FLORHAM PARK, NJ – I think it’s safe to say the Jets won the ugliest costume award this week. Hey, at least they won something on Sunday. After a 9-0 home shutout loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Jets must look themselves in the mirror and decide if they are the golden goose or the ugly duckling.

They seem to be falling back into the offensive struggling ways, after going four weeks in a row of scoring 28 points or more. The coaching decisions were most certainly in question that left the players in a tough position. Rex Ryan joined Eric Mangini and Rich Kotite — not the best of company —  as the only coaches to be shut out at home. Unfortunately this week’s Official JetsInsider.com Morning After Report is filled with poor marks.

(Writer’s note: As a personal admission, I will say that I was completely off with this week’s preview. I was truly expecting a showcase of offense and it turned out to be a complete 180. How dare these Jets make me look bad!)

PASSING: F

  • After going the first five games without throwing an interception, Mark Sanchez has a TD-INT ratio of 1-4 over his last two games. He takes the bullet for two strip-interceptions by Dustin Keller and Jerricho Cotchery. Although he took the brunt of the blame, credit his receivers and poor play calling as the reason for the once-again sputtering Jets offense.
  • Speaking of the receivers, they simply didn’t show up. They had five drops and two costly interceptions. Cotchery had 13 targets and only pulled down four passes. Santonio Holmes dropped a 5-yard pass in the hands that could’ve easily gone for a third. What’s even worse is that Holmes and Braylon Edwards would not comment to the media after the game, leaving the explaining to fellow receiver Cotchery. In dismal games like yesterday’s, camaraderie is imperative.
  • On the bright side, the offensive line kept Sanchez’s shirt clean for the most part. You give a pass on the Clay Matthews sack, as he’s been making that a regular thing this season. They allowed two sacks and three QB hits against a Packer defense that put up their best performance of the year thus far.

RUSHING: D+

  • With the longest runs of the day coming from the fleet-footed punter, Steve Weatherford (17 yards), and Sanchez (20 yards), it’s safe to say the rushing game was lacking their usual breakaway plays. LaDanian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene’s longest run of the day were eight yards.
  • For the second week in a row, Tomlinson has averaged under 4.0 yards per carry.
  • Former Jets DT Howard Green made them pay for calling the 375-pounder fat. He snuffed out a reverse on Cotchery (go figure) for an 8-yard loss.

Rex Ryan had little to smile at after becoming only the third Jets coach to be shut out at home. He joins the likes of Rich Kotite and Eric Mangini in that category. (JetsInsider.com Photo).

PASS DEFENSE: C+

  • The defense, per usual, was the brightest spot for the Jets, however that wasn’t enough for an above average grade. When the offense is struggling as they were, it’s up to the defense to create turnovers. The team with the best takeaway/giveaway average in the league was minus-3 on Sunday.
  • They kept Rodgers in check for most of the day, not allowing a touchdown, but did not create a turnover either. The Jets defense did have two sacks and five QB hits, but gave Rodgers a lot of time to find open receivers.
  • There was a blown coverage on the 30-yard completion to Greg Jennings following the Weatherford punting debacle. Cornerback Drew Coleman was in zone coverage while everyone else was in man-t0-man, allowing the space for Jennings to get open. The completion set-up the Packers first field goal.
  • Darrelle Revis seemed to look back to full health, but his play from last year is still no where to be seen. Teams are passing in his direction, challenging the All-Pro corner, which opposing offenses did little of last year.

RUSHING DEFENSE: B-

  • Of course the best grade of the day goes to the rushing defense! They gave up 81 total rushing yards, keeping up with their average of 90 yards per game.
  • The 27-yard rush by Brandon Jackson late in the second quarter was a fluke play, where the defense was expecting a deep pass.
  • No matter how the rest of the team, the rushing defense always comes to play. If there are any guarantees in life its: death, taxes, and a stout Rex Ryan rush defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D

  • I love the call by Weatherford on the fake punt rush, and he nearly had it. The Packers have a tendency to crash the left side real hard, and they did, and he saw an opportunity to make a big play for his team. But with hindsight being 20/20, however, the failed attempt ended up as three points for the Packers – which resulted as the game winner.
  • Nick Folk’s missed field goal attempt showed the writing on the wall for the Jets that Halloween was just not their day. The wind was considerable, however, he practices in these conditions daily. To let the visiting kicker out-kick you is embarrassing.
  • On the plus-side, Brad Smith did set the team up with great field position with a 47-yard return that was squandered by a three-and-out.

COACHING: F

  • Rex Ryan left himself with no red flags after whiffing twice on challenge plays. To top it off he made the comeback mountain even steeper by burning all three timeouts in a nine-second period in the fourth quarter. Had he saved one, it would’ve been likely that he’d get the ball back with just over three minutes to play, the two minutes warning, and the final timeout.
  • For the second straight week, the Jets went deep hoping for a big play or penalty flag. Only this time it wasn’t necessary. On third and fourth down with six minutes left in fourth quarter, Sanchez took two wasted shots at deep plays to Cotchery, when they only needed eight yards for the first down. Where’s Renaldo Hill when you need him?
  • As an attempt at desperation, Brian Schottenheimer took away Sanchez’s security blanket of any check-down passes, instead sending three and four receivers on vertical routes.

 
 
 

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