JETS 101

With six weeks to play in the 2011 season, the New York Jets sit second in the AFC East at 5-5 and tied for seventh in the conference with Buffalo, Tennessee and Denver. At the moment, the 7-3 Steelers and 6-4 Bengals would represent the AFC North as the Wild Card teams.

With the Jets just one game out of a playoff spot in what has been a crazy AFC race up to this point, many are still holding out hope for a third straight playoff berth, which would inevitably lead to an opportunity for another improbable Wild Card run. Looking at the Jets team this season compared to the last two, however, shows this is nothing but false hope.

While Mark Sanchez has played well in his limited playoff experience during his first two seasons, the Jets won mostly in spite of him. Whether it was his turnover-plagued rookie season or the continued inefficiency of his second season, Sanchez was not the reason the Jets made the playoffs or won while they were there. His stellar play in those four games was just one of the reasons they didn't lose.

In Rex Ryan's first two seasons, the Jets defense was awesome. In 2009, they were an unbelievable 514 yards better than anybody else in terms of total defense. In 2010 they were no slouches either, ranking third in the NFL. Despite sitting seventh in the NFL this season thanks to their sixth-ranked pass defense, the Jets have struggled against the run (17th this season after ranking eighth in 2009 and third in 2010).

Not only do the yardage stats tell a story, but the Jets are 18th in points allowed after being first in 2009 and sixth in 2010. Part of the blame for the defenses' struggles can be attributed to consistent three-and-outs from the offense, which have forced the defense to fatigue while being on the field for far too many snaps.

The other part can be attributed to aging players at key positions and an inability to bring in consistent pass-rushing defensive ends or safeties who excel in coverage. The NFL is a rapidly changing league and one that adjusts quickly. For those who say the Broncos can't sustain success with Tim Tebow running the option, why would they think the Jets could sustain more than a few seasons of success with a blitz-happy scheme that consistently leaves their corners and safeties to cover one-on-one?

The other issue with the 2011 version of the Jets is the deterioration of the ground game. Part of this can be thrown on the offensive line's early struggles, but that group has come around some of late. When you drop from first in the league in 2009 and fourth in 2010 to 25th this season, there has to be another reason.

That reason is the lack of a true lead back. Thomas Jones may have been on his last legs in 2009, but those legs were still churning to the tune of 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns. LaDainian Tomlinson's last legs were on display last season and while he struggled in the second half, Shonn Greene was fresh enough to keep the ground-and-pound mantra alive.

This season, without an old back on guard to carry the load, Greene has struggled as the team's primary ball carrier. It's legitimate to question his ultimate potential as he's already 26 years old, was a one-year wonder at Iowa and has seen his yards-per-carry average drop from 5.0 in 2009 to 4.1 in 2010 and 3.9 this year, which also coincides with an increasing workload.

Maybe Greene just isn't the lead back Jets fan thought they had when he was running all over Cincinnati and San Diego in the 2010 playoffs and closing out the Patriots to make the AFC Championship Game last season. Without a veteran like Jones or Tomlinson to keep him fresh for the season's second half, Greene has dealt with a few nagging injuries as well. All in all, it's been an unimpressive audition for Greene in the lead back role.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez has struggled at times this season and while everybody is quick to toss the blame on him, it's tough when you're handcuffed by the play-calling of Brian Schottenheimer, who stands no chance of returning to the Jets once his contract is up at the end of the season. Just look at this play from the New England game and you will know everything you need to about the lack of creativity in Schottenheimer's gameplans.

It's no wonder the Jets receivers can't get any separation from defenders. When corners and safeties know there are only three-to-five different combinations in the route tree, it's simple to diagnose what the offense is doing. How about a stop-and-go or a slant-corner every once in a while? It's like the phrase "double move" is foreign to Schottenheimer.

Sanchez is not a world beater at quarterback; he's proven that much in his short career. He has also proven that he can take a team with a good defense and solid running game deep into the playoffs as a game manager.

Sanchez has been better at times this season, while looking like he's regressed at others. It's tough for a quarterback to play when his running game is struggling, especially considering Sanchez's abilities on play action. The chicken or the egg argument comes to mind when discussing he and Schottenheimer, however.

Does Schottenheimer's offense lack creativity because he knows Sanchez is limited as his quarterback? Or is Sanchez ineffective because defenses can sit on slants and curls all day? That's exactly what happened on Andre Goodman's pick-six in Denver last week and it will continue to happen until Schottenheimer stretches the field.

The bottom line here is this: The Jets window has closed. They had chances over the past two seasons, but couldn't get over the hump with a great running game and a stifling defense. Without those two things this season, they don't stand a chance.

I hate to say it, but it's time to say, "Better luck next season" for the Jets. Hopefully next season comes with a new offensive coordinator who can get the most out of a young quarterback. Maybe then we will see something out of Sanchez, who has shown potential but hasn't shown the ability to be the consistent NFL player he needs to be to hold down a starting job in the league.

Related Videos

Related posts

• New York Jets Vs. Denver Broncos: Week 11 Preview
• New York Jets Vs. Buffalo Bills: Jets 101 Roundtable
• New York Jets: What Did We Learn from Week 11?