Jets Dance Their Way Out Of Playoff Hunt

Ten days after dominating the Buffalo Bills, the New York Jets and Josh McCown looked to dance their way to another victory against the shorthanded Buccaneers.

The Jets had a perfect opportunity against a team that was on a five-game losing streak and missing its starting quarterback and number one wide receiver.  Instead of taking advantage of a golden opportunity, the Jets decided to stink up the place and all but certainly end their playoff hopes.

A team that looked so dominant the week before was brought down back to earth by the 28^th ranked Tampa Bay defense.

McCown fell to 1-9 against his former teams. When it mattered most, McCown had his worst game of the season. Don’t let his stats fool you, more than half of McCown’s 262 yards (151) and his only TD came on the final offensive drive, when the game was already out of reach.

The blame cannot solely go on McCown. The offensive line decided not to show up for Sunday’s game. McCown was constantly under pressure and rarely had time to throw. The Bucs came into Sunday’s game ranked dead last in the NFL with eight sacks. They managed to almost double their total by sacking McCown six times.

Another big reason for the loss was the lack of discipline on both sides of the ball. The Jets had eight penalties for 77 yards, none bigger then the 3^rd and 10 pass interference on Jets CB Darryl Roberts. The penalty would prove costly, allowing Tampa Bay to continue their drive and eventually score the game winning TD.

Let’s face it; it was a great story while it lasted. The team that had little expectations won more games than anyone could’ve imagined. The bad teams eventually get exposed and it happened to the Jets on Sunday afternoon.

The schedule doesn’t get any easier going forward; the Jets have the third toughest remaining schedule. Next up for the Jets, Cam Newton and the 6-3 Carolina Panthers.