The only booing that Sam Darnold is hearing right about now is not the ghosts that he thought he saw against the Patriots on Monday night. That booing is coming from Jets fans -- some 1,500 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida.
It was another despicable day in Jets-land as the Jets once again struggled to gain any traction offensively. Another day where Le'Veon Bell was virtually invisible. A day where the other pieces on this Jets offense were under utilized. Another day where Sam Darnold looked like a fish hopping and skipping out of water.
Darnold had no chance on Sunday in Jacksonville. He was sacked eight times, and turned it over three times, all on interceptions.
This is what life is like when you play behind an already suspect offensive line, and play for a head coach -- the so-called quarterback whisperer in Adam Gase who has had no answer to help this young 22-year old out. If things don't change for Darnold he will quickly and sadly turn into the next David Carr or Andrew Luck - - a guy with a lot talent, but no coaching and terrible teams around him.
The Jets simply stink.
It took Jacksonville only four plays before they put the ball in the end zone to open the game, including a 66-yard run by Leonard Fournette as he left a diving Jamal Adams in the dust en route to the Jets 10-yard line. Two plays later Keelan Cole caught a 6-yard pass from Gardner Minshew II to make it 6-0 Jaguars.
That drive was easy to forgive and forget because for a short moment Darnold looked like the quarterback the Jets drafted a year-and-a-half ago when he engineered a 12-play, 93 yard scoring drive, culminating in a 24-yard touchdown to Ryan Griffin to put the Jets in front 7-6.
Maybe the Jets finally exercised the demons? Nope. Not a chance.
After Darnold threw his first costly interception, Minshew scrambled out of a sack by Adams, and hit a wide open Chris Conley for a 70-yard touchdown to put the Jaguars back in front 13-7. They would never trail again.
On five of their next six possessions the Jets would punt as the Jaguars continued to build their lead via the field goal, taking a 22-7 lead with 2:11 to go in the third quarter.
On each of those failed Jets possessions, Darnold was under siege from the Jags defense as he was either sacked or hurried his throws, resulting dreary incompletions. It was total nightmare.
With it all the Jets found a way to cobble together a 75-yard touchdown drive late in the third quarter. They got bailed out by a bad call on a juggling catch by Demarious Thomas where it appeared he dropped the ball, but the officials let it slide. Darnold eventually found Griffin in the end zone for the touchdown and a two-point conversion to make it 22-15.
It was fitting the Jets wouldn't get into Jaguars territory again the rest of the day. Darnold threw two more interceptions as the Jags pulled away late 29-15.
In his last two games, Darnold has thrown only two touchdowns and seven interceptions. He looks completely lost and if the Jets aren't careful he could be preeminently lost. The Jets hoped they found the right coach to guide this young guy when they hired Adam Gase, and it is clear Darnold did better under ex-Head Coach Todd Bowles and ex-offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates. Who knew those would be the glory days. That is how bad it is right now for Gang Green.
Next up? Winless Miami -- don't say I didn't warn you...
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