Optimism oozed.
Jets followers arrived early and so they even sung alongside to the nationwide anthem as Robert Saleh had publicly urged on Friday.
The Jets coach craved for the season opener to be electrical and there, certainly, was an electrical energy within the September air that got here with the arrival of a lot new expertise on the roster.
This Jets staff was going to be so a lot better than it’s been for the previous few (OK, too many) years due to that infusion of expertise — each younger and established.
And but there the sober actuality learn on the illuminated MetLife Stadium scoreboards by late afternoon: Ravens 24, Jets 9.
Groundhog Day in September. Extra shedding for a franchise that’s produced 27 wins up to now six seasons and has gained only one season opener in that span.
Probably the most disappointing component to the day: So lots of these newcomers have been key contributors to the sloppy loss.
There was kicker Greg Zuerlein, nicknamed “Greg the Leg’’ for his highly effective proper leg that’s produced discipline targets of 58, 59, 60 and 61 yards in a 152-game NFL profession, making a gift of 4 factors towards a staff the Jets completely couldn't afford to supply charity.
With the Jets trailing 3-0 within the second quarter and their offense struggling, Zuerlein, who entered this season with an 82.2 p.c success price on discipline targets and 95.8 p.c on further factors, hooked his first field-goal try as a Jet left from 45 yards out and later missed an additional level.
There was tight finish Tyler Conklin, who was introduced right here to bolster a place that’s been an utter useless zone for the staff lately, fumbling the ball backwards after making a 6-yard catch on third-and-5 to seemingly preserve a possible landing drive alive and as an alternative forcing the Jets to accept a discipline aim within the second quarter.
There was security Jordan Whitehead, who was signed away from Tampa Bay after he was a part of a Tremendous Bowl champion there, shedding observe of receiver Devin Duvernay in the long run zone on a 17-yard Lamar Jackson scoring cross on third-and-10 for a 17-3 Baltimore lead within the third quarter.
There was rookie working again Breece Corridor, who fumbled simply 3 times in 800 profession touches at Iowa State, fumbling away the ball on the Baltimore 16-yard line three performs into the fourth quarter trailing 24-3.
Then there was tight finish C.J. Uzomah, signed after he helped the Bengals get to the Tremendous Bowl final season whereas making 49 receptions for 493 yards and scoring 5 touchdowns, in witness safety. He was barely on the sphere and never focused on a single certainly one of Joe Flacco’s 59 cross makes an attempt.
A lot for the tight ends being “a quarterback’s greatest buddy’’ when below the sort of pass-rush duress Flacco was for a lot of the day. Uzomah was 0-for-0 and Conklin had three receptions for 11 yards and the fumble earlier than catching a 3-yard TD with a minute remaining in a 24-3 sport.
“I do know everyone’s considering, ‘Standard s—,” Conklin mentioned. “It’s not the identical previous s—. We’ve acquired an excellent staff. Everyone can really feel it. Now we have good gamers. Now we have good coaches. We’re going to be all proper.’’
They’ve acquired to show it. Till they do, it should stay the identical previous … nicely, you already know.
To the credit score of a lot of the newcomer culprits, they have been accountable for his or her respective roles within the loss.
“I had a fumble on third-and-5 within the crimson zone and that would have been a landing,’’ Conklin mentioned. “I don’t care if it was raining or it was an excellent [defensive play], you simply can’t do s— like that — particularly within the crimson zone. You don’t wish to let your staff down like that. Whenever you do it, it hurts. You’re simply to look your self within the mirror and ensure it doesn’t occur once more.’’
Corridor, too, lamented his gaffe.
“The coaches all the time preach to me that after you break one [tackle], any individual else is coming to punch it,’’ he mentioned. “It’s only a studying expertise that I've to take to the subsequent sport, as a result of I do know I’m going to interrupt extra tackles and get extra catches. It’s very irritating. I’m not used to it. I don’t normally do it. I don’t settle for it.
“I’m going to observe the movie. It’s going to harm, however I’m going to need to have amnesia going into subsequent week. It gained’t occur once more.’’
Till the issues that occurred on Sunday to curb the keenness of this franchise and its fan base so starved for achievement really do cease taking place, the Jets might be proceed to stay with a credibility problem.
It’s on them to vary it.
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