This loss doesn't fall on any one player. The Jets lost because: 1) The defense could not stop the Patriots on 3rd down. The Pats were 11 for 16 on 3rd down and many of them were 3rd and long. That is awful. The Jets need a pass rusher in the offseason. 2) The inability to stop the run. The Pats killed the Jets on the ground today. Again. The Jets need some run stuffing DL. Did Shaun Ellis play today? 3) The inability to run. You can't expect the QB to carry the offense every week. 70 yards rushing is not going to cut it in the playoffs, especially when half of those yards came on two runs, a reverse and QB scramble. The Jets need to upgrade the right side of the line in the offseason, particulary RG. Moore is a weak link right now. 4) The inability to score in the red zone. In a game on the road against a good team like the Pats, 3 FGs on 3 red zone trips is a recipe for a loss. The play calling in the red zone left much to be desired today. Too many running plays, no fades, nothing imaginative. The Pats red zone defense is too good to expect Pennington to complete third down passes in the middle of a short field when the entire stadium knows that's where they are going. On a more specific level, the lateral was a momentum killer. At the time, the Jets were down 20-13 and driving (with some effective running plays). I hate that WR screen and the Jets have to take some blame for not playing to the whistle. There is no excuse for not jumping on that ball. That play was a potential 6 to 10 point swing at a key point in the game. Lastly, while the referees did not cost the Jets the game, the lack of consistency in these games drives me nuts. Why was Poteat's play pass interference instead of illegal contact? Why were the Pat D-backs permitted to repeatedly mug Cotchery? How do you call holding on Moore and McCareins on those two plays - they looked like good blocks to me. And, even though the game was over at the time - how does every official miss Pennington getting hit in the helmet on the Jets' last drive and how is it not roughing the passer when Pennington gets driven into the ground? After seeing the Jets get penalties on similar plays all year long, it just pisses me off to not see it called in the Jets' favor, even though it had no bearing on the outcome. Kudos to Nugent for another strong game. Kudos to Pennington for carrying the offense and the pass blocking for giving him time most of the day. Kudos to Cotchery for that big play and an overall strong game. Baker played well also. The defense was disappointing, IMO.
all of those things are true but the only thing we needed was a running game in the red zone to win this game
Can't argue with ya, Joe Willie In spite of all the other stuff, I think we might have pulled it out except for that freakin' lateral.
get chatham and kassell outta here, in fact get rid of all these "mangini guy" douches, seriously bring in some talent
In fairness to our D, Brady makes great defenses look exactly like ours did today. That's the difference between great and good at the QB position. If we are going to beat NE we need a great D not a good one. It will be interesting to see if SD stops him any better? They certainly have the personal.
agree those 2 are pretty bad, but keep the mangini guys (i dont want to be the giants) mangini guys with talent.
o yea definately even the jets started to establish something untill that dam lateral....LT will put on a show
My words on one point are: Football Fundamentals, Keep playing until the whistle, if u dont hear it keep playing they will blow the whistle again and again.
Pretty much just discribed the Jets draft board. 1)OLB for pass rush 2)NT for run stuffing 3)Big play runningback/OLine 4)Big TE/Wideout 1) The defense could not stop the Patriots on 3rd down. The Pats were 11 for 16 on 3rd down and many of them were 3rd and long. That is awful. The Jets need a pass rusher in the offseason. 2) The inability to stop the run. The Pats killed the Jets on the ground today. Again. The Jets need some run stuffing DL. Did Shaun Ellis play today? 3) The inability to run. You can't expect the QB to carry the offense every week. 70 yards rushing is not going to cut it in the playoffs, especially when half of those yards came on two runs, a reverse and QB scramble. The Jets need to upgrade the right side of the line in the offseason, particulary RG. Moore is a weak link right now. 4) The inability to score in the red zone. In a game on the road against a good team like the Pats, 3 FGs on 3 red zone trips is a recipe for a loss. The play calling in the red zone left much to be desired today. Too many running plays, no fades, nothing imaginative. The Pats red zone defense is too good to expect Pennington to complete third down passes in the middle of a short field when the entire stadium knows that's where they are going.
My biggest gripe with the way our defense played was our inability to adjust, namely Sutton's playcalling on 3rd down, and specifically his relentless tendency to rely on the blitz, a strategy that was rendered largely ineffective today.
