Another confusing loss for the Jets sees their playoff chances continue to fall
The New York Jets have a problem. To be honest they have a lot of problems, but it seems simply that the overarching issue is simple: they just don’t know how to win. The Jets lost 28-27 to the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium in a game that was combination of everything that was wrong […]
The New York Jets have a problem. To be honest they have a lot of problems, but it seems simply that the overarching issue is simple: they just don’t know how to win.
The Jets lost 28-27 to the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium in a game that was combination of everything that was wrong with the 2024 Jets season. They had opportunities when they were down early to roll over and give up and they didn’t. They had chances to win the game late and the blew it. I would call the game frustrating if it wasn’t so typical.
The Jets first five drives were all three-and-outs. To be honest, they could have been given an extra two downs in each of those series and I’m not sure they would have made a first down. Rodgers seemed somewhere between disinterested and confused throughout most of the first half. He threw short passes constantly behind receivers. He thew line of scrimmage passes to receivers that had no chance of turning up field. He threw balls in the dirt before receivers were able to turn their heads. In essence, it was ugly.
Just before halftime the Jets were able to get some offense rolling, mostly on the legs of Breece Hall, whether Rodgers handed him the ball behind the line of scrimmage or soft tossed him the ball two yards down the field. Breece took a short pass from Rodgers and scampered 29 yards to get the Jets on the board just before the half.
The Jets got some good fortune on the Colts’ opening possession when Javon Kinlaw recovered an Anthony Richardson fumble.
The Jets were able to score two plays later, once again thanks to Breece Hall. It looked like the Jets had a bad half of football and had finally figured it out. But like the other 11 games this season for Gang green, it was a mirage. They found a new and disheartening way to lose.
The Jets took a five point lead late in the fourth quarter on a 35-yard Anders Carlson field goal. Head coach Jeff Ulbrich didn’t go for it on fourth and two instead opting to take a five point lead. Going for it would not only have run the clock more, but also possibly led to a back breaking touchdown.
The decision not to go for the jugular against the Colts is a microcosm of how mismanaged this Jets team is. The Jets were 3-7 at the time. What did they have to lose by going for the knockout punch against a team on the ropes. Instead they played not to lose, only to do just that. Ulbrich spoke after the game about the decision.
The Jets defense allowed Anthony Richardson to go 70 yards in under two minutes for a go-ahead touchdown. The big play being a 39-yard pass to Alec Pierce where it appears Sauce Gardner didn’t play the cover-2 zone the right way allowing the catch to happen. It was a play Sauce knows shouldn’t have happened.
The Jets now go into their BYE week all but mathematically eliminated from the playoffs for the 14th year in a row. According to NFL standings, the Jets only have a 4% chance to make the playoffs at 3-8. It will be a sour taste in their mouths for their week off after losing again in a game they could have and frankly should have won.
