NY Jets: Losing the turnover battle proves costly

The NY Jets didn’t lose against the Buffalo Bills due to Rex Ryan, they lost because they couldn’t win the ever important turnover battle.

It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that the Jets fielded a top ranked NFL defense. Nobody could do anything against them whether they tried on the ground or dared through the air. It also seems that the Jets’ defense has lost some of its mojo and they aren’t doing what they did best.

Injuries are a part of the game but at the end of the day, the true strength of the team lies in the guys that step up for those that are hurt. The depth the Jets have at key positions on defense with the exception of a few just aren’t getting the job done when they’re subbed in to execute.

The Jets spent some serious money this off-season upgrading their defensive secondary but lately teams have been able to get away with big plays through the air pretty easily. Heck, even running backs have been able to break through to their second line of defense and just keep adding on yards. It seems the Jets have forgotten the fundamentals of sticking to assignments and wrapping up opponents in tackles.

It’s to the point where when one looks at the Bills vs Jets game, it’s not hard to figure out why Gang Green lost. Not only did they fail to capitalize on plenty of opportunities to put this game away and leave victorious, the Jets failed to win the turnover battle against the Bills.

Considering the Bills had two interceptions and two fumbles recovered, most of the time you’re going to win a game due to the turnovers alone. Not only did the Bills score points off of them, they also had great field positioning to once again, keep the Jets from coming back to win.

Nov 12, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Corey Graham (20) intercepts a pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Head coach Todd Bowles has much work ahead of him to bounce back from all this. Here is what he had to say about the turnover battle, courtesy of the Media Relations Department of the Jets:

On if he feels this is a game the Jets should have won…

No. You lose games for a reason. We lost the game because (we lost) the turnover battle. I’m not going to look back and say we should have won this game. We were in it. We fought hard. We didn’t play situational football. We didn’t execute in the red zone. We turned the ball over on our end of the field.

Needless to say, the Jets have to take this game for what it’s worth, hit the film room and move onto their next game against the Houston Texans. Time is of the essence as one better believe, they can’t afford another game like this as the season will continue to progress and hopefully, they get back to winning confidently again.