Who’s To Blame For The New York Jets’ Struggles?
The New York Jets have the 27th best passing offense in the NFL. Mark Sanchez’s completion percentage is 49.2 percent, the worst among the 32 starting NFL QB’s by over four percent. Luckily, the Jets offense is salvaged by its running game, which is 23rd in the league. Only the Steelers and Cardinals average fewer than 3.2 yards per carry as the Jets do.
The team’s defense is supposed to be the hallmark of the team, but it’s currently ranked 21st overall. The team has seven total sacks, tied for 25th in the league. The team is only minus-two in turnover differential, but it’s hard to imagine the team succeeding after season-ending injuries to all-world cornerback Darrelle Revis and the team’s top receiver, Santonio Holmes.
Gang Green is sitting at 2-2, but it’s hard to see the Jets winning more than seven games this season. They can’t pass, they can’t run, can’t really get to the QB and their top pass defender is out. So who’s to blame for this mess now that the team’s shallow and poorly constructed roster has been exposed?
General Manager Mike Tannenbaum drafted Sanchez (then gave him a huge contract extension this past offseason), the underachieving RB Shonn Greene and signed Holmes to a gigantic contract. But he’s also received input from head coach Rex Ryan, who wanted Tannenbaum to take pass rushers Muhammed Wilkerson and Quinton Coples the last two years even though the team had other glaring needs. After four games, the first round duo have combined for no sacks and three tackles for loss. Then Tannenbaum decided to trade two draft picks for Tim Tebow, who has gained a total of 47 yards so far this season, and 22 of those came on one play.
Whatever the Jets are doing, it’s not working. So after the Jets finish off a disappointing year in January, who should be held accountable and lose their job. The GM? The coach? Both? Neither? I asked the fans via Facebook for their response:
JL- “The only reason to fire Rex is because you want new GM to pick his own guy.”
AL- “Fire Tannenbaum- He can’t put a good team on the field and gave Sanchez a buttload of money for being a bad QB thus far in his career. Money that could be better spent fixing the offensive line and running back issues.”
JH- “Neither. Tell Woody Johnson to sell the team.”
AR- “With the current team, the jets shouldn’t come close to seven wins. Rex is a good coach that’s clearly developing with experience and had a Jets team overachieving for two years. No reason to fire him. Tannenbaum, however, hasn’t been making the right decisions for a while now and he’s still riding on the coattails of his early work. Get rid of him, keep Rex, and I agree…Woody is the worst.”
ZH- “Fire Tannenbaum, make Rex D-Coordinator.”
JL- “Fire Tannenbaum and keep Rex. The GM has made too many questionable signings and allowed too many players to leave that they should have retained. He has also spent money in areas that it should not have been spent. Anyone in Rex’s position would have a losing record this season.”
DW- “After all the hype Rex has brought to the Jets since coming, he has finally pushed it over the top. I understand injuries stink and they always get in the way (the only reason why I wouldn’t fire anyone) but if I were to fire one, id get rid of Rex. He has too big of a mouth and can’t stop talking (kinda like John Madden). As a loyal fan of the Jets, I think its more important to have a better team rather than one that brings publicity and money to the club. Money and publicity come from proper athleticism and victories, not from flashy and good looking players. Rex is in my dog house since getting Tebow. Not only does he not use Tebow properly, he uses him at the most unnecessary times (besides the fake punt this past week). Tannenbaum, however, in my book has been useless for years so I wouldn’t mind putting them both down and out.”
