grounded and pounded

No team likes to talk more than the New York Jets. No team gets more attention the New York Jets. And no team reaches the end zone less than the New York Jets.

There have been three preseason games played so far. The fourth game is traditionally without the starters and is primarily for determining which bench players won't get cut. So really, the preseason is done. This preseason, the Jets managed to kick 7 field goals and 0 touchdowns. Zero!! In fact, opposing defenses have scored more touchdowns than the Jets offense has.

This is kind of a big deal. Coming into the season, the question mark for the Jets was the offense. It was not looking good. They may have only really lost aged LaDamien Tomlinson and Plaxico Burress, but they only acquired a "backup quarterback" in Tim Tebow and a rookie receiver Stephen Hill. The offensive line is dreadful.

Ask anybody on the Jets and they'll tell you, "It's only preseason." "We'll fine." "We're improving." "We're not worried." "We'll turn it on in the regular season."
How's this: the 2012 Jets are the only team in the last 35 years to not score a touchdown in the first three preseason games.

I really, really try to give them a little teenie-weenie benefit of the doubt. We haven't seen Tebowmania. Well, we have seen him complete 13 of 36 passes (36%) and throw two interceptions, but we haven't witnessed the Tim Tebow Wildcat Experience. We didn't see Santonio Holmes in the first two games, although he came back strong this weekend with passes going through his hands and bouncing off his chest. And we haven't seen receivers Chaz Schilens and Jeremy Kerley who are injured right now. Yeah, that's right; they are hurt and we haven't seen them (wake me up when we do). Antonio Cromartie says he can play wide receiver. Never has before...

Rex Ryan declared that they are "going back to the ground and pound." Rex has said some pretty dumb things, but that statement is about as ridiculous as it gets. Is Rex aware that this league is a passing league? Your last 10 Super Bowl teams were led by Eli Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Kurt Warner. Nearly every passing record was broken last year, and will likely be challenged again in 2012. Not only that, but the team with the worst (or second worst) rushing game has been in the Super Bowl four years in a row. Ground and Pound doesn't seem like a very good choice for success.

Let's pretend that it could be productive. While they don't win championships, strong ground teams like the Ravens and Broncos have been successful in the regular season. The problem is, the Jets don't have the personnel fit that mold! Where is the power back?! Where is the workhorse? Or even, where is the double back tandem? In 45 career regular season games, Shonn Greene has reached 100 yards in 4. Your other running backs are Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell (Who?). The offensive line is one of the worst in the NFL. The Jets had one of the worst rushing teams last year and did not get better this offseason. Now you are going to flip the switch and be a dominant ground game?

If they decide to change their minds and make it a more pass-driven team, they will still struggle. It's a little late for that. Santonio Holmes is a nice receiver but he is not a legit #1. And he's a head case. Dustin Keller gives you something from the tight ends. And there is NOTHING else! Toss in a porous o-line and Mark Sanchez is destined to fail.

I guess there's the Tim Tebow factor. He will come in and do some super-top-secret magical packages, the oh-so-popular-and-successful "Wildcat" offense, some goal line and short yardage opportunities, et cetra, et cetra.

This is what we've seen: Nothing. "We'll be ready for Buffalo." Don't they realize that everyone else is getting better, too? And other teams are actually starting from further up?

The whole Jets team reminds me of a Fast-and-Furious-style road race. Everyone else has their shiny, top-of-the-line speedsters with big engines and slick tires and the Jets are rolling in with their rusty 1987 Ford Taurus station wagon that just lost a couple hub caps. "Just wait, we'll turn on the Nos boosters halfway through and we'll shoot ahead." Well by the way, the other drivers are all using Nos, and by the time your boosters are on the race will be over.

The Jets defense is good, I am on board with that. But come on, the Jets got the ball at the Carolina Panthers 12 yard line after a turnover and settled for a field goal. They had two drives against the Giants that started in the Giants territory and couldn't score at all. Come on, give me something to look forward to!

A tumultuous offseason followed by the worst preseason on 35 years. Your only playmaker is a backup quarterback. Ground and pound is an admission by your head coach that you have no chance throwing the ball and you are looking for bright way to twist that sad reality. And in a league dominated by passing, that is a sure-fire way to fail.