PLAY OF THE GAME
Brett Favre saved his worst for last. Favre threw three interceptions to bring his league-high total to 22 and none was more brutal than his second-quarter pick to Miami defensive end Phillip Merling.
Press Conference Scheduled for 10 a.m. … Without Mangini
SERBY: Hey, Woody: It’s Time To Can-Gini
MORE: Playoff Dream Dies In Finale Vs. Chad, Dolphins
GREENBERG: Chad Tiding For Dolphins
The Dolphins had just taken a 7-6 lead when the Jets got the ball back at their own 29 with 2:12 left. Favre tried to throw a screen pass to Thomas Jones, but instead threw it to Merling, who dashed 25 yards for a touchdown to take a 14-6 lead.
Favre made a diving attempt at tackling Merling but missed. He got up holding his right arm and will have an MRI today.
The Jets eventually came back to regain the lead, but the play seemed to signify everything that went wrong this season. With a chance to answer the Dolphins, Favre and the Jets fell on their faces.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Any Jets or Jets fans who hoped to scoreboard watch Sunday couldn’t. The Baltimore-Jacksonville score was not shown on the out-of-town scoreboard. When Jacksonville took a brief 7-3 lead, the score was shown on the video screens, but never again.
That gave the Jets a hint of what was going on in Baltimore.
“I pretty much figured it out when they showed the score in the first quarter and we didn’t see it again for the rest of the game,” tight end Chris Baker said. “We knew New England had already won and then they didn’t show the score again in the second half we knew it obviously wasn’t going too well. It wasn’t too hard to figure out.”
BREAKDOWN
The Jets colossal collapse came to its completion with the 24-17 loss. This was the Jets fourth loss in their final five games after they showed so much promise in November.
The Jets actually played their best game in five weeks, but Favre was terrible. The team now is left searching for answers about what happened after big wins in New England and Tennesee. The 9-7 finish is a four-game improvement from last year, but no one is taking solace in that.
PHOTOS: Chad Tidings For Dolphins
UP NEXT
Decision time. Woody Johnson must decide whether to keep Eric Mangini. Brett Favre must decide whether he wants to keep playing. And if he does, the Jets must then decide whether they want Favre to come back.
Johnson said he will make a decision on Mangini this week. The Favre drama, as we all know, could drag on all winter.
The Jets thought they’d be preparing for the playoffs this week. Instead, they’re cleaning out their lockers.