Just prior to the coin flip for Sunday’s NY Jets/Miami Dolphins showdown, the Jets players got together in their pre-game, on-field hand clasp and QB Brett Favre said, “Let’s go out and play our game, whatever that game is, let’s go play it.”
“WHAT?!” Was my first thought, for the on-field leader of a professional football team to say that seemed a troubling omen to say the least.
And it was.
The NY Jets lost to the Miami Dolphins 24 – 17 and completed a miserable 1 win in their last 5 games, end of season swoon. That nose dive took them from 8 and 3, after beating undefeated Tennessee in week eleven, to an out-of-the-playoffs 9 – 7 final record.
Coach Eric Mangini went from the cusp of a lucrative contract extension in week eleven to being fired less than 24 hours after that final loss.
What does any of that prove?
That the NY Jets are snakebit?
Maybe, which is just one of the reasons I’m glad I’ve never been a big Jets fan, BUT what it really proves is that you can’t take ANYTHING for granted.
Right after week eleven, the Jets had just beaten the previously undefeated Tennessee Titans and the surging New England Patriots, appearing briefly as “one of the best teams in the AFC.”
A little over a month after seeming like “the team to beat in the AFC” the Jets have been reduced to playoff also-rans after one of the biggest season-ending collapses in history.
Just like the weather, things can turn on the dime and you can’t take anything for granted.
“WHAT?!” Was my first thought, for the on-field leader of a professional football team to say that seemed a troubling omen to say the least.
And it was.
The NY Jets lost to the Miami Dolphins 24 – 17 and completed a miserable 1 win in their last 5 games, end of season swoon. That nose dive took them from 8 and 3, after beating undefeated Tennessee in week eleven, to an out-of-the-playoffs 9 – 7 final record.
Coach Eric Mangini went from the cusp of a lucrative contract extension in week eleven to being fired less than 24 hours after that final loss.
What does any of that prove?
That the NY Jets are snakebit?
Maybe, which is just one of the reasons I’m glad I’ve never been a big Jets fan, BUT what it really proves is that you can’t take ANYTHING for granted.
Right after week eleven, the Jets had just beaten the previously undefeated Tennessee Titans and the surging New England Patriots, appearing briefly as “one of the best teams in the AFC.”
A little over a month after seeming like “the team to beat in the AFC” the Jets have been reduced to playoff also-rans after one of the biggest season-ending collapses in history.
Just like the weather, things can turn on the dime and you can’t take anything for granted.
Maybe they need to ask the government to bail them out with some extra points.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Happy New Year to you as well Roady!
ReplyDeleteAs to the "points bailout," it's a thought.
After all Bill Cowher just turned them down.
I don't know if it can work, but since the government is now bailing out every mismanaged business in eyeshot, why not one more?