It’s simple.
The New York Jets need a win tomorrow against the Miami Dolphins or it’s time to call it a season.
And looking at the odds for Super Bowl Betting, you can see the lines makers believe that too.
So does Rex Ryan no matter how much he tried to sugarcoat his team’s performance.
“They always say, ‘Well, it’s never as good and never as bad as what you think,’” Ran said after last week’s blowout in Baltimore. “That was pretty close, though, to being about as bad as I remember. Then there were some things that we did really well and I think this team is a lot closer than it might appear to being a decent football team because there are some things that we’re doing in a lot of areas that are pretty impressive. With that being said, there are other areas where we still have to improve, like more than a little bit.”
The key obviously is the work of rookie quarterback Geno Smith, who seems to have some adjustments to make after coming out strong on the season.
Over the past two weeks, Smith looked lost in the pocket and he needs to improve if the Jets have a chance to cover the 1.5 point spread against Miami, let alone playing in the Meadowlands in February.
There has been talk about pulling Smith in favor of fellow rookie Matt Simms, but Ryan doesn’t see that as an issue.
“No, I’ve never once said that if a guy doesn’t play well that he won’t be yanked,” Ryan said, “Bull, I’ve yanked guys in the past. That’s why I said I don’t understand it. Obviously if you’re in a situation to win a game, why would you pull your starting quarterback out? I don’t get that. Now, if a guy’s struggling, anybody can get benched and I’ve benched several players in the past. I think the point that you guys are trying to bring up, I don’t think is accurate. I certainly wouldn’t think that (Smith) feels that there isn’t a chance that he can be replaced if he’s not playing well. I don’t think’s there’s anyone on this team that would feel that way. There’s an accountability to everybody and I think everybody feels that.”
Ryan is walking a very tight line here. He is thinking to the future and Smith is his future, not an undrafted rookie in Simms. So he is staying with the second round pick.
And it’s not just the quarterback, but other areas in the Jets game.
“To me, I think sometimes when you view the whole game, you see that the areas of concerns are more, it’s not just about the one position,” Ryan said. “I recognize that’s an important position, but when I said sometimes the protection’s letting us down, sometimes the timing of the routes are letting us down, sometimes guys aren’t catching the football, sometimes it’s a poor throw and a poor decision on the quarterback’s part. I don’t know if you guys believe me or not, but that’s what I see. So I don’t see it necessarily about just the one man. It’s not about the one individual. It’s not a frustration thing on my part, it’s just the fact that sometimes this is what I’m seeing and I’m telling you what I believe to be the truth. Whether you take it or not, I’m not trying to convince anybody, I’m just telling you what I see.”
Of course, if it all blows up, Ryan’s job will be on the line.
So with five games left, his team still has a chance, even if things are looking south for Gang Green.
The Jets need a win. That’s the bottom line.
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