The show really started this summer with HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” It has continued through the first half of the season and Jets coach Rex Ryan really brought down the house Wednesday with the parody of his twin brother Rob, the Browns defensive coordinator, wig, pillow and all.
That is well and good, Rex’s antics have brought fun back to the NFL and have made the Jets relevant again. It’s time, though, The Show comes on the football field for these Jets.
This is a team living on the edge. They are the softest 6-2 in the league, and they probably are not the best team in town at this point. It’s time the Jets clean up their act and there is no better place to start than against their old coach, Eric Mangini, the anti-Rex, Sunday in Cleveland.
Even the Great Spoofster admitted as much yesterday when he was back at the podium as himself.
“I think we are going to have to improve to keep winning,” Rex said. “That’s our challenge.”
It sure is and you can start with the penalties. There are only four teams that have committed more penalties than the Jets. They have committed 63 to the opposition’s 47.
“We’re working hard on penalties and trying to come up with creative ways on these penalties, we’re doing everything we can,” Ryan said. “We’ve got video. We’re taking things from the NFL [on] how they teach certain penalties. We’re showing it to our guys with our officials. You name it, we’re doing it. The whole organization is committed to finding a way to get better at this.”
The Jets had better get better at this because some game it will cost them in big way. It may not be this Sunday, but that day is coming. Mistakes always come back to haunt you in this league.
Ryan has done a great job at what he does best, taking the heat off the players by being the center of attention. He is the ultimate player’s coach, and that is a good thing. He is a pro’s pro at making life easier for his players. The more time spent on Ryan, the less time spent looking at the flaws of the team.
The offense must get off to a faster start than it has the first eight games of the season. In each of the last three games, the Jets have not scored a point in the first quarter. They have only two first quarter touchdowns this season. In both of their losses, they trailed at halftime.
Amazingly, the Jets’ two losses have come when they allowed 10 or fewer points. They’ve had a 10-9 defeat and a 9-0 loss. With just a little more offense they’d be 8-0. Imagine that.
“We’d love to be able to beat somebody by 20 points, but as we’ve seen lately, we’ll take it by one or a field goal,” Ryan said, allowing common sense to rule his day.
Yes, the bottom line is the Jets are 6-2. That was the mantra in the clubhouse, and they are undefeated on the road, but there is danger at the door if the Jets continue to play these kinds of games. Records do not dictate what happens on the field. The Browns are a dangerous opponent.
“In this league you cannot look at records,” veteran Jason Taylor said. “We played Detroit last week and probably didn’t deserve to win the game against a team that was 2-5 at the time. Records mean nothing, you look at the way a team is playing, the talent they have. You respect every opponent. You put the tape in and watch the last two teams that the Browns beat and if it doesn’t keep you up a little later at night, something’s wrong.”
That would be wins over the Super Saints and Patriots for the 3-5 Browns.
The Browns have the Jets’ attention. Yes, 6-2 looks great on paper but it’s time Ryan’s Jets put on The Show on the field.