New York Jets season filled with high hopes already on brink of implosion
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With all the insane amount of mishaps and misfortune incurred by the New York Jets (0-2) in just the last nine days, this wouldn't even be believable for fiction.
To turn a phrase from a popular children's book: It's been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad first two weeks of the regular season for the Jets.
As a myriad of mounting injuries stared back at the Jets, the season's forecast was already turning bleak. However, utter despair ominously filled the skies for the Jets during a 23-3 drubbing by the visiting Cleveland Browns (1-1) on Monday Night Football at MetLife Stadium.
Already without starting quarterback Sam Darnold (mono) indefinitely, the Jets lost backup Trevor Siemian (ankle) on a late hit by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett with 7:58 remaining in the second quarter.
The Jets had to turn to third-stringer Luke Falk for the rest of the way and apparently if he went down running back Le'Veon Bell would've been the next man in line. Thankfully it didn't come to that and Falk performed admirably (20-of-25, 198 yards passing) considering his sudden thrust into action.
But to hinge your hopes on a player just plucked from the practice squad is an unfair request. Especially when your next game is on the road at the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots (2-0).
Falk marveled at the surreal nature of his insertion.
"Yeah, it's been a weird week," Falk said. "A week go I was on the practice squad and then tonight I'm standing in front of you guys after playing in a game. It's definitely a weird situation of unfortunate events for those two guys and I just want to go out there and do the best that I can and help my team win."
In addition to the rapid depletion at quarterback, the Jets lost new wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (hamstring) and outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins (calf) during the rout as well.
All of this comes on the heels of the Jets already being down wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (neck) for the season, as well as Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley (groin) and rookie defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (ankle) sitting out.
"This is probably the worst luck with injuries I've ever been a part of since I was in college with (Nick) Chubb and he went down in the first offensive series in the game back in Georgia. Then I went down after that," Jenkins said. "You see the starting quarterback go out, then the second-string quarterback gets hurt, and then you have a young guy playing. It definitely sucks. You just have to find a way to rebound, get guys healthy and turn it around."
Wide receiver Robby Anderson afterwards went as far as to consider if the "odds were against" the Jets.
Oh, and that isn't even getting into Monday's highly publicized benching of cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who was placed in the unenviable position to have to field questions about his desire to remain with the Jets.
Let's also not forget the Jets coughed up a 16-0 third quarter lead to the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills (2-0) in Week 1.
So yeah, it looks like Halloween arrived a month early for Gang Green fans. This was supposed to be the dawn of a new era but they now have ample nightmare fuel to haunt them for the rest of what's on the verge of being a dashed 2019 season.
In the next four games, the Jets will face the Patriots twice (9/22 away, 10/21 home), as well as the Philadelphia Eagles (10/6 away) and Dallas Cowboys (10/13 home). That's a demanding slate and even an early return by Darnold wouldn't be enough to save the season at this point.
Jets coach Adam Gase isn't panicking though. Gase still believes the Jets can muster up the strength to avoid a collapse.
"Not with this group," Gase said. "If this was a different group, I'd worry. Not with this group, though."
Yet this could get ugly fast, especially based on this group's listless performance in Week 2.
The Jets were anemic offensively (only totaling 7 yards through the first quarter), allowed Odell "Who" Beckham (not the wisest comment by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams) to roam rampant for six receptions on 161 yards including the 89-yard touchdown dagger in the third quarter, and committed 12 penalties for 89 yards (mental errors absolutely can't be tolerated with the roster as thin as it is).
Only a 46-yard field goal by new kicker Sam Ficken spared the Jets from the ignominy of getting blanked on the commemorative 50th anniversary of the two teams participating in the inaugural Monday Night Football contest.
The 0-2 start doesn't faze Gase, who's taking a business-like approach at the helm.
"It's familiar territory for me. We have to get better at what we're doing. We can play so much better than this," Gase said. "The details of what is going on in all three phrases can get a lot better, and it's going to have to. We have a long way to go."
For as frustrated as the Gang Green faithful feels, safety Jamal Adams wants them to know they're equally distraught and in pursuit of solutions.
"It's tough. Obviously, all we can do is go out there and control what we can control and that is getting wins. Obviously, that is what they want. It's very tough for them and I can guarantee it's very tough for us," Adams said. "We have another opportunity, that is the good thing about this league, and it's coming up quick so we have to get ready."
Adversity has arrived and it's going to take a miraculous effort to overcome it.
At least in fiction there's the free will to pen a surprise ending. Unfortunately for the woefully snake-bitten Jets, it appears the book on the 2019 season will slam shut before the autumn leaves start falling.
