The Jets currently sit at 7-9 and have officially been eliminated from playoff contention for the 12th consecutive year. What was once a season filled with excitement and promise has now flipped on its head and has ended with more questions than answers.
Head Coach Robert once said
“We are keeping receipts.”
Now he and his team will have to be held accountable for not cashing in those receipts and proving the naysayers right.
The question now is, what happened to the team who started 6-3 to now losing six out of the last seven games, and what do the Jets do in the offseason to address the reoccurring problems?
Quarterback Carousel Continues
In 2022 the New York Jets started three different Quarterbacks Joe Flacco, Mike White & former 2nd overall pick Zach Wilson. When you make biweekly quarterback changes, you don’t have a franchise quarterback on the roster.
The Zach Wilson experiment has fallen flat on its face. He currently holds the league’s lowest QBR with 72.8, completing only 54% of his passes, and once again has more turnovers than touchdowns.
At multiple points in the year, teammates have shown clear frustration with Wilson’s play, leading him to be benched not once but twice in the year’s second half.
Through two years, Wilson has shown the inability to make routine plays consistently due to poor mechanics and needed to process the defense faster.
As a result, many around the league believe that Wilson’s time with the Jets has come to an ugly end. Even though Head Coach Robert Saleh constantly vows they haven’t “given up” on him.
For the second straight year, Mike White became a good story and someone the locker room rallied behind but again fell back down to earth rather quickly.
After an exciting week 11 game vs. the Bears, where Mike tossed for 315 yards and three touchdowns, it has been mostly bad.
He has failed to throw for a touchdown pass since then and has tailed 4 INTs. In fact, the team has one TD in the last 20 drives, led by Mike White.
Mike has endured himself to the fan base and his teammates by battling through fractured ribs that he suffered in Buffalo, but those dreams of Mike becoming the face of the franchise seem farfetched. So instead, expect the Jets to let him walk via free agency.
Offensive Coordinator Comes Up Short:
Jets offensive coordinator Mike Lafleur has led one of the league’s worst offenses for the second straight year and is a name to watch regarding changes in the coaching staff.
His offense is ranked in the bottom five in four major offensive categories.
NYJ Offense Rank
1) Points/Game: 18.1 27th
2) 3D conversion %: 33% 28th
3) RZ Scoring (TD): 45.45% 29th
4) TDs/Game: 1.8 28th
Unlike last year the offense now has multiple dynamic playmakers such as Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, and for half the year, star RB Breece Hall.
Not to mention having capable tight ends in Tyler Conklin & CJ Uzamah, who often after utilized.
In the last five games, the Jets have faced some of the league’s worst defenses and have only managed to score over 20 points once. They have combined scoring nine points total in the last two games and four total TDs during their five-game losing streak.
Opp Defensive Rank/PPG/YPG NYJ Points/Yards Per
Vikings: 31st/ 25.9 PPG/ 396 YPG 22/ 486
Lions: 32nd/ 25.7 PPG/ 398.7 YPG 17/ 337
Jaguars: 23rd/ 20.9 PPG/ 355 YPG 3/ 227
Seahawks: 27th/24.1 PPG/ 367.5 YPG 6/ 279
It is fair to expect significant changes with the offensive staff this offseason, especially when their co-tenant, NY Giants, who have far less talent, still manage a more successful season.
Free Agency Blunders
Outside of Cornerback DJ Reed, many of the 2022 free agency class who were supposed to help elevate this young roster have been some of the most significant liabilities.
Laken Tomlinson (Left Guard)
Laken signed a three-year $40 million deal this past offseason with $27 million guaranteed. With Laken coming off of a pro bowl year with the 49ers in 2021, it was believed the Jets added a foundational piece to their offensive line.
Instead, he has been a major contributor to the offensive line’s struggles in both the run game and pass protection.
For his yearly salary, there have been far too many reps of Laken being out of position or simply whiffing on blocks completely.
Braxton Berrios (Kick Returner/Wide Receiver)
Coming off of a career year in 2021 as an All-Pro return man, totaling 431 yards on 46 receptions and 3 TDs as a WR, the Jets signed him to a two-year $12 million contract.
This year Berrios has regressed in both categories. As a returner, he is only averaging 23 yards per return compared to his 30 yards per last year. Also has managed only 600 yards total compared to his 852 yards last year.
His longest return of the year was only 42 yards, while having a long of 102 yards last year.
As a wide receiver, the league has figured him out. He could not create plays downfield and is only semi-effective on gadget plays that go east-west.
Overall Season Grade: C+
The 2022 New York Jets team will be remembered as one who showed flashes of a good team but fell short often when it mattered the most.
When asked about the season Star, WR Garrett Wilson said
“We feel like we blew the season.”
While there are bright spots with having a top-six defense and the emergence of star rookies Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner, and Breece Hall, there will be a lot of soul-searching this offseason to see what went wrong, as the playoffs are mandatory in 2023.
