Best Decision, Even If It Didn’t Work: Benching
Best Reason for This Best Decision: The team. Though the Jets have never announced this as a rebuilding year, every indication is that first-year GM John Idzik is taking a long-term approach. But even the few Jets who will be here in 2015 weren’t playing for 2015 on Sunday. Players have to feel their coach is giving them a chance to win.
Worst Reason Either to Have Stuck with Smith or to Put Him Back In Next Week Against Oakland: If you pull the young quarterback you're trying to develop, it’s hard to go back to him. Who says?
Best Reason You Don’t Have to Go Back to Smith Next Week:
Next Best Reason You Don’t Have to Go Back to Smith Next Week: His confidence is shot. He needs time to watch and clear his head.
Even Better Reason You Don’t Have to Go Back to Smith Next Week: The Jets likely are going to be drafting another quarterback in April with a top-10, possibly even top-five, pick, who should have to earn his way onto the field in his rookie year, not gain a No. 1 spot by default, as did Smith. If Rex Ryan and Marty Mornhinweg waited through this many bad weeks by Smith to give
Biggest Waste of Time: Wondering what might have been had Rex Ryan not exposed
Best Jet Sunday:
Scariest Thought: The Jets had three picks in the top 39 in April and two of them — Smith and
Biggest Mystery:
Best Special Teams Play:
Worst Special Teams Play: On a previous Quigley punt, Thigpen split the middle for 25 yards and the Jets were penalized for an illegal formation besides.
Best Reason to Still Take Heart: Dolphins twice went for it on fourth-and-1 in the first half, and didn’t run either time. That's what they — and the NFL — think of the Jets’ young rushing defense. The secondary is not yet up to snuff, but defenses are built from front to back.
Worst Play: Pro Bowler Mike Wallace ran through Milliner’s grasp for the final touchdown and the rookie corner got a talking-to from Rex Ryan and no more snaps thereafter. But the game already was over. Down, 6-0, the Jets had picked up two first downs on Simms’ second series when
Most Damning Stat: The Jets gave up four sacks in just 28 passing attempts and had four rushing first downs against the NFL's 26th-ranked team against the run. The Jets' season is sealed in the box their opponents pack due to lack of respect for the passing game.