Jets Week 4 Anti-Game Ball: The Defense

After each Jets loss, it is our sad duty to give out an anti-game ball to a person or people whose poor performance merits special distinction.

For the second consecutive week, there were such wholesale problems that I am awarding it to an entire group. Last week I gave the anti-game ball to everybody. This week the offense’s performance was anti-game ball worthy. Ultimately, though, it isn’t difficult to understand why a unit with limited personnel and a rookie quarterback would look hopeless against arguably the best defense in the NFL.

What isn’t so easy to figure is how the Jets defense was so thoroughly beaten by a Jacksonville offense that doesn’t look terribly imposing on paper. On defense the Jets have the second most cap space in the league dedicated to the cornerback position, three recent first round picks, a recent second round pick, and a relatively expensive free agent linebacker. Defense is supposed to carry this team. Instead we got a performance where the Jets allowed the Jaguars to score every time they touched the ball in the first half. We saw busted coverage after busted coverage.

The Jets aren’t going to beat anybody when their defense plays like that. That’s why the defense gets my anti-game ball this week.