The nightmare is over.
Chad Pennington flipped two touchdown passes, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined for 107 yards rushing and Brett Favre tossed three interceptions as the
Dolphins bested the Jets 24-17 in front of a despondent crowd at the Meadowlands. Gang Green jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the second quarter thanks to a 13-yard touchdown grab by Laveranues Coles and Leon Washington's 10-yard scoring scamper gave the Jets a 17-14 advantage in the third.
But it didn't hold up.
The Dolphins scored the final 10 points of the game thanks to Anthony Fasano's 20-yard touchdown catch in the third and Dan Carpenter's 48-yard field goal in the final quarter. Miami's win, along with the Patriots and Ravens' victories, gives the Fins the AFC East and knocks the Jets and Pats out of the playoffs.
And that's why you can't predict football.
Let's tie a bow on this turd.
REASONS TO GET UP ON MONDAY:Laveranues Coles. Once again I was tempted to leave this spot blank, but I'll try and stay positive (try). Coles corralled four passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. Not fantastic numbers, but it was
reported late Sunday that No. 87 played nearly the entire season with a torn left quad muscle. Coles finished the year with 70 receptions for 850 yards and 7 touchdowns.
REASONS TO SLEEP IN ON MONDAY:No. 4. It's been frustrating to watch the team as a whole the past five weeks, but it's been downright torturous to watch Brett Favre over that same span. His arm or shoulder (or both) is obviously hurting, but that doesn't excuse the decisions he's made over the last month or so. The tide turned in this one with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. Miami had just taken a 7-6 lead and the Jets started out on their own 29-yard line. Favre faked a pass to the left and tried to complete a screen to Thomas Jones back to the right. Not even close. Jones was blanketed and Phillip Merling picked off the errant throw and rumbled 25 yards for a score to put the Fish up 14-6. Backbreaking. Then with just under five minutes remaining in the game and the Jets down 24-17 and positioned on the Miami 29-yard line, Favre tried to catch the Dolphins off guard. The Fish were shifting defenders and Favre tried a quick snap and rifled a pass to Chansi Stuckey. Way off the mark. The throw fell right into the waiting arms of Andre' Goodman and that was that. And for those people who still try to explain away Favre's decisions
with "he's just trying to make something happen" -- enough. His
decisions over the final five games were the equivalent of cutting
across three lanes of traffic while trying to make a left on red down a one-way
street. Favre finished the afternoon 20 of 40 for 233 yards, 1 TD and 3 INT.
Run over ... again. The secondary has been the Achilles' heel for the Jets most of the year, but the run defense really let the team down over the final handful of games. The Green and White allowed over 100 yards rushing for the fifth straight game. Kris Jenkins was obviously worn down, but the team's inability to spell him and come up with a big stop every now and then was shocking. I just didn't see this coming.
"Special" teams. The Jets have had breakdowns on both offense and defense during their five-game swoon, so I suppose it makes sense that their poor play would infect the special teams. James Dearth's snap after Coles' touchdown grab was a little off and holder Reggie Hodges couldn't get the ball down. Jay Feely didn't even attempt the extra point. Hodges then had a punt attempt blocked in the fourth quarter which positioned Miami at the Jets 49-yard line. That led to a Dolphins field goal. When it rains it pours.
Well, that's it. It was a promising season that came apart at the seams in the end. And with no postseason to look forward to, the questions in Jets Land will begin. Will Favre be back? Do the Jets want him back? What about the coaching staff? No easy answers.
Here's a look at the Jets
2009 schedule:
- Miami (home and away)
- New England (home and away)
- Buffalo (home and away)
HOME:- Cincinnati
- Tennessee
- Jacksonville
- Atlanta
- Carolina
ROAD:- Indianapolis
- Houston
- Oakland
- New Orleans
- Tampa Bay
There's always next year, right?
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