Unfortunately, the New York Jets may be dead in the water.
Leading 15-6 with the ball in their possession at the two-minute warning of the first half, New York had a chance to bring the hammer down on the Steelers. The game was very much in their favor, especially as they were poised to receive the second-half opening kickoff.
In a blink of an eye, though, that all changed. Hesitating on a pass intended for Garrett Wilson, Aaron Rodgers was picked off. Four plays later, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson hit George Pickens for a touchdown, cutting the Jets’ lead to 15-13.
Pittsburgh proceeded to score 22 unanswered points, convincingly leaping over the Jets. They found many avenues of success on offense and took advantage of the Jets’ mistakes while on defense.
It was the Jets’ fourth consecutive crushing defeat. The Jets’ season is on life support, and barring a miraculous turnaround, they are set to extend their postseason drought to 14 seasons.
Breece Hall emerges
At long last, the star running back for the New York Jets had his breakout performance.
Against the Steelers, Breece Hall was the main catalyst for the offense. He easily cleared 100 yards from scrimmage, mainly due to his 103 yards as a receiver. He constantly made players miss, broke tackles, and moved the chains for the Jets.
However, Hall could not overcome the Jets’ deficiencies by himself. The offense, and overall team, crumpled around him. Hall may be a star, but he needs help from the rest of the offense if the Jets want to win football games going forward.
Will McDonald continues his tear
On the defensive side of the ball, the 2023 first-round pick of the New York Jets continues to be a force.
Against the Steelers, edge rusher Will McDonald provided consistent pressure whenever his team needed him to. The Iowa State product had one registered sack and rushed Russell Wilson multiple times.
However, it was not enough to get the Jets over the hump in this one. McDonald, like Hall on offense, needs more help if the Jets want to truly win more football games in 2024.
Miscues kill the team
Where to start with the miscues?
Aaron Rodgers simply does not look like an elite quarterback anymore. Tyron Smith can no longer hold his own in pass protection.
Garrett Wilson’s dropped pass-turned-interception likely cost the Jets the game. The entire back seven can be thrown under the bus, as they had constant miscommunications and issues, regardless of injuries.
This is not a one-man issue or even a multi-player issue. The entire team deserves all the blame. This is not a contender or even close to one. This is, simply put, a bad team.
Yes, injuries were a major issue in this game. Already down D.J. Reed, Michael Carter II, and Chuck Clark in the secondary, the Jets’ injuries piled up even further in the game. From Alijah Vera-Tucker to Sauce Gardner to Tony Adams and even depth players like Ashtyn Davis and Xavier Newman, they were severely shorthanded.
However, that does not excuse the mental errors or the miscommunications. Most of all, it does not excuse the defensive issues that a supposedly “elite” unit displayed.
Maybe, like the Mets did (before their season ended in the NLCS), the Jets have a miracle turnaround in them. But the chances of that are slim. This ship is all but sunk.
What’s next?
The Jets will face off against the New England Patriots next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. in Foxborough. Four days later, the Jets will host the Texans on a Halloween edition of Thursday Night Football.
