The New York Jets had no answers in an embarrassing 30-0 “ass whooping” loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Fittingly, this terrible effort eliminated the Jets from playoff contention for the 13th consecutive season.
Cornerback D.J. Reed, who may have played his worst game in two seasons with the Jets, summed things up perfectly.
“It’s a good old ass whooping,” Reed explained afterward. “Sometimes you get your ass whooped. … It’s a lot of lessons to be learned.”
Becton never stood a chance against Bradley Chubb ‼️😤 #FinsUp #ProBowlVote x @astronaut pic.twitter.com/9DFu1jpfLI
— Bobby Shouse (@B_Shousejr) December 18, 2023
New York didn’t appear to be engaged right from the start, looking flat against a Dolphins team that came out flying after a 28-27 loss the previous week to the Tennessee Titans. The Jets also looked unprepared on each side of the ball, with Dolphins coach and offensive guru Mike McDaniel and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio running circles around Jets coach Robert Saleh and his top lieutenants — defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Several Jets players said as much postgame.
“They out-schemed us, out-efforted us, they played a better football game than we did today,” veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard said postgame.
“You saw the game. It’s tough.”
That’s a damning indictment on the players, yes. But, perhaps, it’s an even larger criticism of the Jets coaching staff. “Out-schemed” is a direct shot at the coaches. “Out-efforted” damns the players and staff.
Stud receiver Garrett Wilson also remains perplexed by his usage within New York's putrid offensive scheme.
This exchange… the frustration is palpable.
Rich Cimini of ESPN: ‘you didn’t get targeted until I think the 3rd quarter…’#Jets WR Garrett Wilson: ‘I’m aware’ 😳
Cimini: ‘so that was my question, what’s going through your mind as that’s unfolding & you are not getting the… pic.twitter.com/HheH9OgKUn
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) December 18, 2023
Reed added an interesting slight – intended or not – of Saleh, by noting how McDaniel found ways to exploit the Jets defense because he knows it so well since the two coached alongside each other previously with the San Francisco 49ers.
“McDaniel definitely knows what he’s doing. He was in San Francisco (with Saleh), so he definitely knows our defense pretty well. He knows the ins and outs,” Reed offered.
Of course, Saleh knows McDaniel’s offense just as well. But he and Ulbrich were consistently out-maneuvered and out-schemed by McDaniel.
Even without injured superstar Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins managed to create the most favorable matchups for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who feasted against Reed. Throughout the game, Waddle (8 catches, 142 yards, one TD) lined up away from Sauce Gardner because McDaniel loved the matchup against the smaller Reed. The Jets never countered with an alternative nor had Gardner travel with Waddle.
“We should have eliminated him, but we didn’t,” Reed said.
Jaylen Waddle 60-yard touchdown!
(Via: NFL, CBS)pic.twitter.com/PW8Kl3yGZt
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 17, 2023
Indeed, Waddle burned Reed one on one for a 60-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. To his credit, Reed took full blame for that play and for his difficult afternoon.
Saleh didn’t show much accountability for the miserable showing. He credited the Jets defense for battling, blamed the injury-ravaged offensive line for having its doors blown off by Bradley Chubb and Co. But never once did Saleh point the finger at himself.
He may have Aaron Rodgers in his corner, but there’s no doubt Saleh is on the hot seat in New York.