New York Jets vs. Green Bay Packers: The Turning Point

Aug 22, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg on the bench against the New York Giants during the second half at MetLife Stadium. The Giants defeated the Jets 35-24. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Every game has a point where the outcome is determined. No, I don’t mean the end of the game when the score has gone final. I mean that moment of the game that sets the result in motion. A moment where the momentum switches to one team or the other, and that team rides the momentum to victory. Each Jets game is no different, and starting this week, we are going to devote time to that moment.

The New York Jets vs. Green Bay Packers had a big one.

Actually it wasn’t one moment. It was a particular drive that changed the focus of the game. Here it is.

Jets receive kickoff, up 21-6, 5:43 remaining in the first half.

Coming out of the third touchdown on three possessions, the Jets’ defense allowed a thirteen play drive that began on the Packers’ 36. However, the Jets’ defense did achieve a minor victory. They held the Packers to a field goal, that ran the score to 21-6 in favor of the Jets.

Mason Crosby put the ensuing kickoff in the endzone, setting the Jets’ up at the 20, up 21-6. This was the Jets’ moment. If they could have put a drive together, and gone up at least 24-6, or better yet, 28-6, the whole tenor of the game would have changed. The Jets could have put the game out of reach for even the potent Aaron Rodgers and company, but they didn’t.

It started out nicely, with a Chris Johnson eight yard gain. But, the Jets couldn’t convert the second or third and short, so they went three and out. The “great” Ryan Quigley punted it back to the Packers, and the bottom fell out on the Jets. The Packers scored ten unanswered to finish the half, and 25 out of the final 28 points to win the game by the score of 31-24.

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The game turned right here ladies and gentlemen. Great teams don’t let their opponents get up from being down. They keep the proverbial “foot on the gas pedal”, and put their opponent away before they have a chance to come back. Mediocre teams allow opponents a second life. If you are going to be a great NFL team, if you have a team like the Packers down by more than two scores, you cannot lose that game. You must put that team away, and the Jets didn’t do that.

The Jets have to learn how to do that, to make the next step to becoming the team they want to be. It’s the difference between an 7-9 to 9-7 team, and a ten win or more team.

What do you guys think? Was there a different moment more important? Discuss.