Gang Green Nation
I went to yesterday’s Jets loss to the Denver Broncos at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
When you are at the game, there are certain things you miss. In the stands you don’t get multiple replay angles to break down a play. You also don’t get analysis from the announcers. Conversely there are things that you pick up from the stands that you would never see on television.
One thing that struck me at the game was how sloppy the Jets were making substitutions, particularly in the first half. It seemed like when one player came onto the field from the sideline, nobody really knew who was supposed to come off the field. It is such a basic part of the game, but the Jets were struggling with it.
In some ways this seems to me like a microcosm of the team’s issues with coaching and all around lack of cohesion.
One play that really jumped out to me was Denver’s first field goal attempt in the first quarter. I thought I saw something very strange as the Jets substituted before the play, but I wasn’t 100 percent certain watching it live.
It was only getting a look at the film that I was able to confirm it.
This is how the Jets lined up for the field goal block.
If you aren’t sure what is off with this picture, count the players wearing green jerseys. There are only ten.
Lest you think there is another player, on the field, here is another angle. You can see that the deepest Jet is number 44 Jamien Sherwood. On this other angle, I have pointed out Sherwood.
Taking it a little deeper, you can see there is no Jets return man on the field. Sometimes teams stick a return guy deep on long field goal attempts in case they fall short. No such thing happened here.
NFL+’s film room keeps track of which players are on the field on each play. They have ten players listed on the field for the Jets on this field goal attempt.
So the Jets didn’t even get their full collection of players on the field here.
I’m not saying it’s likely this made a difference on the outcome of the play.
I would, however, say this is a microcosm of the issues with the Jets and their coaching. Even the most basic things in the world like having the correct number of players on the field aren’t happening. It’s just not a very good look, and it likely speaks to bigger issues with the way the team is being run at the moment.
