The Jets are at their crossroads.
Most fans have given up all hope that this 1-5 team will be playing any more meaningful games this season. However, starting with Sunday's trip to Jacksonville, Gang Green's next seven opponents sport a combined 9-37 record (counting Miami twice).
A victory over the 3-4 Jaguars might set things straight after their odious effort Monday night against New England, a 33-0 embarrassment that marked their fourth noncompetitive performance of the season.
I'm not suggesting that this team is capable of going on a run to qualify for a playoff berth, but it could get interesting. After the Jaguars, the Jets face the winless Dolphins, who seem to be doing everything within their means to tank.
Assume for a second that the Jets enter Week 10's meeting with their Met Life Stadium co-tenants at 3-5. That Jets/Giants game will have some juice.
The alternative is a far uglier proposition. Lose Sunday and they might as well back up the truck to move out whatever can be sold by Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. Tied down under contract or otherwise. Leonard Williams, Robby Anderson, and anyone else who could fetch draft picks must be auctioned off. Dealing disappointing interior defensive lineman Williams has been speculated for weeks. Manish Mehta of the Daily News reported Thursday that speedy wideout Anderson could be had "for the right price."
Aside from maybe (and that's a shaky maybe) quarterback Sam Darnold and safety Jamal Adams, who on this team isn't? The Jets really should be looking to accumulate picks no matter what happens Sunday to address the glaring holes on the roster. However, its' possible that general manager Joe Douglas, who inherited this mess in June from Mike Maccagnan, might not want to make such a big statement that he's giving up on the season after a win on the road.
But the Jets have to win the game first. And given how inept every unit looked on Monday, that's no small task on a short week. In addition, their injury report is absurdly lengthy, with about a third of the roster listed as having some sort of ailment.
Darnold should be fine physically after getting stepped on during his literal horror show in the Patriots game. Mentally? Who knows? The ghosts may have dissipated, but that won't exorcise all the devils in the details that have been cursing the Jets' offensive line throughout the season. Darnold was under pressure on 16 of his 33 dropbacks on Monday, per ProFootballFocus.com. If I were in Jacksonville defensive coordinator Todd Walsh's shoes Sunday, I'd be channeling coach Bill Yoast from "Remember the Titans" with, "You blitz all night!"
Jaguars edge rusher Josh Allen , the player I begged the Jets to take with the third overall pick in April's NFL Draft instead of the less-impactful interior lineman Quinnen Williams, must be licking his chops at the prospect of adding to his total of six sacks, tied for 10th-most in the league.
On the Jets' defensive ledger, they are rated by PFF as the fourth-worst pass rushing team in the league. Oh, and while Adams and slot corner Brian Poole have been superb in coverage, starters Trumaine Johnson and Daryl Roberts rank 58th and 59th, respectively, in yards allowed per coverage snap among the 81 corners in the league with more than 150 such snaps.
A weak pass rush and poor coverage is an ominous combination whether you're facing Patriots legend Tom Brady or Jacksonville's folk hero Gardner Minshew.
The C.J. Mosley-as-savior play didn't go as planned, as the inside linebacker hasn't practiced this week after a painful outing in his return to the field from a groin injury Monday night. The Jets said they are taking a "deep dive" into finding out the source of their defensive leader's agony, which means it would take a miracle for him to be active in Jacksonville.
The Jags are 3-3 with Minshew, a sixth-round pick in 2019, under center. Despite running behind a below-average line, as graded by PFF, Leonard Fournette is only 10 yards behind Minnesota's Dalvin Cook in the race for the league's rushing title. His 530 yards after contact top the NFL. Can the Jets tackle effectively Sunday?
Those are just some of the questions Gang Green must sort through to survive this week. One way or another, the answers will determine which path they take in the following days—staying the course or blowing up the trail.
For a FAN's perspective of the Nets, Devils and Jets, follow Steve on Twitter @SteveLichtenst1.
