The Jets season has been a game of “odds and evens” through their first nine games. They win when it’s an odd week and lose when it’s an even week.
The pattern of alternating wins and losses has the Jets at 5-4 at their bye week. With expectations as low as they could get from media and fans in August, the fact the Jets are in the playoff hunt at all means it has been a good first half (plus) for Gang Green.
But now expectations have been raised. Upset wins over the Falcons, Patriots and Saints have Jets fans thinking playoffs for this team. The schedule softens over the final seven games. Of the Jets’ seven remaining opponents, only the Panthers (5-3) enter Sunday over .500.
The problem for the Jets has been consistency. From rookie quarterback Geno Smith through a banged up wide receivers group and a disappointing secondary, the Jets have not put together consistent efforts from week to week. Their past two games provide a perfect snapshot: a 49-9 loss to the Bengals followed by a 26-20 victory over the Saints.
One of the two versions of the Jets is going to take hold down the stretch. If it’s the “good Jets,” they could make a run deep into January. If it’s the “bad Jets,” they could be watching the playoffs and coach Rex Ryan may be packing up his office.
Here is a look at the Jets at he break:
WORST MOMENT
Geno Smith has 16 turnovers and it has to be one of them. The last one he threw could be his low point this season. Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones picked off Smith in the fourth quarter and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown, Smith’s second pick-six of the day. The touchdown gave the Bengals a 49-9 lead and showed Smith, who was benched after that play, still has a long way to go.
BEST MOMENT
Tom Brady and the Patriots were leading 21-10 at halftime of the second meeting between the two teams, and it felt like the Patriots could take over the game in the second half. Then, Jets safety Antonio Allen stepped in front of tight end Rob Gronkowski and intercepted Brady’s first pass of the second half, returning it 23 yards for a touchdown that cut the score to 21-17 and completely swung the momentum in the Jets’ favor.
BEST PLAYER
Muhammad Wilkerson is showing why the Jets fell in love with him before the 2011 draft. The 315-pound defensive end has been a force for the defense, stuffing the run and rushing the quarterback. He leads the team with eight sacks and also has an interception and two forced fumbles. With Darrelle Revis gone, Wilkerson is now the best player on the Jets.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER
The Jets have had a varying cast of wide receivers this season, but one guy they thought they could count on this year was second-year receiver Stephen Hill. Instead, Hill has been invisible for much of the year. He has 23 catches for 340 yards and one touchdown. He had a big game against the Bills with 103 receiving yards and a long touchdown, but has vanished since then. Hill did not have a catch last week against the Saints.
REASONS FOR DESPAIR
The secondary has looked terrible at times. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie has slipped from his Pro Bowl form of a year ago. Rookie cornerback Dee Milliner already has been benched in two games. The safeties show promise but have not been consistent. The good news for the Jets is they don’t face any top quarterbacks the rest of the way, but expect teams to test this group.
REASONS FOR HOPE
The Jets survived the tough part of their schedule, going 3-2 in a five-game stretch against teams expected to be contenders when the season started. Now, they have a bunch of teams that are just like them — inconsistent. The two games against the Dolphins look like they will be crucial. A trip to the playoffs could be on the line when the two teams meet in the final game of the year in South Florida.
SECOND GUESS
New general manager John Idzik has found a few wide receivers during the season who have been contributors in David Nelson, Josh Cribbs and Greg Salas. But Idzik should have addressed this position in the offseason either in free agency or the draft. The Jets’ lack of playmakers has hurt them at times this season and it could haunt them again.
FIRST GUESS
The Jets need to stick to the offensive formula they showed against the Saints, which means a heavy dose of running backs Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell. It is not offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg’s style, but it plays to the strengths of this unit. Let Smith make a play here or there, but don’t ask him to do too much. With this defense and a good running game, the Jets could be tough to beat.
CRYSTAL BALL
The schedule sets up nicely for the Jets, with their toughest opponents behind them. They should be able to go 4-3 to finish 9-7. That should be good enough to get the second wild card in the AFC.
GRADES
OFFENSE
Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has done a great job piecing things together with no stars. WR Santonio Holmes, the team’s top playmaker, has missed five games with a hamstring injury and TE Kellen Winslow has missed four to a PED suspension. QB Geno Smith has had some good moments … and some bad. Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell could be a good running back duo late in the season.
GRADE: C+
DEFENSE
Roles have reversed on Rex Ryan’s defense. It used to be the Jets were stronger on the back end and weak up front. Now the defensive line is the strength of the team and the defensive backs the weak link. The line of Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Damon Harrison has been unstoppable and the reason the Jets are No. 1 against the run.
GRADE: A-
SPECIAL TEAMS
There is no argument over who the most consistent Jets player has been. Kicker Nick Folk is a perfect 23-for-23 on field goals. Mr. Reliable has led the way for the Jets’ special teams unit. The return units have not done much, but Josh Cribbs, signed last month, looks like a major upgrade as the team’s primary returner. Punter Ryan Quigley has been inconsistent.
GRADE: B
COACHING
Rex Ryan entered the year coaching for his job. So far, he looks like he’ll save it. Ryan has found a way to make his players believe they are better than the sum of their parts and has played on the low expectations from outside the team. Marty Mornhinweg has been just what the Jets needed as offensive coordinator. He is aggressive, but also knows when to adapt to his personnel. He has shown he can call games in different ways depending on what the Jets have available at the time. Dennis Thurman and Ryan have the defense playing at a high level, despite seven new starters.
GRADE: A