At what point should we get tired of hearing about moral victories?
Following the Jets heartbreaking 31-24 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Aaron Glenn stressed to reporters that his players are closing the gap.
"We're right here. It's this gap that we have to close. We're fighting to close that gap and we will. We'll be on the other side of these games. I truly believe that."
Even if the Jets "closed the gap" the same problems still persisted for the Jets and Glenn on Sunday, that helped contribute to a disheartening loss. Whether it be time management at the end of halfs, the use of timeouts and challenges, or even the inability to adjust the game plan, the Jets failed in many respects to cover themselves, and as a result played right into the hands of the Lions.
Call it a young team, or a moral victory if you want, but the facts are 20-games in, Aaron Glenn is 4-16 as a head coach. Not that anyone expected them to win on Sunday in Detroit. Nobody did, but there were so many golden opportunities for the Jets, it was a crushing loss nonetheless.
Really, credit Garrett Wilson for keeping the Jets in this game. His incredible goal line touchdown catch at the Lions one-yard line on a crucial 4th and six with four and a half to play saved Glenn and the Jets from intense scrutiny.
Why? Because a possession earlier when the Jets scored at the start of the quarter to cut the Lions lead to 24-16, Glenn opted to go for two points, when all he really needed was one. The gaff in judgement is not the first time Glenn has gambled and lost on two-point conversions. He infamously did it last year against the Steelers in his first game as a head coach. That was forgivable.
20 games in is not.
Had Geno Smith's throw not gotten to Wilson, or had Wilson not come down with the football and landed in the end zone, or if the ball wizzed out of his hands for an incompletion. The Jets lose that game right there at 24-16.
What Glenn probably should have done right there was kick the field goal. It would have made it a five point game at 24-19 with enough time to get the ball back, IF the defense could hold. Instead he gambled, luckily it paid off. Wilson got the touchdown, and ex-Giant Sterling Sheperd got the two-point conversion.
But then, Glenn's bread and butter, his defense which came into the game ranked number 1, couldn't shut the door on the Lions. Jared Goff evaded an incomping David Bailey and connected with speedy receiver Isaac TeSlaa for a 49-yard gain, setting up Jaymar Gibbs with the winning score. The Lions needed only four plays to go 65-yards.
If defensive play-calling is Glenn's superpower, it didn't show there.
Finally with the Jets driving for the potential winning score. The Jets couldn't cover the safety blitz as Chuck Clark came flying through the Jets o-line toward Geno Smith, forcing the fumble that ended the game.
It was little things like this that stopped the Jets from having a chance.
Again, you can claim moral victory and sing it all you want, it's not good enough. This team isn't prepared well enough, and it showed on Sunday. That in itself is a major disappointment.
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