MILDCAT: Tim Tebow hands off to Joe McKnight in the second quarter, Tebow’s only snap of the game and likely his last for Gang Green after a failed season in New York. (Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK — Woody Johnson could not even bear to watch.
The Jets owner skipped his team’s season finale yesterday against the Bills — a 28-9 loss that gives them a final record of 6-10 and sends the franchise into an offseason of uncertainty.
Johnson is expected to make several changes to the team with general manager Mike Tannenbaum and offensive coordinator Tony Sparano likely the first to go. Head coach Rex Ryan is expected to be brought back, but everything seems to be on the table right now. Ryan said he has been given no assurances from Johnson that he will be back.
Johnson rarely misses a game, but stayed home for this one.
The Jets finished this dismal season with three straight losses and had another inept offensive performance. It was the seventh game in which they scored 10 points or fewer. The defense kept the Jets in the game for three quarters, but the offense kept failing to capitalize.
“This game was a microcosm right here of everything we’ve done this year,” linebacker Calvin Pace told The Post. “I know those guys [on offense] are trying. It’s one of those things, man, when you’re dealing with professional football and the best of the best, trying isn’t good enough — trying will get everybody fired.”
VOTE: WHO SHOULD THE JETS BRING BACK IN 2013?
That now becomes the question: Who is staying and who is going?
CBS Sports reported yesterday the Jets have hired Jed Hughes of Korn/Perry International as a consultant to lead their search for a new general manager. The Jets scheduled a press conference with Ryan for today at 4:45 p.m. The team did not say when Johnson will speak to the media.
ESPN reported before yesterday’s game the Jets were going to fire Sparano. If he is a one-and-done coordinator, he went out with a whimper. The Jets moved the ball, but could not reach the end zone against a team that ranked No. 31 in the NFL in scoring defense entering the game.
Sparano declined comment as he left the locker room. A source described the relationship between Sparano and Ryan as “strained” in recent weeks. It would be surprising if he remained with the team despite having two years left on his contract.
Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s contract is up, and he could be leaving.
Ryan refused to address his future or that of anyone else in the organization. He has two years and $6 million remaining on his deal.
“The future is going to be addressed at a different time,” Ryan said.
The Jets clearly need to overhaul their offense. Quarterback Mark Sanchez had another awful day, with two more turnovers to bring his season total to 26 for the second straight year. Sanchez did nothing to convince anyone he deserves to be the starting quarterback in 2013. His expensive contract likely means he will be back, but it certainly will be with competition for the starter’s job.
The Jets averaged 17.6 points per game.
“The fact of the matter is the way football is played now, it’s about points,” Pace said. “You have to be able to score. You’ve got to be able to score. All the rules are tailored for the offenses. You have to be able to score.”
The defense was clearly annoyed with the offense again. When he was first approached by reporters, Pace said, “Talk to 6 and 15,” referring to Sanchez and Tim Tebow. Linebacker Bart Scott declined to speak to reporters.
Tebow’s time with the Jets likely ended with him playing one snap in the game, making a handoff.
The Jets started the game running the ball well on the Bills, who finished tied with the Jets in the AFC East cellar at 6-10. They opened up with five straight runs and drove the ball 47 yards in 12 plays before settling for a Nick Folk field goal. Sanchez then gave the Bills their first points with his 18th interception of the season, which was returned 20 yards for a touchdown by Bryan Scott.
Two more field goals gave the Jets a 9-7 lead before Bills running back C.J. Spiller took a short pass from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick 66 yards through the defense for a touchdown. The Jets would never lead again.
The final indignity came when former Jet Brad Smith scored a 4-yard touchdown from the Wildcat formation, the same kind of play the Jets talked about so much when they acquired Tebow, who did not score one touchdown this season.
The Jets now enter their second straight January with no playoffs. Plenty of changes are coming after a season cornerback Antonio Cromartie called “piss poor.”
“That’s the only way you can sum it up,” Cromartie said. “You go out, and for one, we can’t score points. Guys turn over the ball. Those are some of the things you can’t do in this business. This is a win-first business, and we’ve got to do everything we can to try to win games.”
brian.costello@nypost.com