NY Jets: A lament by a true fan

Are the NY Jets a cursed franchise? A lament by a true fan of the team that searches his soul as to why things never go the way they’re supposed to for Gang Green.

As we all know, the Jets lost to the Buffalo Bills dashing their hopes for a playoff berth. It was another hard fought scrap between these two divisional rivals, but Rex Ryan’s Bills out played the Jets in every aspect of the game. In both of their meetings with the Bills this year, turnovers were the difference maker, the Jets beat themselves on both occasions. So as a long time Jet fan, I offer the following lament.

To Woody Johnson, Mike Maccagnan, Todd Bowles and Chan Gailey,

I’d like to thank you for the additions of Brandon Marshall, Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine, Marcus Gilchrist, James Carpenter and all of the rest of the great additions you so graciously showered Jet fans with this season. The additions are too numerous to list here, but thank you for all of them!

Thank you for exciting the fan base to a level that hasn’t been seen in many, many years. The hysteria surrounding this team was a ton of fun. For the first time since 2011, Jet fans were solidly behind their team and the squabbling had died away! Conversations about playoffs spots and even a possible Super Bowl run abounded before the Jets even took the first snap of the year. The atmosphere around the team this season was electric.

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When Ryan Fitzpatrick became “Ryan Fitzmagic,” things were at the highest noise level ever heard in MetLife Stadium.

Marshall, Eric Decker and Fitzpatrick’s assault on the Jet record books only added to the excitement. With Chris Ivory inching toward his first ever 1,000 yard season and the Jets posting a five-game winning streak, Jet fans were bursting with pride. You guys did an awesome job building our fan base up for a fantastic season and you delivered.

Sadly, you guys couldn’t break the “Jet Curse.” You gentlemen may not believe that there is any such thing, as you are all relatively new, but I’m convinced that it is real. The complete melt down of the team on Sunday with everything on the line has been seen by my aging eyes, many times before. It is the curse! The fan base of this franchise has seen more devastating losses due to complete melt downs, than any other I can bring to mind at the moment. I could name them for you, but I’d rather not recall them after that travesty on Sunday. The pain is simply too great.

It always seems to be the same story for the Jets, sometimes I’ve wondered why I have remained a fan of the Jets for so long. I have too much invested to abandon them now, so I continue. They tease us with glory, only to rain on our parade in the end. Way back when I believe the course of the Jet franchise was written in stone, when Joe Namath predicted a Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl III. The football god’s smiled on the Jets that day, but the price has proven high.

Jan 31, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New York Jets former quarterback Joe Namath on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

As a fan base we’ve seen the results time and time again. Touchdowns on fake spikes, butt fumbles, interceptions to end games and seasons, just like we saw again on Sunday. These things, and many more, don’t happen to other teams with the frequency that they happen to the Jets, they are a result of the “curse.” How else can you explain Fitzpatrick’s three awful interceptions, after he had only one in the last five games?

How do you explain, possibly the greatest cornerback in NFL history, getting scorched for more yards than anyone could imagine? It’s all inexplicable, believe me, I’ve tried for years to come up with another explanation. So, today I lament, tomorrow I’ll be a loyal Jet fan once again.

I still believe you guys might be the guys to break the curse, but I’ve had those hopes dashed by prior staffs before too. As the old Jet fans logo goes “we’ll get get them next year” it will definitely be fun to see how you guys bounce back for this and prepare for 2016.

Have a great off season for us, the Jet fan in me thinks you are building something special. A few more pieces, one more year and the fact that you guys brought some pretty good success in your first year with a new regime, gives us hope for a bright future.

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Thanks for the memories but as I sleep at night over these next few days, I hope the nightmares don’t return.

Signed,

Paul, long suffering Jets fan and believer in the curse

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