Chargers Maul McElroy and Jets, Tebow never plays

CHARGERS 27
JETS 17

An already abysmal season took a new turn of total absurdity for Gang Green on Sunday, as they put together a heartless, gutless performance against a San Diego Chargers team that had packed it in months ago. The Chargers, who have struggled all season rushing the passer, sacked Jets third string quarterback Greg McElroy 11 times Sunday making the quarterback wish he was holding a clip board again.

The offensive line, which was much maligned in 2011, and had played slightly better this season, went back to the 2011 version, as McElroy was totally under siege against the Chargers. Not all of the sacks were the fault of the line, McElroy made his share of mistakes and misreads; he even had a couple of "buttchez" moments like running into offensive lineman Brandon Moore, and later, fumbling the football into the hands of the Bolts. But, when the quarterback is spending most of his day on his rear end, no team has a realistic shot to win.

The Jets played like a team that had given up on its season. Their execution in all phases of the game was inept; the coaching was even worse. It was like the Jets from the coaching staff all the way down to the water boy wanted to get on a plane and fly anywhere for Christmas vacation.

Right from kick-off the Jets looked like a team waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. Joe McKnight looked like he wasn't trying to put a lot of effort in returning the opening kick return and was properly blasted at the Jets 15-yard line. After a three-and-out on the Jets first possession, Michael Spurlock took an afternoon stroll past the Jets' special teams unit en-route to a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown.

The only reason Gang Green even led in the game was because of Jeremy Kerley's 42-yard half-back option pass to Clyde Gates, which helped set up the first score, and a curious pass interference call on Chargers' Quentin Jammer, for holding Braylon Edwards in the corner of the end zone. Other than that, the Jets offense couldn't do anything.

The running game? Forget it. Shonn Greene proved that he is not a starting NFL running back with his lackluster effort when the Jets needed him to pick up the slack and take pressure off the young quarterback. The fact he managed only 38-yards against a Chargers team that couldn't stop the Panthers weak running attack a week ago is a total disgrace.

Slowly but surely the Chargers and Phillip Rivers woke up from their season long comatose state to eat up the Jets in the second half. Suddenly Rivers looked like the Rivers of old. He completed four of five passes on the Chargers opening drive of the second half, highlighted by a 37-yard bomb to Danario Alexander to put the Bolts up 17-14.

Later in the third quarter, the Jets were flagged for a huge holding penalty on a third and seven for San Diego; a pass that was initially incomplete turned into a new set of downs at the Jets 45. Rivers took full advantage. He found Antonio Gates open in the flat at the Jets 27, and watched the former All Pro tight end dash into the end zone for the touchdown to basically put the game away at 24-14.

While McElroy and the Jets were dreadful, Rex Ryan's decision making came to the forefront of this debacle with his mishandling of Tim Tebow. He had Tebow dress, and the quarterback never participated in the game. The Jets ran a number of wild cat formations, but, instead used Kerely rather than going to Tebow. Ryan wouldn't address the issue; he dodged it to the best of his ability, but it is clear that the Jets apathy toward Tebow not only is a circus, but truly unfair to the former Florida product.

Tebow looked resigned on the sideline. He never once approaching Tony Sparano, or Greg McElory to discuss strategy. This is a man who knows his days in New York are numbered and he doesn't know what he did to deserve it. The Jets traded a fourth and fifth round pick to Denver for this guy, and never used him. What a disaster. With McElroy proving that he will not be the franchise quarterback of the future on Sunday, it would have made sense to send Tebow in there against a team he faced four times during his career in Denver. At this point putting Tebow in for any extended action is a total insult to the man's intelligence. Have fun in Jacksonville, Tim.

J-E-T-S: Just End the Season? One more week people. Then the real fun will begin.