When you lose your final six games, don’t score a touchdown in three straight and miss the playoffs for a 12th consecutive year like the New York Jets did this season, there are many culprits. We’ll examine who the Jets’ five biggest disappointments were in the 2022 NFL season.

Before picking apart the carcass, let’s first acknowledge that there’s plenty for the Jets to feel good about this season. Despite their crash and burn, when injuries and poor quarterback play submarined them, the Jets did start out 7-4 and were on their way to the postseason.

“7-4 was not a mirage,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said.

And he’s right.

The Jets defense was ranked No. 4 in the NFL after finishing dead last a year ago. Quinnen Williams busted out with a Pro-Bowl campaign and an NFL career-high 12 sacks. The 2022 draft class, headed by elite corner Sauce Gardner and standout wide receiver Garrett Wilson, looks to be an all-timer. Corner D.J. Reed, kicker Greg Zuerlein and tight end Tyler Conklin were excellent free-agent pick ups.

Simply, the Jets are deeper and more talented, especially when it comes to having added young talent. The arrow is pointing up. Gardner already stated the Jets will be in the playoffs this time next year.

That said, the Jets did not reach the playoffs this season when they should have. So, let’s examine the New York Jets five biggest disappointments in the 2022 NFL season.

5. Elijah Moore, WR

Much was expected of the 2021 second-round pick coming into this season. When healthy, he played well as a rookie, catching 43 passes for a team-high 538 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games.

The Jets counted on him to take off as a big-time playmaker in Year 2. But that never transpired.

Instead, Moore groused about lack of targets, when rookie Garrett Wilson emerged as the team’s top receiver. Then he asked for a trade. That led to him being inactive in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos.

Moore had little-to-no chemistry with Zach Wilson and was vocal about it. But it’s not like he took flight when Mike White or Joe Flacco played quarterback. He finished with a disappointing 37 catches for 446 yards and one TD. In three games played between Week 6-9, Moore was targeted once without a reception.

Blame the quarterbacks. Blame the play calling. And blame Moore.

All in all, a big disappointment this season.

4. Lamarcus Joyner, S

The veteran safety thought about retiring but returned after he was sidelined for all but one game in 2021 with torn triceps. Unfortunately, he never quite found his footing this season.

Joyner did lead the Jets with three interceptions. But he had numerous blown coverages, as did fellow safety Jordan Whitehead, that killed the Jets.

Quarterbacks completed 71.4 percent of passes thrown his way and receivers averaged 15 yards per catch against him. He was beaten for four touchdowns. His Pro Football Focus coverage grade was 53.4 and his overall grade was 57.0. Not good.

Perhaps worse were his tackling issues. Joyner allowed far too many big plays when he had a 14.5 percent missed tackle percentage.

Joyner was the weak link in an excellent Jets secondary this season.

3. Laken Tomlinson, G

Tomlinson signed with the Jets as a free agent after making the Pro Bowl for the San Francisco 49’ers in 2021. Not only did the guard not play to Pro Bowl form this season, he was arguably the Jets least effective offensive linemen.

To his credit, Tomlinson did play each and every offensive snap (1,112) this season. That’s saying something considering how depleted by injury the Jets were up and down the line.

But his run-blocking grade, per PFF, was a horrendous 46.9. His overall grade was ugly, too (56.8). In his Jets debut in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, the big-ticket signee posted a putrid overall grade of 38.6. During the end of season losing streak, the Jets running game died behind Tomlinson and his teammates on the line.

Tomlinson’s steep regression is a major reason why offensive line coach John Benton was fired at the end of the season.

2. Michael Carter, RB

After selecting Breece Hall in the second round of the 2022 draft, the Jets envisioned a dynamic pairing along with Carter. For seven games, Hall more than held up his end of the bargain, leading the Jets with 463 yards rushing and four TDs. Then Hall tore his ACL against the Broncos and Carter was expected to be the go-to running back.

However, Carter, who started slowly this season in rotation with Hall, never found his game. The second-year pro led the Jets with 639 yards rushing (4.3 per carry) in 11 games as a rookie. But this season he had a measly 402 yards (3.5 per carry) in 16 games.

Carter finished with 34 more carries than Hall but rushed for 61 fewer yards. Yikes.

In his final nine games, Carter ran for more than 26 yards once. He was replaced by undrafted rookie Zonovan “Bam Knight as the lead back and had 32 yards on 15 carries in his final five games.

Poor line play is a factor here. But running tentatively and breaking fewer tackles than during his rookie season, Carter must take responsibility for a complete freefall in Year 2.

1. Zach Wilson

The 2022 season was supposed to be all about Zach Wilson developing into a solid starting quarterback in the NFL. Wins, losses, playoffs always will have importance. But the growth of Wilson after a rocky rookie season in 2021 was paramount for the Jets.

Instead, Zach Wilson fell flat and became the face of why the Jets failed to reach the postseason after a 7-4 start. Instead of progressing, he regressed in a disastrous season when he was benched twice in favor of White.

So bad was it for Wilson that Saleh wouldn’t start him in the finale against the Miami Dolphins even when White was too injured to play. This after White played the week before with fractured ribs in a must-win game against the Seattle Seahawks and Wilson was inactive. Ouch.

Saleh suggested Wilson “go to the beach … read a book … find yourself” when the season ended. Then owner Woody Johnson said the Jets would “absolutely” spend whatever is needed on a veteran quarterback in 2023 because “that’s kind of the missing piece.”

Double ouch.

It’s hard to imagine Zach Wilson’s stock could have fallen further in one season. The Jets made 2022 all about the 23-year-old and now are looking for a new QB.

You can’t find a much bigger disappointment than that.