Monday Morning Quarterback: New York Jets vs. Minnesota Vikings

Another week, and not just another loss, but a new WAY to lose. The Jets fell to the Vikings in overtime by the score of 30-24, dropping this joke of a season to 2-11. The Jets have the Titans, the Patriots and the Dolphins to finish out the 2014 season, and likely the Rex Ryan era.

Let’s talk about it a little bit.

It seemed like we were in big trouble when Geno Smith threw a pick six on the first play from scrimmage. It felt like Mornhinweg was telling us, “OK, you want him to throw it? OK, here goes.” During the game I said “Be careful what you wish for.” It seemed like a long day was coming for the New York Jets.

But to his credit, Geno Smith got it together, and he kept the Jets in the game. We cannot put this one on Geno Smith, ladies and gentlemen. From that play forward, Smith was 18-28 passing for 258 yards and one touchdown. I think the Jets would take numbers like that from Geno Smith every game, each week.

Mistakes around Geno Smith are not his fault. It’s not his fault that Chris Ivory fumbled on the way to the endzone, ending a long drive deep into Vikings territory. He was moving the Jets right along up until that point. Geno Smith hit Jeff Cumberland in the hands for a would-be touchdown which would have changed the outcome of the game. It’s not Geno’s fault that it hit Cumberland’s hands and he dropped it.

The playcalling was much better this week for the Jets, hats off to Marty Mornhinweg for getting it together. The Jets ran the ball 42 times versus 32 pass plays. Overall, the Jets would take that breakdown every week. The Jets are good running team, entering the game second in the NFL. But, they aren’t good enough that they can run on every single play (nobody is), and they actually have to throw the ball once in a while. The Jets did that yesterday, and the result was a balanced gameplan.

Dec 7, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback

(5) passes against the New York Jets in the fourth quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Teddy Bridgewater checked down to a screen pass on what turned out to be the final play of the game. I know that Rex Ryan took responsibility for the call, but the Jets had it covered. There were guys right there to make the tackle, but the Jets couldn’t bring him down. Jarius Wright gets to the second level, he is gone, and so are the Jets, down to a record of 2-11.

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The other problem was production in the red zone. The Jets could not produce one touchdown in the red zone, and that would have made the difference in the football game. One touchdown. Even when you are playing a below average NFL team, you still need to score touchdowns. Nick Folk may have been back to his automatic self, but he still doesn’t score touchdowns. The Jets didn’t make the plays necessary to win this game, and that has been the story all season long.

The Jets don’t make enough plays to win games.

Sheldon Richardson is still a beast, though. Three sacks and a safety is one heck of a game. It’s a shame that the rest of the Jets defense couldn’t step up and play to his level.