The New York Jets are simply ‘Lambs for Slaughter’ in 2019

The 2019  New York Jets (0-3)  are going nowhere fast. No team in NFL history has so badly needed the arrival of a Week 4 bye.

This game was over faster than Trevor Siemian‘s 19-minute New York Jets career. The 30-14 final score — which failed to cover the 22-point spread — did not reflect the bloodbath this contest devolved into.

The offense was putrid; the abominable O-line manhandled in every way possible. The defense didn’t perform terribly but they never stood a chance against Tom Brady‘s crew. This has fast become a nightmarish situation.

The Jets’ only scores came on Bemidji State star Gunner Olszewski‘s muffed punt return recovered in the end zone by CB reserve Arthur Maulet and Jamal Adams‘ 61-yard pick-six on mop-up QB Jarrett Stidham.

In New England’s statistically most dominant defensive performance of the Bill Belichick era, Gang Green looked like lambs for the slaughter. Speaking of wolf’s blood, the Patriots crowd went nuts when the Foxboro DJ cranked up Danzig’s “Mother” on a big third-down stand.

The Jets make excuses for their long injury list. But New England played without starting linemen, running backs and a receiver named Antonio Brown. But somehow the Patriots were able to maneuver within their limitations. You know that if they had an offensive juggernaut the likes of Ty Montgomery, he would not have only touched the ball twice, for a combined one total yard.

The Jets mercifully get a week off to lick their wounds before facing a banged-up and desperate Philadelphia Eagles, who will be playing with their hair afire. Here are three metal-themed subjects to address going into a rest week.

Next: 3. Possession

3.  Possession

These Jets have displayed a historically bad offense. Both the defense and special teams have outscored their “innovative” quarterback whisperer’s offense. Adam Gase excoriated his offense as “atrocious” — but what does that actually say for his own coaching acumen?

The Jets set some kind of NFL record with their third QB in three games. Luke Falk (12-of-22, 98 yards, one interception), who grew up a big Tom Brady fan, offered strong leadership. But he has a weak arm, and the overwhelmed O-line could’ve gotten him killed out there.

The Jets’ O-line might be the worst in the NFL. They left Falk vulnerable (sacked 5 times, hit hard 10 times).  Le’Veon Bell (18 carries, 35 yards) got wrecked on numerous occasions, none so much as on a QB to RB hand-off that resulted in a seven-yard loss!

The Jets desperately need a playmaker to step in and contribute. Jamison Crowder has been silent since his season-opening big game. Missing-in-action tight end Ryan Griffin (one reception for five yards) butchered his new lease on life, in for suspended Chris Herndon. Wideout Robby Anderson (three receptions for 11 yards) is another Mike Maccagnan signing playing his way out of a big payday. Cut-day signee Braxton Berrios — who has surpassed Josh Bellamy on the depth chart — led this motley crew with two catches for 29 yards.

It’s probably a mixed blessing that Sam Darnold has mono because he could never survive a full season behind this current blocking arrangement. Something drastic must be done to address the O-line before Week 5 in Philadelphia ends disastrously.

Next: 2. Blood and Tears

2. Blood and Tears

The Jets knew they couldn’t allow the big play. They knew they needed to generate a pass rush, and they knew they missed too many easy tackles. But all game long, the Jets D seemingly fell for every Brady play-action fake.

The collapse began on the Patriots’ 88-yard opening drive, spurred by a botched defensive assignment on a 3rd and 1 that resulted in Ryan Izzo’s 41-yard ramble over the middle. The highlight of the Jets early game was the ensuing missed Stephen Gostkowski PAT.

Gregg Williams’ defense made a valiant stand last week against the Browns. This week, the same held true for a while. Tom Brady aired it out against dead-man-walking CB Trumaine Johnson, and the sack-less pass rush of Leonard Williams, the latter trending towards the most overrated D-lineman in modern NFL history.

TJ got called out this week for having lost his love of football. In Foxboro, he made three nice tackles but never touched the QB. The same stat line for 2015 first-rounder Williams; whose biggest impact in the game was a third-down penalty that left the Patriots on the field to score.  The D-line more or less stabilized when either undrafted Kyle Phillips or Foley Fatukasi replaced “The Big Cat.”

The Jets desperately need pass-rush help, which makes Maccagnan’s selection of recently waived Seawhawk Jachai Polite even worse than taking the unemployable Christian Hackenberg. How is that humanly possible?

Next: 1. Long Way Back From Hell

1. Long Way Back From Hell

The most stinging indictment came post-game, with various new veteran players politely saying that they’d been out-coached. Poor player execution is one thing, but out-smarted coaches — in every facet of the game — is a whole ‘nother level.

The slow-reacting coaching, the conservative play-calling, the sloppy execution, and the overall football IQ need a complete overhaul. But can an extra week of rest really provide such a cure-all?

But the Jets have shown poor communication skills, both on and off the field. For Instance, Jamal Adams responded badly to his first benching; by “unfollowing” the team on social media and cutting all NYJ mentions in his bios.

The next day, Coach Gase insisted “33” was not benched but left to cool off during the last minutes of a lost contest. Hours later, the NFL announced Adams’ $21K fine for his cheap shot on Baker Mayfield. All of this bad blood could’ve easily been avoided.

In his 20 years coaching New England, Bill Belichick had never once traded with his nemesis Jets. Two weeks ago, when he finally did, he toyed with Gang Green, heisting a sixth-rounder for damaged-goods Demaryius Thomas — out again this week with a reinjured hamstring. (Last week, the aging  ex-Broncos wideout left the Browns game after one catch for minus-one yards.)

Not counting Trumaine Johnson’s impending 2020 salary dump, the Jets have 32 free agents going into next season. After two games, no more than a dozen of these players deserve to be retained. Call this 2019 season another re-rebuild.