New York Jets: The Fans Reaction To Victory Is Warped

The Jets won a football game on Sunday! They beat the Tennessee Titans on the road by the score of 16-11. It wasn’t an exciting game by any means, the play was poor by both teams. At times it appeared that neither team had the potential to score points, or even execute the play called. It wasn’t the most exciting game fans have ever witnessed, but it was a win! The Jets now are no longer tied for the worst record in football, and I for one am glad to get it!

I opened the sports sections and blogs this morning, and was more than surprised at the reaction of many in the fan base! It seems fans are upset that our team won! What the heck is that about? I read on, and realized these are the same folks that were calling for the Jets to lose out and guarantee themselves the #1 pick in the draft. I’m highly disappointed that the fan base is taking this stance, and slightly embarrassed that so many of them bought into such a strategy!

Dec 14, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan leaves the field after his team defeated the Tennessee Titans 16-11 during the second half at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

First, it would be totally unprofessional of any head coach to address his team before a game and tell them to “lie down” and not play to win! It’s just not done! Not here, or anywhere in the league. The Titans held the same record as the Jets going into this game, and those players were out there to win as well! Any HC who even proposed such a thing would be fired by management on the spot! Totally unprofessional, and no self-respecting coach would propose such a thing to his team. Say what you may about Rex Ryan, but the man has always showed pride in his football team and himself. He would never even consider such a game plan!

Dec 14, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; New York Jets running back Chris Johnson (21) rushes against Tennessee Titans inside linebacker Avery Williamson (54) during the second half at LP Field. Jets won 16-11. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

The next point I’ll bring up, actually comes from one of my reader’s comments a week or so ago. He brought up that player’s don’t relate the team’s record with the potential draft position. They are focused on the game, playing their best, and showing well for the fans and the coaching staff. They aren’t concerned about who the rookies might be next year! They are concerned with their own careers, the security of their own jobs, and with winning football games! That is their goal when they hit the field each and every week, show well, play well, and help their teammates succeed! They don’t think like fans, they could care less about the #1 pick in the draft!

Dec 14, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (12) rushes against New York Jets inside linebacker Demario Davis (56) during the second half at LP Field. Jets won 16-11. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

On another note, football is an extremely dangerous sport. Players need to hit the field and play hard to protect themselves from potential injuries. Their heads need to be in the game! To ask them to play less than full speed when the opponents are, is putting their careers in jeopardy! It just can’t be done! Personally, I’d have to believe that a player would rather sit on the bench, then to go out on the field and risk injury for the sake of a future draft pick!

Dec 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota poses with the Heisman Trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Jets fans that were clamoring for this faulty strategy, seem to all agree that they wanted the #1 pick to draft Marcus Mariota with the first overall pick in next year’s draft. I for one don’t think that it is that simple. Mariota won the Heisman Trophy the other night, and that may make him the #1 overall pick next year. It may not. An interesting point here, but Heisman Trophy winners rarely take their pro teams to the Super Bowl! In fact the last one who accomplished it, was of all people, Jim Plunkett! He did it in his 9th season as a pro! Roger Staubach, by the way is the only Heisman winning QB in the Hall of Fame. He went on after winning the Heisman to post two Super Bowl victories. If fans are equating Mariota being the answer because he won the Heisman, they could be sadly disappointed.

Mariota is a talented kid. I’m not taking anything away from him, he’s had a good college career and has put up some impressive numbers. From what I’ve been able to watch of him, I think he’s going to have a nice career as a pro. That being said, Mariota is not the Andrew Luck many fans believe. He will need time to adjust to the pro game. He is likely the best QB available in this draft, but that doesn’t make him the answer to the Jets problems. I’d love to see what he could do for this team, but am not convinced he should be the primary target of the Jets top pick.