LAS VEGAS — Another night, another abysmal performance from the Jets offense.
At this point, it feels like the Jets are in a real-life version of the movie “Groundhog Day,” where their offense continues to be trapped in a time loop reliving the same performances over and over again.
This has been a consistent theme for the Jets since they lost Aaron Rodgers to an Achilles injury during the team’s season opener against Buffalo on Sept. 11. The Jets latest dreadful performance offensively came during their 16-12 loss to the Raiders on Sunday Night Football.
Once again, the Jets defense did enough to win the game after holding the Raiders to 274 yards of total offense. Las Vegas also only scored one touchdown in the fourth quarter on Aidan O’Connell’s touchdown pass to Michael Mayer.
But the Jets offense continued to settle for field goals instead of finding the end zone.
“I don’t know what you guys expect me to say at this point,” Jets tight end Tyler Conklin said. “It’s like a broken record at this point. We gotta figure it out at this point.
“There isn’t nothing else to say at this point. We can’t keep going out here and doing this over and over again. We let our defense down and we let our team down. I wish I had answers for you about why we can’t score in the red zone and why we have a lot of penalties, but there’s really no good answer to give you guys. We have to figure it the f–k out.”
And figuring out the offense has to be a priority at this point for the Jets. They have gone 36 consecutive drives without scoring a touchdown.
From the moment Rodgers went down due to injury, many thought the Jets still had a chance to be playoff contenders in the AFC, partly because of their defense. The Jets defense rank sixth, allowing just 307.8 yards per game. They’re also giving up 19.1 points per game (seventh in the league).
While Gang Green’s defense has held up its end of the bargain, its offense has not.
If it isn’t Zach Wilson holding on to the ball too long or throwing incompletions, it is the Jets consistently shooting themselves in the foot with penalties. Against the Raiders, the Jets committed eight penalties for 83 yards.
Two of those penalties were two costly holding penalties against Jets tight end C.J. Uzomah.
The first one wiped out an 11-yard gain by Garrett Wilson during the first quarter. Uzomah’s second penalty nullified Breece Hall’s touchdown during the second quarter. The Jets eventually settled for a 30-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein.
Despite the loss of Rodgers, the Jets still have a talented team offensively with Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. But that is not showing up on the field every week.
“What’s frustrating is the different ways that we’re creating to not get in the end zone,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “Zach scored, but obviously, his toes were barely out. We scored on the next play, but we got a holding penalty.
“We’re driving the ball well and we knock ourselves into a non-advantageous situation where we’re second-and-20. It just happened over and over and over again. We’re generating offense, we’re moving the ball, but again, we’re not finishing our drives the way we need to.”
Many have pointed the finger at Wilson as the reason why the Jets haven’t had success offensively since Rodgers’ injury. Although everything isn’t entirely his fault, he is certainly to blame for some of the Jets struggles.
Wilson has thrown for 1,863 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions in the nine games since he replaced Rodgers as starter. These are not terrible stats, but those numbers are unacceptable in a league catered to offense.
If the Jets had just average quarterback play, they wouldn’t be currently 13th in the AFC standings. Gang Green’s offense ranks 29th (283.1 yards per game) in total yards and 30th in points scored (16 per game).
The Jets also rank last in the NFL in both red zone (22.7%) and third-down efficiency (25%).
“Just getting everyone on the same page, communication,” Wilson said. “A lot of self-inflicted wounds.
“Of course, there are plays that everyone’s going to watch and everyone’s kind of taking their turns, but as a leader, it’s how can I get everyone on the same page. Communication starts with just everyone knowing their assignment and obviously the negative plays are killing it.
“We have to find a way to be better there, and I think I can maybe just try and be a little bit over-exaggerated on communication and maybe that stuff can help and just do everything I can there.”
Playcalling has also been an issue. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was supposed to be an upgrade over Mike LaFleur, who was let go after the Jets lost six straight games to end the 2022 season. Judging by the numbers, that hasn’t been the case.
Last season under LaFleur, the Jets averaged 318.2 yards per game (25th in the league) and scored an average of 17.4 yards per game (29th). The bottom line is Hackett’s offense doesn’t work without Rodgers being under center.
When Rodgers tore his Achilles, the Jets lost not only their offensive identity, but their on-field offensive conductor. Hackett, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Billy Turner were partly brought over because of their previous history with Rodgers. But without the former four-time MVP, Hackett’s offense is lifeless and broken nine games into the season.
“At the end of the day, we always have to look at ourselves,” Hall said. “I critique myself harder than anybody, so I can always do better.
“I caught a screen today and I probably could have made somebody miss, just little stuff like that. You gotta look at the man in the mirror, you can’t point fingers and come together as a whole in order to get better.”
On Sunday night during the game against the Raiders, NBC Sports reported that Rodgers was targeting mid-December to possibly return from his Achilles injury, which would be unprecedented. But if the Jets don’t get quickly get back on track, there won’t be any reason for Rodgers to return in 2023.
Following the loss to the Raiders, the Jets have a rematch against the Bills on the horizon next Sunday. Then they host the Dolphins on Nov. 24 on a short week.
The margin for error is becoming smaller and smaller with each loss the Jets have, especially in a loaded AFC. If the Jets don’t correct their issues offensively, their season could quickly spiral out of control, reminiscent of last season.
“I don’t know what y’all want me to say, I’m tired of this, man,” an emotional said Garrett Wilson said. “I want to play better.
”The whole offense wants to play better. We’ve been saying what we’ve been trying to do. We come out every week trying to make it happen. It’s frustrating.”
Following a Thanksgiving win against the Bears, the Jets were 7-4 with an excellent possibility to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010. However, Gang Green lost six straight to end the year at 7-10 and in last place in the AFC East.
The Jets talked all offseason about rewriting their story after the way last season finished. Thus far, the revisions have not been kind.
“I think from a leadership standpoint, we need to get together and talk and figure it out,” Conklin said. “I don’t have an answer for you on how to do that right.
“We won three in a row, we’ve dropped two. The offense hasn’t held up our end of the bargain and it hurts. We are a team and we love each other and it is a really good locker room. It sucks coming off the field and feeling like you let your team down.
“Our defense is playing well and we have so much love for one another. But at the end of the day, we can’t letting everyone down.”
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