This Team Has Heart, Just Too Many Holes

For the second week in a row the Jets started out on defense and for the second week in a row they gave up a big pass play. This time it was a long touchdown to Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Jets appeared to be heading for a blowout but the offense came to play and made this a game.  If only the defense could get off to a better start.

Let’s talk about the offense first though. Chris Ivory continues to be a battering ram running for over 100 yards as the Jets exploded for 218 yards on the ground and Geno and the passing game threw for 226 yards without any turnovers. Yes, that is right zero turnovers. I thought his best pass of the night was in the second half on 3rd and 12 to Eric Decker that was converted for a first. The offensive played well and opened up plenty of holes for our running game. We also saw Geno Smith running the ball and very successfully. We all knew he had to do this and finally he got the message. Hopefully that positive trend continues.

Where the offense came up short was in putting the ball into the end zone. Our first four scores were field goals. Nick Folk was fantastic and is Mr. Consistent when it comes to field goals 50 yards in. Nobody can blame him for the block at the end. When you play any team in the NFL you are not going to win many games on field goals alone though. The Jets had too many opportunities to try and put the ball into the end zone and could not do it. There were two red zone penalties, one on Aboushi and one on Colon. Those cost the Jets points that may have won the game. I also found it very curious for the offense to call a run play on 2nd and goal from the 13 on a drive that ended up stalling for another field goal. Their punting didn’t help keep the Patriots pinned deep all game. I have not been a Ryan Quigley fan but last night was not a good game for him. He averaged 42 yards for the night and when the Jets needed a good punt from deep in their territory he kicked it 29 yards to set up New England in Jet territory.

The only other question I would ask is about the choice on the two point conversion. Amaro is a good target and if Geno hadn’t overthrown that ball he may have caught it but the running game was working last night. Chris Ivory was battering the opponent and grabbing chunks of yardage. Why didn’t we go to him to pound the ball in? Of course they were looking for that but New England had been looking for the run all night and couldn’t stop it.

The defense did hold the Patriots to only 323 total yards and Mo Wilkerson did have a nice pass deflection in the first half. Overall though, where was our quarterback pressure? Tom Brady had plenty of time to throw all night and the one sack recorded by David Harris was Brady’s slide behind the line of scrimmage. There is still way too much inconsistency in our secondary. It will continue to be a work in progress all year, we all know that but Antonio Allen did not play a good game. He was burned on the opening touchdown, had a pass interference penalty just before the half that led to a field goal and was also burned by Brady in the second half on a 3rd and goal from the 19 for another New England touchdown.  Just ugly.

The team did lose again though and is now 1-6 heading into a home game against Buffalo, a game they can win if the offense plays like this. There are too many holes on this team that the front office didn’t address. That is clear to the pundits and the fans.  This General Manager has a policy of not speaking to the media during the season and only during the bye weeek.  Hopefully John Idzik will answer some of these questions then.

The problem for Rex Ryan now is that the season continues to move in a direction that will cost him his job not the GM. What do you think?

Ken Alcott

Ken was born in Teaneck, New Jersey and has followed the Jets for over 30 years. He now resides in Canton, GA and has been a JetNation member since 2006. He is married to a Jersey girl and enjoys going to at least one game with his son each year.

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