The Jets and Bears played in very similar road games last Sunday, but they each experienced two different outcomes. Both games ended in dramatic comeback victories but the Jets were the victim of Aaron Rodgers and company’s furious comeback from being down 21-3 at the 10 minute mark in the second quarter. The Bears were able to complete their dramatic comeback by scoring touchdowns on each of their last four possessions to win 28-20 spoil the grand opening of Levis Stadium, the 49ers new home.
The Jets were grounded in Green Bay after such a promising start against the Raiders in week one. After recovering a fumble on the first play and jumping out to a 21-3 lead, it was all downhill for Gang Green. The Jets number one defensive ranking is surely vanished due to the simple fact that Aaron Rodgers was able to get in rhythm against a patchwork Jets secondary and just couldn’t be stopped. Randal Cobb and Jordy Nelson flourished, especially Nelson who was able to break his career high in receiving yards in one game as he went for 209 yards on nine catches including an 80 yard score near the end of the third quarter that gave the Packers a 31-24 lead they would never give up.
However, it wouldn’t be a Jets game without some controversy and there was a lot in their week 2 affair. With a little less than 6 minutes left in the third quarter a scuffle broke out in the endzone after a Randall Cobb touchdown that would end up tying the game for the Packers. The referees were quick to throw the laundry on the Jets for unsportsmanlike conduct and they ended up ejecting Muhammad Wilkerson for throwing punches at Packers players during the scrap. This would prove to be the turning point of the game as the Jets played the final quarter of a close game without their best player on defense. However, the Jets did have a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter which leads to the other controversial moment during the contest. With about four minutes left in the fourth quarter the Jets were driving deep into Packers territory. On 4th and 8 from the Packs 28 yard line Geno Smith dropped a dime on Jeremy Kerley in the end zone for what seemed to be the game tying touchdown, however the play was called back because the Jets called a timeout right before the snap.
The controversy comes because Rex Ryan didn’t call the timeout; it was suspected that offensive coordinator Marty Morhinweg did. The ruling for timeouts is that only the head coach can call timeout from the sideline, no one else. So after the play had been reviewed why should the timeout still stand if they knew it wasn’t Rex who called it? The timeout turned out to cost the Jets dearly as they couldn’t convert on fourth down to tie the game. After the game Sheldon Richardson blamed himself claiming he got the referees attention to look at Morhinweg. Regardless of whose fault it was Geno Smith wasn’t making excuses. After the game Geno went on to say “That happened. As a player, as a quarterback, you still want to go down there and score a touchdown and we failed to get that done.” The only finger pointing Rex Ryan is doing is at himself saying “It is my responsibility, I have to do a better job.”
As for the Monday night showdown against the Monsters of the Midway there are several things the Jets must do to avoid falling below .500. The Jets have the run stopping ability to make the Bears one dimensional but to stop running back Matt Forte as a pass catcher is another task entirely. Jay Cutler has several weapons on offense and they were all on display against the 49ers, especially Brandon Marshall. The Bears two wideouts, Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, have a significant size advantage over the Jets secondary. Like Rodgers, the Jets can’t let Cutler get into rhythm, just ask the 49ers. After allowing Jordy Nelson to break 200 yards the Jets need to focus all of their attention on the Bears receiving core which includes Santonio Holmes and Martellus Bennett who are also above average targets. The advantage for the Jets is the pressure they can bring to get to Cutler, especially off the edge. If the Jets can bottle up Forte they can mix up schemes to keep Cutler off balance like the 49ers did for about three quarters.
Geno Smith has got to play his best game yet as he faces a Bears team that, despite their injuries to key players such as Charles Tillman, managed to make life miserable for another quarterback who wears #7, Collin Kaepernick. Both he and Geno Smith have a similar skill set and Geno will look to replicate the way Kaepernick hurt the Bears was with his run game, as Kaepernick rushed for over 60 yards. Kaepernick got himself into trouble however when he tried to force the ball downfield, which resulted in three picks for the Bears. If Geno Smith utilizes his speed and size and runs the football instead of trying to thread the needle he could have some success at home on Monday Night. The Jets have no identity on offense right now and need to develop consistency either through the air or on the ground. This week I see all of that changing with Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory getting hot and really performing well against a less than stellar Bears run defense.
Ivory and Johnson provide a unique combination that needs to be taken advantage of. Ivory’s size and downhill running should set up for Johnson’s speed and lateral agility which could prove to be a nightmare for teams moving forward. The Jets must control the clock and set the tone on the ground to open up the play action pass. This makes life a lot easier for Geno Smith especially with number one wideout Eric Decker banged up with a hamstring injury. The Bears have had the Jets number in their all-time series as the Bears lead it 7-3. We’ll have to see how the Jets come out of the tunnel under the lights on Monday night in response to their collapse in Green Bay, and see if they can play better than your average Bear to avoid going 0-2 against the NFC North this season.
