And down the stretch they come!
Three-Quarters of the NFL season is in the books and the Jets head into the final quarter at 8-4, good for first place in the AFC East.
But things aren't hunky-dory in Jets Land.
Why? Because the Green and White are coming off a 17-point loss at home to the Denver Broncos. It's amazing how the tide can turn in just seven days. Last week at this time, the Jets were considered one of the favorites to play in the Super Bowl. Now the team is largely considered a pretender to the throne. Which is the truth?
A little from column A and a little from column B. The guys in green are good, but there are some holes, especially in the secondary.
The Jets have allowed quarterbacks to throw for at least 350 yards in two of their past three games and have fallen to 31st in the league in pass defense, giving up an average of 249 yards a game through the air. And to make things worse, the pass rush has all but disappeared. The Gotham Green have recorded just one lousy sack in the past
82 passing attempts.
And they'll face a pass-happy 49ers team, led by offensive coordinator Mike Martz.
Well, actually the offense is led by quarterback Shaun Hill, who took over for the struggling J.T. O'Sullivan in Week 8. Hill has done a decent job since taking over the starter's role: 84 of 139, 1,067 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT, 94.6 QB rating. Isaac Bruce is having a respectable season at 36 years old (39 receptions, 625 yards, 6 TD) and running back Frank Gore is set to go over the 1,000-yard mark for the third consecutive season (926 yards, 4.3 average, 6 TD; 39 receptions, 354 yards, 1 TD).
Reason to panic? I say no. At least not against the 49ers. After all, they aren't going against Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Roger Craig on Sunday. There's a reason the Red and Gold are 4-8 this season (their road win against the Buffalo Bills last weekend notwithstanding). I think the Jets were embarrassed by their lackluster performance against Denver. Maybe Gang Green read too many press clippings and thought they could just roll their helmets onto the field and win. A loss is never a good thing (don't let anyone tell you differently), but maybe, just maybe, last week's humbling will get the guys refocused. At least, that's the way I'm going to look at it.
This weekend's game also marks the Jets third trip to the Left Coast this season. It hasn't been hospitable so far. The Jets were blown out 48-29 on a Monday night in San Diego and were served a 16-13 overtime loss in Oakland. And both efforts were less than inspiring. The West Coast has been a great place to play for East Coast teams this season. The East Siders holds a
6-3 mark against the West Siders in 2008. Yes, the Jets are responsible for two of those defeats.
Still, I feel the Jets are primed for a big effort. Gang Green destroyed the other two teams in the NFC West this season (the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams) and have won three straight road games. The last loss? That bowel-clenching game against the Raiders.
The Jets and Niners haven't met since 2004 and don't have an especially rich history. The 49ers hold an
8-2 all-time lead in the series and are 3-1 against the Green and White at home. But what has history ever really taught us?
Here's a very in-depth look at Sunday's game courtesy of
ninersnation.com.
And finally, what would a sports week be without an off-field incident?
Shaun Ellis was arrested for possession of marijuana, speeding, and driving without insurance last Saturday morning in Hanover, New Jersey.
“I apologize to my family, the fans and the organization. As a captain, I set a poor example for my teammates as well
as all NFL players. Although this is a pending legal matter, I understand that I
have to be responsible for my actions," Ellis said.
The Jets won't tear the "C" from Ellis' jersey and the nine-year veteran will play against San Francisco. Eric Mangini said the Jets took "
appropriate internal disciplinary action" before last week's game against the
Broncos, but what those actions were remains unclear. One source said the Jets fined Ellis an undisclosed amount for last weekend's arrest. The NFL will review the incident under the substance abuse policy and a punishment hasn't been ruled out. No timetable for that ruling has been announced.
Situations like this make me question why I give a hoot about sports. I'm not a little kid anymore and the players I root for are no longer larger than life. In fact, I probably wouldn't get along with a lot of these guys if I met them in some sort of social environment. Sometimes I think back to my high school days. I was friends with some of the guys on the football team, but a large number were jerks who thought they were better than everyone else. Why would I root for an older, wealthier version of that? The answer is that I don't. I root for the team, not the players. The days of me rooting for Al Toon or Don Mattingly are dead and gone. And there's something a little sad about that.
Anyway, the Jets control their own fate and while last week's loss to the Broncos puts a crimp in their quest for a first-round bye, the division title is still there for the taking.
And a San Francisco treat on Sunday will move them a little closer to that.
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