No matter the circumstances, no matter the odds, the great ones always find a way. Overcoming valiant efforts from their rookie class, Harvey Langi, and Joe Flacco (kinda) the Jets demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are truly the best at being the worst; they fell to the New England Patriots 30-27, inching one game closer to ultimate prize: an 0-16 record, the #1 overall pick, and Trevor Lawrence.
The Jets moved the ball early on, as Adam Gase seemed to suddenly realize that running behind Mekhi Becton is a good idea. However, after Becton left the game with a chest injury, the Jets had no choice but to leave their fate in the grotesquely large hands of Joe Flacco…and to everyone’s surprise: the Flacc went on the Attacc. It was raining dimes in MetLife; he tossed two absolute beauties to Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder to put the Jets up ten heading into halftime.
The Patriots would score another touchdown on their first possession of the second half, but the Jets roared back with yet another touchdown snag by Perriman (who finished with 101 yards on the day) to maintain their lead heading into the final quarter of play. However, after that, the Jets shifted their tank into Hyperdrive. Driving down the field down six, the Jets needed only a field goal to put the game out of reach. Instead, in trying to give Denzel Mims a chance to make a play, Joe Flacco unfortunately afforded Patriots corner JC Jackson that same opportunity; forcing the ball into double coverage for an inexcusable interception. Patriots would score 17 unanswered points to steal this one on the road with the final points being tacked on, most insultingly of all, by longtime Jets kicker Nick Folk.
And so ended an unfamiliar story with a familiar ending. A Jets loss is obviously nothing new, but of all their losses, this is perhaps the only one you could reasonably assert they should’ve won. The Jets got promising performances from rookies Denzel Mims and Ashtyn Davis. Breshad Perriman finally demonstrated the flashes of dominance that prompted the Jets to take a chance on him in free agency. For the first time all year, the Jets looked like they actually belonged on an NFL field. They looked competent. Almost competent enough to ruin what many fans are hoping will be a winless season. For others, it was an agonizingly close loss to a hated division rival. But at least it was close.
Does that make their loss more painful than the usual blowout? Who’s to say! What’s important is that one way or another, the Jets have found themselves at 0-9 for the first time in franchise history. Celebrate or despair accordingly.