The honeymoon is over.
The home cash has been spent.
A couple of minutes after 7:30 p.m. Sunday within the uncooked, wet and freezing January climate of Western New York, the scholarship interval for Robert Saleh and Zach Wilson got here to an finish.
The Jets 27-10 loss to the Payments at Orchard Park — a sport a lot nearer than the ultimate rating indicated in opposition to the AFC East champions who’d shredded them 45-17 within the groups’ first assembly this season — represented the ultimate act of 2021 for Saleh and Wilson.
Absolutely, for Saleh, the Jets’ first-year head coach, and Wilson, the Jets’ rookie quarterback, it was enjoyable at occasions, even whereas compiling simply 4 wins to go along with 13 losses. Each males gained invaluable expertise at their respective crafts. That was what this season — significantly for Wilson — was going to be all about within the first place.
The 2021 season was by no means purported to be about wins and losses for the Jets, it was concerning the first-year head coach implementing his program and creating his rookie quarterback.
That adjustments in 2022 for Saleh and Wilson.
Extra might be not solely anticipated however demanded.
One other 4-13 end — or something near it — gained’t be acceptable for the Jets in 2022. Not with Saleh and Wilson of their second season, not with 4 picks within the first two rounds of the upcoming NFL draft (Nos. 4 and 10 within the first spherical and two within the second spherical) and a few $60 million to spend in free company.
If Saleh and Wilson and normal supervisor Joe Douglas consider they’ll be handled in 2022 with the relative child gloves that have been utilized this season, they don’t need to look very far to see the results of repeated failure.
The Jets want solely to have a look at what’s gone on with Joe Choose, Daniel Jones and the Giants this season.
Whereas the Jets took a bright-look-at-the-future vibe into Sunday’s sport in opposition to the Payments regardless of coming into the day with the identical 4-12 document the Giants had earlier than their season-finale loss to Washington at moribund MetLife Stadium, the sky is falling for the Giants within the Meadowlands.
12 months 2 for Choose, 4-13 after going 6-10 in 2020, has understandably been deemed unacceptable by irate Giants followers, who need the franchise to scrub home, which it very properly may.
“On the finish of the day, it’s about successful, interval,’’ Saleh stated after the sport. “Profitable 4 video games on this league is just not adequate. All of us knew that this was going to be a curler coaster of a season with the youth motion that we’ve had. All of us knew that there can be some ups and downs.
“There have been some shut video games. We beat two division winners (Tennessee and Cincinnati). We had the Tremendous Bowl champs (Tampa Bay) on the ropes. We have been a one-score sport right here with Buffalo.’’
The arrow, certainly, seems pointed up for the Jets, who for the second consecutive Sunday performed a present Tremendous Bowl contender like they belonged on the identical discipline.
One week after scaring the bejesus out of Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, who needed to pull out a 28-24 resolution within the remaining seconds, the Jets performed the Payments to the wire. The Payments have been clinging to a 13-10 lead earlier than scoring with 8:21 remaining within the sport to go up by 10 and draw back.
Contemplating how poorly the Jets’ offense performed, it was a miracle the Payments didn’t beat them by 30-something once more. The Jets’ offense completed with 53 web yards, setting a doubtful franchise document for futility, which had been 72 yards in opposition to the Bengals in 1972.
Wilson completed 7 of 20 for 87 yards and bought his crew ultimately zone solely as soon as. He was sacked eight occasions for 79 yards in losses, leaving him with solely 8 web yards passing. At the same time as short-handed as Wilson was with expertise round him (minus his high 4 receivers), it was not adequate.
In 2022, it’s going to need to be higher for Wilson, Saleh and everybody else carrying a Jets uniform.
“Our ceiling is admittedly excessive,’’ linebacker and crew captain C.J. Mosley stated. “We’ve laid the muse and we’ve seen the issues that should be achieved to ensure that us to be nice.’’
I’ve by no means been a believer in groups bringing the momentum of a powerful end in a single season into the following season. However this Jets crew did develop in 2021. Saleh grew. Wilson grew. The Jets began 10 rookies throughout the course of the season, tied for probably the most of any crew within the NFL.
Every little thing merely wants to raised in 2022. 4, 5, even six wins won't be sufficient. The 2022 Jets should be taking part in significant video games within the remaining month of the season, looking for victories which have playoff implications, not ethical victories.
The honeymoon is over. It ended Sunday in Orchard Park.
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