Ranking the Jets games of 2015, #15: Nov. 1, 2015- Jets @ Raiders

As we relive the Jets 2015 season, we now go to my second worst game of the season, and what was overall probably the worst performance of the year by the Jets.

THE #15 GAME OF 2015: November 1, 2015, Jets @ Raiders

Jets: 20, Raiders: 34

The Jets get pummeled on a West Coast trip to Oakland, whilst making David Carr look like Joe Montana, allowing Latavius Murray to run against the iron front, and not getting nearly enough on offense.

The Story

The Jets were 4-2, coming off of an inspired but losing performance in Foxboro against the hated Patriots (seems like games following the Pats game really go badly). At this point, the Jets were hanging onto a spot in the playoffs but this game was fully into the midseason swing.

The Raiders, 3-3, coming off a win over the Chargers, were a bit of a league surprise as they stood one game behind the Jets in the playoff race and stood to gain some ground by defeating the Jets.

The Game

Another game that started well for the Jets on the scoreboard, but was all wrong for the Jets. On the first drive of the game, starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick scrambled for 12 yards on 3rd and 5 (yay!), and hurt his thumb and he wouldn't play again until garbage time (darn). The Infamous Geno Smith would come in to take the reigns. The Jets would strike first on this drive however, kicking the FG to go up 3-0. That was the last time the Jets would have momentum while the game was in doubt. Oakland immediately drove down the field and hit Andre Holmes for a 5 yard TD after he demolished Buster Skrine on the fade route to go up 7-0. After a Jets punt, Oakland drives right back down the field, with David Carr hitting Crabtree for a 36 yard TD while Jet defenders treated Crabtree as though he has a force field around him. 14-3.

After a Jet 3 and out, Oakland puts up another big play with Andre Holmes (who apparently turned into Randy Moss for a game) burns Cromartie for a 49 yard TD to make it 21-3 and the rout is on. Geno does nothing to help quell the storm as the very next play from scrimmage he pulls a Geno and throws a bad interception. Luckily, the Raiders don't turn it into points after Janikowski misses a long FG. The offense would salvage a bit of dignity as Folk booted a 38 yarder to make it 21-6 right before halftime.

More of the same coming out of half time. On Oakland's first drive, they put up another touchdown after a 59 yard TD pass to Taiwan Jones. This one was extra special as it was a simple swing pass where Jones evaded, in order, Demario Davis, Marcus Williams, Marcus Gilchrist, and Sheldon Richardson en route to the end zone to make it 28-6. The Jets would actually counter punch, putting up a touchdown on a pass to Eric Decker on their next drive to make it a 28-13. However, a big kick return on the following kickoff and big run by Latavius Murray put the Raiders in FG range, and Janikowski hit it to push the score to 31-13. One drive later, the Raiders put up another FG to take a 34-13 lead with 13 minutes left in the game. The Jets would put up another touchdown on a pass to Kellen Davis, but otherwise never really made any threat to the Raiders lead as the game would end on 3 consecutive Geno Smith incompletions.

Where it all went wrong

When the Jets took the field. Seriously, the Raiders whooped the Jets butts up and down the field until it no longer mattered, then said "sure go ahead, have some fun". In a season that featured almost no butt kickings (this was the only game that the Jets lost by double digits), this was stands out as a game that frankly wasn't even as close as the score indicated. Derek Carr went out there and dominated the Jets, Murray was running well against a vaunted run defense, and the Jets couldn't tackle anyone who had the football in their hands. It was just bad all around.

Studs and duds

Studs

Brandon Marshall: 9 catches, 108 yards
Eric Decker: 6 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD (really stretching the definition of stud here)
David Harris: 9 tackles, was the one guy not consistently embarrassed (again, stretching the definition here)
Darrelle Revis: Did a solid job on Amari Cooper, not that it mattered though.

Duds

Chris Ivory: 15 carries, 17 yards, slightly over 1 YPC
The entire defense with specific mention to Antonio Cromartie, Marcus Williams, Demario Davis, Marcus Gilchrist: they sucked
Geno Smith: His overall numbers weren't terrible. He did mount 2 touchdown drives. Why did I put him here? Well, he displayed a lot of the same things he's always done, whether it's decisions about taking sacks or big hits or risky throws. He also did very little to move the offense before this game turned into a blowout. Was he terrible? No, he wasn't terrible. However, he just didn't move the needle at all. There was some noise that this performance out of Geno should mean the Jets should consider him for the starting spot going forward. That one I completely failed to understand.

Final Word

This wasn't last on the list because of the implications and all around failure to capitalize on a hurt opponent in the second Bills game, but this game was easily the worst performance of the year. The starting QB got hurt 5 plays into the game. The defense that was very good played like garbage. It gave the Raiders a head to head win and an equivalent record at a time where it looked like the Raiders could be a factor in the wild card race. All in all, this was the worst week you saw out of the Jets.