need to step up and do it NOW! I feel frustrated, dissapointed, but most of all, I feel LET DOWN by a team that I truly believed in! Moving forward, I will no longer EXPECT a JET win, or even a decent effort against a supposedly "superior "opponent untill I see it. This game was an absolute DISGRACE. some poster said it best earlier..................."We lost to the Raiders"
The Jets still need time to jell. Against the Raiders they looked more like they had gelled. :wink: Point being chemistry takes time, months if not years. It's not an overnight thing that you can get in a bye week. Still need to sit back and give the team some time to see what they can do.
Yes the chemistry is there, but the aggressiveness isn't. That is on the coaching staff, not the players.
We've had enough time for "jellin" Guys need to make blocks, make tackles, wrap up, catch passes and HOLD ON TO THEM!!!! These JETS need to STEP UP NOW!
So you want to hang onto hope that maybe, just maybe this team wins some games with this very soft schedule, and back into the playoffs? For what? So we can get lose in the first round? This team has shown NOTHING that they can even play well on a consistent basis, let alone make the playoffs. We are not a playoff team. We have the talent to be a good team, but I haven't seen a damn thing to have any confidence in this team whatsoever
i have a feeling a giants message board had threads kinda like this at this time last year. "oh what are we gonna do make the playoffs and lose in the first game?" i am in no way saying the jets are going to the superbowl, but anything can happen.
so true. good teams dont let that happen. we had to goto the west coast but we should have been prepared for that.
Yes, actually I do want to have hope that my team makes the playoffs. I thought that was what being a fan was all about. First, getting a wild card spot is not backing into the playoffs. Based on what you said above, we would not be backing into the playoffs. We would be winning the games we were supposed to win and grab a wild card spot. Backing in would be losing some of those games and the teams around us being so bad that we get in. Second, If your point above is correct than there are 2 playoff teams in the entire AFC. The only teams that have shown any consistency are the Titans and the Bills. So, I guess unless the playoff format is being drastically changed this year, we still have a chance.
The only positive thought that runs through my mind after this is the fact that it is inevitable in today's NFL that you will lose one or two games you expect to win and win one or two games you have no business winning. I hope that made sense.... I think it's pathetic that the Chiefs game scares me though...
