Jets Playoff Hopes Die At Chilly Giants Stadium

FALCONS 10

JETS 7

It's all over folks!

When people look back at this 2009 season for the New York Jets, they will remember all of the missed opportunities that Gang Green had this year. Whether it be the two games against Miami, or the brutal losses to Buffalo and Jacksonville, this season has been full of disappointment.

In a windy and chilly Giants Stadium, that was so cold, that you could watch your beer turn into a Popsicle, Mark Sanchez and the Jets went belly up against the Falcons.

The game was marred by a series of hideous mistakes for Gang Green. Numerous times, the Jets had a chance to put this game away, and they failed to do so.

Three times the Jets had an opportunity to kick a field goal, and all three times they found a way to screw it up, most notably the botched snap by Kellen Clemens that prevented kicker Jay Feely from kicking a chip-shot 19 yard field goal.

Still the talk after the defeat was Mark Sanchez and the Jets D.

To be fair to the Jets, their defense held Matt Ryan and the Falcons to three points for the entire game, it is not easy to keep a high octaine offense from scoring a touchdown. Did Gang Green blow their coverage on Tony Gonzalez in the end zone? Yes. But the fact remains, that the defense played a hell of game, and should never have been in that position to begin with.

Now, as for Sanchez, he was horrible. The rookie continues to make huge mistakes when protecting the football; he threw three interceptions on the day, and still looks baffled on his reads.

What should the Jets do with him? They have to keep throwing him out there - the only way he will learn is if he plays, especially at this stage in his career. He will be a second year pro next year, and it is clearly his job to lose. The Jets will have to bring in a veteran to pressure Sanchez next spring and summer, but Sanchez will be the guy since so much is invested in him.

This was a terrible lose for the Jets, but like the Dolphin games, the Jaguar game and the Bills game, this lose to Atlanta was revealing as to what the Jets are, and what they need to do to become a better football team.