Monday Morning Quarterback: New York Jets vs. Green Bay Packers

Sep 14, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; New York Jets quarterback

Geno Smith

(7) scrambles away from Green Bay Packers linebacker

Jamari Lattimore

(57) in the third quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning Jets fans. Have we all recovered from yesterday? Well, I have recovered well enough to talk about the game, without using expletives. It was tough to watch, the Jets taking a 21-3 lead only to fall by a 31-24 margin to the Green Bay Packers yesterday. Let’s get to the recap.

First let’s get this out of the way. The Jets emphatically did not lose the game because of a time out, or any other call made by the ref. By the way, if you haven’t seen the video that went around social media last night, Marty Mornhinweg did not call the time out. He might have been TRYING to call it, but Sheldon Richardson actually did call it. Marty might have wanted it, but clearly Sheldon went up to the ref, said something to him, and then the ref blew the play dead before the Kerley touchdown. The Jets did not get screwed there, nor did they lose the game there.

The Jets lost the game because when they had the Packers on the ropes, they couldn’t throw the knockout punch. If you want to be a great team in this league, when you have a team down like that,you have to knock them out. The Jets had the ball up 21-6. If they can keep the momentum, drive down the field and go up 28-6, you keep control of the game, and it may not even come down to the very end. If you let Aaron Rodgers get up that many times, he is going to beat you.

That is where the Jets lost this one, folks. By not keeping their foot on the gas and putting the game out of reach for even Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson.

By the way, don’t give Geno Smith a lot of grief for that interception down in the Packers’ end. No, you don’t wan that to happen obviously, but that one was not on him. He was hit down low as he threw, so he couldn’t step into the pass. Zach Sudfeld should have broken it up to save the Jets the turnover, but the interception is on the pass rush. Sudfeld was open, but the ball hung up in the air thanks to the hit on Geno.

This was a tale of two different games. In the first quarter, the Jets were playing like world beaters. They could do no wrong. Three possessions, three touchdowns is as good as we have ever seen the Jets play. The defense had Aaron Rodgers and the Packers looking very bad.

But it all fell apart from there.

Sep 14, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; New York Jets defensive end

Muhammad Wilkerson

(96) fights with Green Bay Packers offensive tackle

David Bakhtiari

(69) and defensive tackle

Damon Harrison

(94) tries to get between them in the third quarter at Lambeau Field. Wilkerson was ejected from the game. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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The bottom fell out, and the team lost their cool. I love that the Jets defend each other, but for Muhammad Wilkerson to lose his cool like that is unacceptable. Not only because he is the best player on the defense, but because he is a leader of said defense. The leader not only has to set an example with his play, he has to set an example with how he handles himself, and that did not happen for the Jets.

And why was Dee Milliner on Jordy Nelson last night? He might have been moving well early, but putting a guy who hasn’t played in a month, on the opponent’s top wide receiver, is crazy. Quite frankly, Dee Milliner looked like a guy that hadn’t played in a month. Darrin Walls wasn’t looking that bad against Nelson, you have to leave well enough alone. Walls hadn’t let Nelson get on top, so they should have not taken him off. Coaches have the problem of getting “too cute”, instead of just sticking to what works.

By the way, speaking of getting “too cute”, stop with the “Wildcat”. I am not going to go into the “rhythm” issues. I am simply going to say it doesn’t work. Does putting Michael Vick in at wide receiver fool anyone? No. Either he is going to be flipped the ball back in the pocket, or the play is going to the other side. The system had its time, now that time is over. The Jets need to realize this, and do it quickly.

The running game being totally ineffective was totally surprising, and did not help either.

But again, the difference in this one was not putting the Packers away when they had the chance. The Jets could have banked this one in the “win” column early. This happened last week against the Raiders as well, but the Raiders aren’t good enough to capitalize. You can’t allow Aaron Rodgers to get that many chances. The Jets did, and they lost because of it.

Thoughts on the game? Please sound off below in the comments.

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