It sums up the New York Jets' recent misfortunes that even after a surprise 5-3 start to the season, the fear of impending doom and disappointment seems to follow the team wherever it goes.
Nothing summed that up better than the brutal double-whammy of season-ending injuries to star rookie running back Breece Hall and top-class offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker last week. The rub of the green is required in the NFL when it comes to the fitness of key players across a gruelling 18-week season, but 'Gang Green' have had nothing of the sort.
Still, head coach Robert Saleh is building an impressive roster and culture in New York, with first-round picks Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson making an impact, and there are several sources for optimism.
But success this season appears to hinge on one man making the leap: second-year star Zach Wilson. Wilson flattered to deceive in his rookie season, while fans hoping the Jets finally had an answer at the quarterback position were left with more questions than answers. However, he now sits with the worst pass rating for any quarterback in the NFL.
This year started with three games on the sidelines after suffering a pre-season knee injury, but his return to the lineup coincided with the Jets going on a four-game winning streak. On the face of it, home wins against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins and road victories in Green Bay and Denver is an impressive run.
But the underlying details are less convincing when it comes to Wilson's case. Sure, Wilson has made some timely big plays, but those wins came over two backup QBs, Kenny Pickett on debut and an Aaron Rodgers -led Packers team in a bizarre funk at 3-5.
And it is clear that Wilson has not been the captain of the ship when it comes to making defining plays. In fact, Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur appear to be limiting the amount of time the ball is in Wilson's hands.
In the toughest of those four assignments on paper, the trip to Lambeau Field to take on Green Bay on October 16, Wilson was trusted with just 18 throws, completing 10 for 110 yards. Against Miami and Denver, it was 21 and 26 attempts respectively. The numbers are telling of how much this coaching staff believes in last year's number two overall pick, or more specifically, his arm: not much at all.
Game-managing QBs can take you a long way with the right pieces, like Jimmy Garoppolo, who led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2020, but with Hall and Vera-Tucker and Mekhi Becton among the men ruled out until next season, the supporting cast has been hit hard.
So the stage was set for Wilson to shine when an uncharacteristically inconsistent New England Patriots rocked up at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Pats had won a staggering 12 straight games against their AFC rivals leading into this game, but this was the time for a coming-out party for Wilson.
New England have QB concerns of their own with Bill Belichick manufacturing a quarterback competition between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe in recent weeks, and their 33-14 humbling by the unfancied Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football last week ought to have offered the Jets plenty of encouragement.
Instead, it was a case of same old, same old. The Patriots mustered a response and Wilson came up small in a big spot. Not only did he fail to make the game-winning plays, but he defined the contest with a series of errors, losing 22-17 on home turf.
Three ugly interceptions, including a farcical pick gifted to the gleeful veteran Devin McCourty when Wilson tried and failed to throw the ball out of bounds on a broken play, handed a victory to the Pats who are just one game back at 4-4.
Had any Jets fan been offered 5-3 at the end of week eight when they were at Cleveland in September, staring a second-straight defeat to start the season before some last-gasp heroics, they would have snatched it in an instant.
But for a team punching way above expectations in terms of its record, with the latest draft class shining, the good vibes are fading fast. The injuries have been brutal, but nothing is more fatal for a franchise's hopes than poor quarterback play.
It appears doubtful Wilson is the long-awaited answer to the Jets' woes under centre. Not only is he error-strewn throwing the ball, but he has not been able to replicate the progress of Justin Fields, who has taken a step forward by the Bears relying more on his legs in a Lamar Jackson-type mould; Wilson has been ineffective as a runner.
The 23-year-old, likely inhibited by his recent injury, has rushed for just 44 yards on 16 attempts this season. Coupled with just three passing TDs and five interceptions this season, the result is a player who right now is costing his team a lot more.
Sunday was a new low and it is reflected in the stats. His passer rating of 71 ranks him at 31 out of the 32 quarterbacks that have started at least five games this season. Only the Steelers' Rookie turnover machine Pickett ranks worse, and it was only some garbage-time production against the Pats that lifted the ex-Brigham Young University prospect from the bottom of the pile.
The Jets' season is still alive and Saleh has a difficult decision to make. Wilson was picked by his regime and it is always tough to move after investing so much draft capital in a player.
Joe Flacco was statistically more effective than Wilson in his three starts, with five TDs to three picks and a passer rating of 78. The 37-year-old is well past his best but could be a more reliable option. The one-time Super Bowl winner is something of a sitting duck in the pocket but Wilson is not making plays with his legs, either.
Nonetheless, Flacco is not the next man up. He was inactive for Sunday's game with 27-year-old Mike White promoted to second on the depth chart. The fact Flacco is nearing the end of his career was a deciding factor.
“Mike is a young guy,” Saleh said. “We have to figure out what we have in him if that opportunity presents itself. That’s it.”
White started three games last year when Wilson went out with an injury, going 1-2, although he provided a spark and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 400-yard passing day in a 34-31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
At 5-3, the Jets are positioned to contend for a wildcard place in the play-offs. The division is already beyond them with the 6-1 Buffalo Bills romping clear atop the AFC East, but this can still be a very good season for Saleh and company.
However, Wilson can ill-afford any more performances like Sunday if he wants to keep his starting job. It perhaps was the beginning of the end for the 23-year-old in the Meadowlands.
