NY Jets: Top 3 takeaways from Week 3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts

The NY Jets lost yet another lifeless game, this time falling to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3.

The NY Jets lost again on Sunday in exactly the way that everyone expected them to — complete and utter domination.

For the third consecutive week, the Jets put forth a lifeless, embarrassing performance en route to a commanding defeat at the hands of their opponents. In each of their games this season, the Jets haven’t even looked like they belonged on the same field as their foes.

And in reality, they probably don’t.

The Jets aren’t playing football right now. They’re playing some sport that resembles the game that we know and love — it sure features a lot of the same elements. But there’s something different about it.

Maybe it’s their lack of ability to string together anything positive on offense. Or maybe it’s their lack of discipline on defense that has their unit looking like one of the worst in the NFL. It’s probably a combination of both.

Whatever the cause, the Jets aren’t playing the same sport as their opponents each week. And the dreadful final score of 36-7 in their Week 3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts represents that.

What can we possibly take away from yet another shameful blowout loss? Let’s begrudgingly take a look.

Next: 3. Adam Gase isn't the only problem, but he is a problem

3. Adam Gase isn’t the NY Jets’ only problem, but he is a problem

What more is there to say about Adam Gase at this point? It seems that the entire football world — fans, media, and executives alike — knows that he’s in over his head and not fit to be an NFL head coach.

Apparently everyone except for Jets’ owner Christopher Johnson who has still yet to pull the plug on this woeful pairing. Perhaps that plug will finally be pulled if the Jets put together a similar showing this week against Denver.

Facing an 0-3 Broncos team that could be starting their third-string quarterback, Gase can ill-afford another blowout loss. But based on what we’ve seen thus far, it seems probable.

Gase is a problem — we all know this. He may even be the biggest problem with the organization. But he’s far from the only problem this team is facing.

If Gase is fired midseason, the Jets’ current prospects don’t change very much. Their roster was likely the worst in the league entering the season before it was ravaged by injuries. At this point, it’s just laughable to see the players the Jets are throwing out there each week.

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Of the 22 starters the Jets trotted out on Sunday, maybe half of them would be starters on most other teams — and even that might be pushing it.

The offense will be bad without Gase barring a miraculous turnaround brought on by the returns of the likes of Jamison Crowder, Denzel Mims, and company.

The defense, well it’s hard to blame any of that on Gase. Gregg Williams deserves just as much criticism for the performance of his unit this season.

Gase is a problem that the Jets need to fix. But he’s far from the only problem for a franchise that’s a besmirchment to the entire NFL.

Next: 2. The defense is almost as bad as the offense

2. The NY Jets’ defense is almost as bad as their offense

The Jets’ defense was expected to take a step back after a surprising 2019 campaign that saw the unit finish top-10 in DVOA, per Football Outsiders.

But no one expected this level of regression in 2020.

The Jets’ defense is an absolute trainwreck right now and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that they’ve played almost as poorly as the offense.

They allowed a 38-year-old Philip Rivers to complete 17-of-21 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown. He played so well that he was allowed to sit in the fourth quarter in favor of Jacoby Brissett.

Rivers was aided by the complete lack of a Jets’ pass-rush as the team finished with just one QB hit throughout the entire game. As a result, the pass defense struggled — although they likely would have regardless.

Gang Green already entered the week with a league-leading 40 broken tackles (nearly 55 percent more than any other team in the NFL) and they bolstered that total on Sunday.

Whether it was Blessuan Austin, Bradley McDougald, or a slew of other Jets defenders, the tackling woes continued. McDougald was even injured on a whiffed tackle attempt in the second half quite literally adding injury to insult.

The Jets defense is bad right now. Firing Gase doesn’t solve that, and I’m not sure any immediate move will.

Next: 1. The Jets have broken Sam Darnold

1. The NY Jets have broken Sam Darnold

It’s taken them three years, but they’ve finally done it. The Jets have broken Sam Darnold.

The Jets managed to take a fantastic quarterback prospect with outstanding talent and a great head on his shoulder and completely run him into the dirt.

This wasn’t a quick-hitter either. The Jets didn’t immediately throw Darnold into the fire. Rather, they slowly made his situation worse in each of his three seasons, meticulously breaking his will and regressing his skills.

I’m not sure we can go back from this point. Perhaps Darnold finds a new home with a new coaching staff and manages to turn his career around. Heck, it worked for Ryan Tannehill.

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But it’s hard to see Darnold succeeding with the Jets. And his Week 3 performance furthers that notion.

Darnold tossed three ugly interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. He missed open receivers, took an ill-advised safety in the fourth quarter (although he was playing with two backup tackles), and looked completely lost for pretty much the entire game.

Let’s face the facts. Darnold has regressed from year two to year three. He’s a shell of his former self.

His weaknesses are amplified on a weekly basis in an offense that does everything possible to expose them. Meanwhile, his strengths have slowly disappeared to the point where he no longer has an identity as a quarterback.

Sure, he’ll make one or two highlight-reel plays each week that remind you of his talent. But those are quickly wiped away by abysmal mistakes that make you question how he’s a starting quarterback in the NFL right now.

Darnold is broken. That’s the fault of Adam Gase, Mike Maccagnan, and yes even Joe Douglas.

But more specifically, it’s the fault of the entire Jets organization. This franchise has broken Sam Darnold.

And I’m not sure he can be fixed.