The New York Jets were thoroughly embarrassed in their Week 15 game against the Miami Dolphins, falling 30-0. The Jets were eliminated from playoff contention with such a humiliating defeat.
It’s been 13 seasons and counting since the Jets last made the NFL playoffs. It is the league’s longest such streak. And this latest failure may be the most painful because it began with such high hopes and Super Bowl hype following Aaron Rodgers’ acquisition in an offseason trade.
But we all know how that turned out. Rodgers went down with an Achilles rupture four plays into the season. Even his incredibly quick recovery is meaningless now that the Jets (5-9) are out of the playoffs.
Regarding the Jets’ 30-0 loss to their AFC East rivals on Sunday, there are numerous Jets to blame, but let’s focus on this group:
The Jets were not only outclassed, but they also dominated on every side of the ball on Sunday. They appeared unprepared and offered little resistance to the Dolphins.
It was a disgraceful performance. It’s made worse by the fact that it happened just one week after the Jets’ heartwarming 30-6 upset victory over the Houston Texans.
That is the coach’s responsibility.
As an NFL head coach, Robert Saleh has two credentials. He’s an excellent motivator and one of the league’s most brilliant defensive minds.
Clearly, his team, which was on the verge of elimination from the playoffs, was not prepared to play on Sunday. They were taken aback by how fired up the Dolphins were after a 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans the week before. The Jets simply did not match the Dolphins in any aspect of the game, most notably in their desire to win. That is Saleh’s fault.
And his beloved defense gave up 30 points for the third time in five games, including 24 before halftime against the Dolphins. And Miami was missing MVP candidate Tyreek Hill, who was out with an ankle injury.
Tua Tagovailoa completed his first 13 passes before fumbling late in the second quarter. The Jets’ defense had no answer for Tagovailoa, running back Raheem Mostert, or wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator, ran circles around Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Oh, and McDaniel had the Dolphins all set to go.
Yes, Miami (10-5) is by far the superior team. But they were also the better prepared team. That’s a devastating 1-2 punch that the Jets couldn’t compete with.
Coaches are fired all the time for having losing seasons, which Saleh has had three in a row. They are fired during losing seasons for performances such as the one on Sunday. Saleh is extremely fortunate to have Rodgers on his side; otherwise, he could be looking at a pink slip at the end of the season.
Jeff Ulbrich and D.J. Reed
The Jets cornerback and defensive coordinator are both represented here.
Waddle dominated D.J. Reed (eight catches, 142 yards). This included a 60-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter after a double move left Waddle wide open for the game-winning score, which put Miami up 17-0.
“One on one, mano a mano,” Reed explained. “He got the best of me.”
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