Keidel: Mark It Down: Jets Will Break Through Sooner Rather Than Later
By Jason Keidel
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Gang Green turned gangrenous at the worst possible moment.
In the fourth quarter, in the final game, a pristine passing duo was one pass from perfection. Instead, what looked like a touchdown toss from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Eric Decker turned into an interception and ended up the de facto death blow to a season that showed so much life.
But consider this: the Jets went 10-6, coming off a 4-12 season. They were one interception -- or one Kenbrell Thomkins drop -- from 11-5. They just finished their most potent offensive season in team history. They have security and competency at head coach and general manager.
The reason this hurts so much is because the Jets had just beaten the Patriots, so it made you greedy for more.
Had the Jets lost to the Pats and beat the Bills, their record would still have been 10-6. But you would have been a lot more accepting of their football fate. But since they upset Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, some naturally assumed the next game, against an exponentially easier team, was a fate accompli.
But the NFL doesn't work that way. There's great parity, and an almost arbitrary momentum from team-to-team, and week-to-week. To borrow the boxing maxim, styles make fights. Just as odd as the Pats losing to the Jets was, the Steelers lost to the wretched Ravens the same day, which put Pittsburgh in the position of scoreboard gazing.
Just look at the mess Rex Ryan is making in Buffalo. Last year the Bills led the NFL in sacks with 54. Yet under Ryan they plunged to 31st in the league, with 21 total.
And rushing the passer was supposed to be Ryan's forte.
Mario Williams, a high-end pass-rusher, griped all year about his role in Ryan's defense, which often featured him falling back into pass coverage. He will reportedly be gone by next season.
While Ryan all but assured us his Bills would be balling in January, he entered Sunday assured of the reverse. The Bills have not been in the playoffs since 1999, the longest such drought in the NFL. Rex was supposed to fix that, and now you get the sense that Bills fans long for Doug Marrone to roam the sidelines. All Ryan can cling to are those those two, bizarre, 22-17 wins over his former club.
Then you had John Idzik, he of the historic, clueless GM tenure. Planes flew over the Meadowlands, begging Woody Johnson to jettison Idzik, who pocketed up to $20 million in cap money because he, well, we have no idea.
Enter GM Mike Maccagnan and HC Todd Bowles, who instantly injected class, grace, hunger, and humility into the Jets. Enter Brandon Marshall, who the most productive season in team history. Enter Ryan Fitzpatrick, who singularly saved a season presumed dead when Geno Smith got his jaw cracked by a teammate.
And while you'd have loved for Fitzpatrick to take back that doomed throw to Decker, the truth is he led you to that play, that pass. He'd never thrown a pick when passing to Decker. He finished the season with 23 TDs and 1 INT inside the 20-yard line, and 13 TDs and 0 INT inside the 10-yard line. He had, by far, his best season as an NFL quarterback. Over the five games prior to playing Buffalo, he'd thrown 13 touchdowns and one interception in going 5-0.
The Jets aren't very young, but they aren't very old. And their morbid past is making way for a glittering future. All monolithic franchises have an unwavering structure, and a solid totem pole.
Sure, it's hard to see a silver lining so shortly after a solemn Sunday, but if you can look back 12 months, to a team in total anarchy, you'll find this a most festive new year.
There are no feuds, no drama, no doubts. And you can bet the Jets will not only be back, they will break through the very membrane that kept them five points from the playoffs.
Very soon.
Follow Jason on Twitter at @JasonKeidel
