9 After poor tackling, the Jets parted ways with D-line coach Kerry Locklin, who lasted just nine games in the position.
Updated 06:07, November the 17th, 2009
Playoff dreams fading, Jets just want full effort
A season that started with so much promise has spiraled into mediocrity.
The Jets’ dwindling postseason hopes took another blow in Sunday’s 24-22 loss to Jacksonville. It dropped Rex Ryan’s team to 4-5, losers of five of the last six.
“We just spent all of our room for error. It’s ridiculous,” Ryan said. “We were in the exact same boat. They found a way to finish the game and we didn’t.”
Now, Ryan is just asking to put together a complete 60 minutes. It’s something they failed to do once again on Sunday, allowing Jacksonville to run down the clock, then kick a game-winning field goal as time expired.
The loss dropped the Jets’ home record to 2-3. Those three home losses came by a combined 10 points. This team just hasn't figured out how to put opponents away.
“We really haven’t played a complete game for four quarters outside the Oakland game,” said cornerback Donald Strickland. “We haven’t been able to get it so that our offense and defense both show up to play. It is one or the other.”
Consider the ground game, which produced only one rusher who went over 100 yards in the first five games, then had three straight games where Thomas Jones went over the century mark. In two of those games, the Jets’ rushers combined for more than 300 yards on the ground. Then on Sunday, the ground game stalled with Jones leading all running backs with just 77 yards rushing. Once again, the Jets failed to be consistent in reaching their marks.
“The personal accolades, the individual accomplishments, they just don’t matter,” said Jones. “Right now, we need to win and we can’t. We can‘t seem to find a way to win or get on track consistently.”
Tuesday Morning Quarterback: A Clear-Eyed Look at Sunday’s Loss
QUARTERBACK -- Mark Sanchez had his ups and downs. his two interceptions were about as bad as they come, but he led an impressive fourth quarter drive that should have won the game for the Jets.GRADE: B -
OFFENSIVE LINE -- Good in pass protection, lousy in getting the run started. After three good weeks of opening up holes for Thomas Jones, this wasn’t one of their better efforts.
GRADE: C +
RUNNING BACKS -- Jones did well to get 77 yards, often fighting for extra gains and making his own holes. Shonn Greene was quiet but steady, not bad for a rookie.
Grade: B
WIDE RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS -- Although he got open on several occasions, Braylon Edwards was silent in the first half, fumbled his first catch of the game in the third quarter and dropped the 2-point conversion attempt late in the game. Dustin Keller had a good game but was still inconsistent and drop prone.
GRADE: C
DEFENSIVE LINE -- They got pushed around by the Jags’ front five, giving tons of space to Maurice Jones-Drew to gain 123 yards. They improved in the second half until Jacksonville’s final fourth quarter drive put the “W“ in their column.
GRADE: C -
LINEBACKERS -- David Harris was one of a few bright spots on the defense, but it was a rather ordinary day for a linebacking group that should be a strength for the team. In the first half, this unit was plagued by poor tackling.
GRADE: C
SECONDARY -- It was another ho-hum game for Kerry Rhodes, who has failed to truly break out this season. Yet again, the unit failed to have an interception. The injury to Jim Leonhard hurt the secondary in the first quarter, but he returned to be one of the game’s impact performers.
GRADE: C
SPECIAL TEAMS -- The return game was nothing to brag about and Jay Feely was solid in field goals and points after. Is Darrelle Revis really returning kicks right now? The fact that there was no major gaffes a la the Miami kick return debacle is a good sign.
GRADE: C+
COACHING -- Rex Ryan burned his second-half timeouts, allowing Jacksonville to wind down the clock.
GRADE: C