After a week of talking trash with the Dolphins, that is exactly what the Jets played like — trash.
Miami came to MetLife Stadium and stunned the Jets, 30-9, sending the Jets to 3-5 and putting their season at a critical crossroads. As October ends, the Jets’ playoff hopes are dim.
“This one is tough to accept,” coach Rex Ryan said. “We have to find a way to get better. I’m blown away by it because it might have been as good a week of practice and preparation as we’ve had.”
All of that preparation and practice went out the window as the Dolphins jumped all over the Jets with an aggressive attack in a first half that included an onside kick, a blocked punt and a blocked field goal. The Dolphins took a 20-0 lead before halftime as the Jets seemed stunned. The Dolphins did their damage with backup quarterback Matt Moore in for an injured Ryan Tannehill.
Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez struggled mightily in the first half and heard loud “Tebow” chants in the second. The fans at MetLife Stadium booed him loudly when he took the field for a series after throwing an interception.
After the game, Ryan said he did not consider benching Sanchez and is not contemplating a quarterback switch to backup Tim Tebow as the Jets enter their bye week.
“I believe in Mark,” Ryan said. “I think Mark has proven he can win in this league. I think he gives us our best chance to win. That’s my opinion and that’s the one that matters.”
The Jets and Dolphins spent the week trading barbs through the media. The ill will was clear on the field early with both teams jawing after the whistle. Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie picked up a personal foul less than two minutes into the game when he head-butted Dolphins running back Reggie Bush. That moved Miami deep into Jets’ territory and Dan Carpenter kicked a 33-yard field goal to give the Dolphins a 3-0 lead.
“I didn’t lose my composure,” Cromartie said. “I just called him a punk and that’s exactly what he is.”
After the field goal, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin boldly called for an onside kick that the Dolphins recovered. Miami dominated the Jets in special teams all day. With 4:03 left in the first quarter, Dolphins safety Jimmy Wilson blocked Robert Malone’s punt from the Jets’ 20 and Olivier Vernon recovered it in the end zone to give the Dolphins a 10-0 lead.
The Jets offense struggled to find any rhythm with four three-and-outs in the first half.
“It just didn’t work,” said Sanchez, who had a fumble and an interception. “That’s the way it went. Sometimes those things happen and we couldn’t ask for a worse time for it, but [there were] just too many miscues. It was really unfortunate because that was a big game for us.”
The Dolphins brought a ton of pressure the Jets could not handle. Sanchez was sacked four times, including one by Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll that caused a fumble. Moore, who entered the game when Tannehill injured his left knee and quadriceps in the first quarter, led the Dolphins to another score, making it 17-0 on a Daniel Thomas 3-yard run.
The Jets never got off the floor despite some stat-padding in the second half.
“It’s humiliating, to be honest with you,” Jets receiver Chaz Schilens said. “They won the game, but I don’t think they’re a better team than us.”
They were yesterday.
The Jets are now 3-5 and in last place in the AFC East. After the bye week, the Jets have trips to Seattle and St. Louis before a Thanksgiving home game with the Patriots. The season could slip away soon.
“You’re either going to put up or shut up at the end of the day,” Cromartie said. “Right now, it’s time for us to shut up and try to start putting up and doing the things that we need to try to do.”
If the Jets continue to lose, their quarterback situation is only going to draw more focus. The MetLife Stadium crowd loudly chanted “Tebow” in the third quarter. Moments later, Sanchez threw his eighth interception of the season, bringing out the boos.
“There’s nothing I can do about it,” Sanchez said. “You’re playing in a big market, and this is a grown man’s game. … They want results and we’re not playing well, so they’re going to call for someone else. It doesn’t matter.”
Sanchez’s teammates were not as forgiving.
“That chant is BS,” Schilens said. “I think the fans are out of place. They’re [upset]. They have a right to be [upset].” “It’s disheartening,” said linebacker Aaron Maybin, who had zero tackles. “I guess we’re all at a point right now where we’re all looking for some answers.”
The Jets players could be as frustrated as the fans.