Thursday, September 12, 2019

Sam Darnold to Miss "Weeks" with Mono Adds to Jets Meltdown

It is amazing how quickly the Jets 2019 season has gone down the drain. It all started Sunday when New York blew a 16-0 lead to the Buffalo Bills.

In the ensuing days since we have seen:

Head Coach Adam Gase publicly rip the Jets receiving corps.

We have seen wide out Quincy Enunwa suffer another neck injury that will cost him another season on Injured Reserve.

We have seen the Jets trade with the Patriots for washed up wide receiver Demarious Thomas for a 2021 sixth round pick, because Gase knows the player from his days in Denver. 

We have seen both linebacker CJ Mosley and defensive end Quinnen Williams miss extended time since Sunday due to injury; their status for Monday night, uncertain. 

We have seen the Jets release a kicker, Karee Vedvick, and sign another, in Sam Sicken. 

We have even seen a semi-pro kicker, Josh Hemsworth camp outside the Jets training facility, begging for the kicking job. 

Now we have this: Sam Darnold is out for several weeks after contracting mono. 

Only to the Jets could such a series of absurd and ridiculous misfortune happen.

Gase made the announcement official Thursday, saying the medical staff confirmed the news to the Jets head coach Wednesday. Darnold left the Jets training complex Wednesday with what was believed to be Strep Throat; it turns out the diagnosis was much worse.

It is not known how Darnold contracted mono, which can also spread through the sharing of utensils, but the sickness could keep the Jets quarterback out for quiet a while. People who contract mono feel fatigued and lose weight for several weeks.

The Jets are entering the toughest part of their schedule with the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys all coming up. There is a good chance Darnold won't be active until after the Dallas game in Week 6, although Gase said he was hopeful to have Darnold back by Week 5 at Philadelphia.

Trevor Siemian will now be the starting quarterback for the foreseeable future (roll your eyes Jets fans, roll your eyes). Siemian, 13-11 as a starter when he was the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos a few years ago,  is best known for being mediocre.

With a team already missing key pieces on both sides of the ball, and with a patchwork offensive line, this season has a chance to spiral out of control into a total disaster. Let's just say that an 0-6 start to the season is certainly not out of the question.

Not to mention the loss of Darnold disrupts the quarterback's development. There is a good chance we won't see him again until late October at the earliest. How can we get a good gauge of Darnold's progress in a year where he contracted mono and played behind a dreadful offensive line.

If the Jets turn into a flaming disaster, Gase could use the stack of injuries as an excuse to convince the Johnson Brothers that he should be the coach next season.

The last time a Jets season felt over this quickly was 1999 when Vinny Testaverde ruptured his Achillies Tendon in week 1 of that season. While Darnold is expected to return this year, it might be too late. The Jets are a mess and it is only going to get worse. 


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