Analysis: In Analyzing Jets’ Failings, Start at the Top

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez before the Jets' 28-7 loss to Seattle. More Photos »

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Contrary to popular belief, the Jets have not been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. It only feels like it. Their 28-7 loss to Seattle dropped the Jets to 3-6 and into 11th place in the 16-team A.F.C. The notion that they could surge toward the playoffs over the next seven games is based entirely on other teams, not on the quality of their own play.

The list of culprits is lengthy: Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum, to name a few. If the Jets continue to fade, there are bound to be repercussions, and those three will most likely bear the brunt. But in a season that is quickly spiraling away, there is plenty of blame to go around.

Quarterbacks

By the day, the situation grows less and less sustainable. The trade for Tim Tebow has been a debacle. His presence is a distraction. That is indisputable, and perhaps the most damning assessment of this failed experiment came after Sunday's game, from Mark Sanchez. "It's something that we're all just getting used to," Sanchez said. So, to sum up: the Jets acquired Tebow in March, and after a full training camp and nine regular-season games they are no closer to knowing how and when to deploy him than they were eight months ago.

A resolution satisfying for all parties seems impractical. The evidence suggests that Tebow is more afterthought than asset, making it hard to believe that Rex Ryan fully endorsed the trade. Perhaps he was aware that obtaining a backup with his own constituency, with a fervent fan following, might undermine Sanchez.

It took some intense self-scouting during the bye week for the Jets to glean that maybe, just maybe, Tebow might be a boon on third-and-1. Or that asking him to throw a few passes instead of just bulling up the middle might open up the offense a bit, forcing teams to account for that possibility.

However, if the Jets really trusted Tebow, he would have more than six pass attempts. He poses no genuine threat to Sanchez, who with every loss invalidates the Jets' longstanding defense of him. Ryan and Tannenbaum used to point to the number of games Sanchez has won. Not anymore. With Sanchez, they have now lost 9 of their last 12.

Ryan often says that he makes decisions for the good of the team. It is fair to deduce that the Jets believe that Tebow would perform worse than Sanchez. There is no other possible conclusion.

Several mistakes Sanchez continues to make are unconscionable for a fourth-year quarterback. He has eight fumbles, two shy of his career high, many from holding onto the ball too long. Of his nine interceptions, four have come in the red zone, the latest on Sunday.

"That's a rookie move by a veteran player who knows better," Sanchez said Monday.

He has amassed no better than a 46.7 completion percentage in five of nine games. It is hardly coincidental that Sanchez's two best games this season — against Buffalo and New England — came against two of the N.F.L.'s worst defenses. Of the Jets' seven remaining opponents, four (Buffalo, Jacksonville, Tennessee and New England) rank among the bottom eight. It would be more than a bit discouraging if Sanchez cannot rebound against them.

Rex Ryan

Make no mistake, Ryan was angry Sunday. His eyes were red. His voice cracked. But he was also frustrated and deflated, looking very much like a coach who knows that his team is not good enough but is unsure what else he can do.

"That never crosses your mind as a coach," Ryan said Monday, but here it is, nine games into the season, and the Jets are no better than they were last season and, for the most part, are even worse.

Ryan has learned from his errors, becoming more involved with his players and regaining the pulse of the locker room. It is, on the whole, a much tighter group than last season. But his players, however inadvertently, have all but ignored the coaches' pleas, making the same brand of mistakes for the last 14 months.

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