Thus far in 2016, the New York Jets have encountered ineptitude at every turn. What’s amazing is how quickly things went south for gang green. After losing a tight game to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Jets scored thirty-seven points in an impressive road victory against the Buffalo Bills. Matt Forte had one-hundred yards and three touchdowns. Ryan Fitzpatrick passed for over three-hundred yards and a score. Shortly after, he was named AFC quarterback of the week. Today, thirty-six days later, the Jets are a humbling 1-5, and any talk of contending for a super bowl is dead and buried. Their precipitous decline can be attributed to many factors, including quarterback play, pass coverage, and even coaching.
This article divides the Jets into nine distinct positional groups: running backs, quarterbacks, offensive line, wide receivers, defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backfield, coaching, and special teams. The groups will be ranked from best to worst. Or, more accurately, from least problematic to most problematic.
Ranking the Jets 2016 Positional Groups from Best to Worst
9. Defensive Line
The Jets defensive line has, by no means, been bad. The problem is, it hasn’t been particularly good either. A group that includes Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, and Leonard Williams simply must be great, and nothing less. A high standard to uphold, yes. But a fair standard, given the immense talent this unit has. Against the rush, the Jets have been elite, giving up just 85.5 yards a game. However, the defensive line has preformed less than admirably in their pass-rushing efforts, failing to generate pressure rushing four. That being said, the defensive line is the least of the Jets worries. To blame the Jets struggles on the line would be asinine, given the immense problems plaguing the team.
8. Wide Receivers
Brandon Marshall remains elite. Quincy Enunwa has continued his rapid development, emerging into a dangerous weapon. Marshall, Decker, and Enunwa would have made a formidable trio, the three should replicate their success next season. However, after losing Eric Decker for the season, the Jets no longer have the depth they once did. After Enunwa and Marshall, the Jets are reliant on Robby Anderson, Charone Peake, and Jalin Marshall. Although the three have shown unexpected potential, it’s far too early in the maturation process to expect consistent results. This is a promising unit for the Jets going forward, and as long as Marshall remains elite, the Jets will possess an effective group of wide receivers going forward.
7.Special Teams
After the 2015 fiasco, the Jets’s special teams was bound for improvement in 2016. The hire of Brant Boyer has worked well, as the Jets have yet to allow a monster return, as were common the year prior. However, the Jets have committed numerous egregious errors, the outcomes of which have been severely detrimental. Firstly, in week one, the Jets missed two kicks, totaling four points. That game, the Jets lost by one. While it would be naive to suggest that these kicks cost the Jets the win, the math speaks for itself. Secondly, in week three, Jalin Marshall fumbled a kickoff for a touchdown. As a whole, the unit has been solid, but mistakes need to be limited for it to be truly effective.
6. Linebackers
The Jets 2016 linebackers are a solid group, with one achilles heal: defending the running back. In week five against Le’veon Bell, the Jets inability to cover pass-catching backs doomed them, as the Steelers ‘dinked and dunked’ their way to thirty-one points. Until the linebacking core resolves their issues defending the pass, this unit will continue to struggle in an age of versatile running backs.
5. Coaching
Many will look to the poor clock management, the questionable offensive play-calling, or even Todd Bowles‘s conservative nature, as the most problematic elements of the Jets’s coaching. However, the most problematic function of the Jets’s coaching staff has been their misuse of players. Firstly, in regards to Sheldon Richardson, people must understand the importance of creativity. But Sheldon Richardson should not, under any circumstances, be playing middle linebacker. He was slotted at ILB on Monday night, a key reason David Johnson torched the team for over 100 yards.
Secondly, Lorenzo Mauldin has been used far too rarely. He flashed quite a bit last year in his rookie season, showing an explosive ability to rush the passer. If he were to develop into a formidable outside linebacker, the Jets struggling linebacking core would be much improved. Lastly, the underuse of Bilal Powell is perhaps the most frustrating personnel decision. Given Powell’s speed, elusiveness, and pass-catching ability, he deserves far more than twenty carries all season. Even with those limited carries, Powell has rushed for 119 yards, furthering proving his value. The Jets have made frustrating personnel moves, all three of which are proving to be detrimental to the success of the team.
4. Offensive Line
The Jets offensive line has been downright putrid this year, leaving the embattled Ryan Fitzpatrick with little time in the pocket. Is the line at fault more than Fitzpatrick? Not by a long shot. But the line has nonetheless been inadequate in all facets of the game. According to Football Outsiders.com, the Jets rank 20th overall in both run blocking and pass blocking. Fitzpatrick’s pocket has often collapsed in two or three seconds, creating problematic situations fro the mistake-prone quarterback. The offensive line is also partially at fault for the Jets inability to run the football. Forte often has nowhere to go, and when he does, the holes are minimal at best. The lone bright spot has been Brian Winters, ranked as one of the best guards in the league.
3. Rushing Offense
After boasting the league’s leading rusher in Chris Ivory a year ago, the Jets have not been able to run the ball in 2016. At all. Matt Forte has been a non-factor for four straight weeks, and the Jets have yet to give Bilal Powell an opportunity to jump-start the attack. The effects have been devastating. The Jets are not built to be a one-dimensional passing attack, not with Ryan Fitzpatrick (and now Geno Smith) at the helm. Fitzpatrick is never going to succeed throwing the ball forty times a game. Does that excuse his putrid play? Not by any means. But without a rushing attack, this Jets offense will remain entrenched in mediocrity.
2. Defensive Backfield
The secondary’s woes have been downright shocking. The Jets regained every single starter, except for a struggling Antonio Cromartie. On paper, the unit was bound to improve, with another year to gel with one another and learn Kacy Rogers’s system. Instead, the secondary has been terrible. The Jets have allowed an appalling number of big plays, a couple of which were defended by Darrelle Revis, who is clearly no longer the lockdown corner he once was. More troubling is the lack of turnovers. The Jets have just two interceptions, both in the first two weeks of the season. The secondary has allowed big plays, and failed to produce big plays of their own, a death sentence in the NFL
1. Quarterback Play
Hopefully, Geno Smith will rejuvenate the offense. But thus far, the play of Ryan Fitzpatrick has been the primary reason the Jets are 1-5. If you haven’t heard, Fitzpatrick has not been good. In fact, he’s been quite putrid. Harsh words, but eleven interceptions and a 63.4 passer rating warrant every bit of criticism vaulted at Fitzpatrick. What makes it worse is that Fitzpatrick had the audacity to spend three months lobbying for a fat paycheck, time he could have spent working on his quarterbacking. Undoubtedly, other factors have contributed to the Jets’s downward spiral. But Fitzpatrick, and his horrendous display of quarterbacking, certainly lead the charge. Now, it’s time to see if one of the young quarterbacks on the roster can be the franchise quarterback for which the Jets have so wistfully longed.
