Someday, presumably, it will be Zach Wilson throwing long touchdown passes to Elijah Moore, and Michael Carter juking defenders and refusing to go down, and the defense will resemble a professional outfit, and Jets fans will remember why they were euphoric when Robert Saleh was hired to clean up the ineptitude left by Adam Gase.
One of these Thanksgivings, the Jets will give their faithful a team to be thankful for.
But now? Now the Jets are on yet another turkey trot to their anguished fan base’s Thanksgiving tables.
Another turkey trot to nowhere.
They are 2-8, same as the Texans, who upset the Titans on this day and undoubtedly can’t wait to greet the Jets at the Houston airport next Sunday, same as the Jaguars, better only than the 0-9-1 Lions, who actually covered the point spread against the Browns.
You prefer to look at the glass half-full, do you?
OK, the Jets are the only one of the Deplore 4 that has won a Super Bowl, even it that was 53 years ago and counting.
OK, a smidgen of sunshine emerged from the black cloud hovering forever over the franchise as Moore (8-141) caught a 62-yard touchdown from Joe Flacco, and Carter (63 yards rushing) is an elusive problem who has superior contact balance. Kudos to GM Joe Douglas for drafting them last April.
OK, the defense wasn’t historically bad. It was just plain bad.
Toward the end of Dolphins 24, Jets 17, the television cameras panned to Wilson on the sideline, if only because he represents the last legitimate hope for a better tomorrow that the long-suffering folks who die more than live with this team will have the rest of this season, and pray for the kid if and when his knee allows him to finally return next Sunday in Houston.
This season was never about this season, it was always about next season, and the development of Wilson over these last seven games matters more than anything else.
Saleh, bless his aching heart, tried everything in his power: lineup changes on both sides of the ball, going for the touchdown fourth-and-goal at the 2 in the first half instead of the field goal and getting it — but he would have ended the day pulling his hair out if he had any anyway.
“Ninety percent of games in this league are lost, not won,” a grim Saleh said, “and this game was lost.”
We have witnessed the obligatory growing pains from the rookie head coach as well as the rookie franchise quarterback.
In the inexcusable, mind-blowing department, we give you two timeouts burned in the first 8:19 of the third quarter.
“As far as the substitution errors for the two timeouts that we had to burn, just from a substitution standpoint, that’s coaching,” Saleh said. “That’s something we gotta get fixed.”
So much to fix, so little time.
“They said that we got the eligible lineman in late,” Flacco said, “and then the other one we just didn’t have the right personnel for the play that we had.”
Always important to have the right personnel for the play that you call.
Here’s 2021 Jets football: Fourth quarter, 14-all. Tua Tagovailoa, third-and-4 at the 5, has a pass defended by Bryce Hall.
Roughing the passer on John Franklin-Myers.
“Unacceptable,” Saleh said.
And quickly it’s Dolphins 21, Jets 14.
Next series: Quinnen Williams sacks Tagovailoa on third down, and he and Franklin-Myers begin a sack-dance duet.
Holding on cornerback Jason Pinnock.
And soon it’s Dolphins 24, Jets 14, over and out.
Flacco, who gave Saleh the calming presence that he expected, was sacked and fumbled on a blindside hit by Brandon Jones at the Miami 12.
“Protection breakdown, I won’t say who,” Saleh said.
Later came an intentional grounding in the red zone, which of course was followed by a missed 40-yard Matt Ammendola field goal, his second of the afternoon.
“We had a miscommunication and I didn’t want to make a mistake on the play so I took it and threw it away,” Flacco said.
Saleh’s best — or luckiest — moment came when Flacco found Jamison Crowder with a 2-yard touchdown pass and it was 7-7 instead of 7-3.
“I just felt like we matched up well and worst-case scenario is we’d get the ball back at midfield,” Saleh said.
Or Tua Tagovailoa engineers what years from now might be remembered by John Elway and John Elway only as The Drive.
Saleh’s lineup shake-up included giving undrafted free agent Isaiah Dunn a chance at cornerback. And there went Mack Hollins steaming by him on a 65-yard touchdown bomb in the second quarter.
“Poor eye discipline,” Saleh said.
It’s no problem seeing a green-and-white turkey at this time of year.
“Whether you lose by 1 or 50,” Saleh said. “it doesn’t friggin matter.”
Crappy Thanksgiving.
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