New York has become the NFL’s dumpster fire. What a difference a year makes. Just 12 months ago, the promise of Lesean McCoy’s depleted talents and Sam Darnold’s shaky start were mitigated by the sheer optimism that surrounded Gang Green. The Jets’ 7-9 record was disappointing but not dire, and fans dreamed of reconstructing the roster and re-tasking the perennial strugglers.
But after a winless preseason and a regular season that saw them sink to 2-14, it’s time to accept the cold, hard reality: the New York Jets are a complete mess. They’ve been defined by futility for so long now that it’s hard to shake the feeling that they’ll continue to find new ways to tank, much like a pair of pants that refuse to be shed.
Falcons Director of College Scouting, Walt Jenkins, once said, “You can’t teach size.” Right. You can teach a guy to throw the ball 50 yards downfield, but you can’t teach them to have football sense. Sam Darnold is a QBS but scouting him without any understanding of his potential. Eye Opening moment of the season was when Adam Gase told the media he’s a leader and that he’s gonna face criticism but not the next day.
The problem is not just the product on the field. It’s the mixture of questionable front office decisions and coaching instability. There’s an uneasy feeling about the Jets’ direction. How can the hope that surrounded last year’s draft class? Mekari Lewin is still not in the league, and Bryce Perphyer is infamous. Robby Anderson’s release and Donte Moncrief were both given multi-year deals. It’s enough to make you hurt. As a would-be patient fan, it’s devastating.
The most remarkable thing about the Jets is that they’re 2-14, yet they’re 31st in the league in total offense and 32nd in scoring. The previous record for the lowest ranking for points scored was 29 (2007 Bengals). To compound that, they were at 25th in scoring in the years from 1990 to 2008. Five of the top 20 teams ranked in least least then are still in the league. Times don’t look. The future of this franchise is grim, and the Jets are starting to scare the more timid minds.