New York Jets’ Week 13 Report Card

Dec 1, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) scrambles with the ball against the Miami Dolphins during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s just get right to the grades from the debacle yesterday. The sooner they are in, the sooner we can forget about them.

QUARTERBACK: F For different reasons, it’s not all Geno Smith’s fault, nor is it Matt Simms’ fault. Geno can’t complete passes to guys that are not open or while lying on his back, and it was not Matt’s decision to not receive any reps. But that doesn’t change the fact that the quarterbacks were awful. Geno continued to look like a deer in the headlights, and couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn when guys were open. Matt Simms couldn’t get much more going either. The game was so disgusting, I am not in much mood to give partial credit. “F”.

RUNNING BACKS: D They didn’t get a lot of help from the guys up front, but the running backs also did very little when the game was still in doubt. God knows, they had their chances. You think Marty Mornhinweg called enough running plays? He did everything he could to take the ball out of the quarterback’s hands, but they still didn’t help. The only saving grace the group had was Chris Ivory, running 12 times for 61 yards.

WIDE RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS: F If there was something lower than an “F”, it would have been appropriate here. Yes, this isn’t the most talented group in the world, but sometimes you get the feeling that there isn’t even a lot of effort there. They can’t get separation from anyone. They just can’t. It’s not just on Geno Smith to get them the football, they need to break away and get open.

Where are the routes getting altered when the QB is in trouble? Every team in the universe has receivers that understand that if your quarterback is scrambling, you come back to him to bail him out. Not the Jets’ receivers. They never do that. That is why it’s a team game folks, the quarterback helps the receivers, but the receivers have to help the quarterback as well. Doesn’t happen.

OFFENSIVE LINE: F

The quarterback is not going to be successful lying on his back either. When he has no time to set his feet, and, I don’t know, actually LOOK for a wide receiver, it will never work out. Geno Smith was running for his life yesterday. A quarterback will never get comfortable making his reads down the field if he can’t stand there and look. Bad job out of the o-line yesterday. They didn’t do much in the run offense either. Just bad, bad, had.

Nov 24, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) runs with the ball as New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson (96) defends at M

DEFENSIVE LINE: D I don’t feel like I can give an “F” here, only because the defense did keep the team in the game for most of the afternoon. That being said, it wasn’t a good day for anyone, even this group.

They got some pressure on Tannehill early, but not enough. They only were able to sack him once, and the line got a handle on them quickly. The only time I remember hearing something good was when Big Mo Wilkeson batted down a pass. The Dolphins ran the ball successfully, and the quarterback carved the team up as he had all day to through. Not good.

LINEBACKERS: D Same idea as with the line. The defense did keep the Jets in the game, had the offense been able to do ANYTHING. David Harris also had a huge game, with 13 tackles, seven of them solo. The linebackers didn’t do anything to affect the game in a positive way. They made no plays to turn the momentum, so they get a “D”.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: F This is the other group that would have received lower than an “F” if that was possible. It’s amazing to watch a Rex Ryan defense, that has typically been built around great pass coverage, be this bad against the pass. We’ve talked about it already, but Dee Milliner is unwatchable. It could be due to all of the time he missed, but he is so far from where he needs to be it’s insane. He can’t cover anyone.

Antonio Cromartie hasn’t been much better, despite his interception yesterday. His hip is bad, clearly hampering his play. But to ask out of the game and then be OK with returning kicks? It’s very hard to read/understand what is going on with that guy. But it is not good.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C There were no real “mistakes” from these guys. Nick Folk hit his one field goal attempt. Ryan Quigley averaged a net of nearly 40 yards per punt. Antonio Cromartie did perform well in kick returns, spelling Josh Cribbs. So, they get the “C”.