A Day After

I've gone over this loss in my head a bunch of times and it surprises me each time how close we were to winning that game.  Off the top of my head I can name 5 moments that, had they gone differently, would have resulted in a Jets win.

1.) The Braylon Edwards illegal shift penalty on Dustin Keller's catch at the 3 yard line.  The Jets were up 3-0 and driving down the field when Mark Sanchez hit Keller on a route down the middle of the field that would have put the Jets at the 3 yard line with a first down.  Instead, Braylon gets called for an illegal shift and we get pushed back 5 yards and the play is called back.

2.)  The Braylon Edwards running into the kicker call.  This call was HUGE and allowed the Ravens to get their only touchdown of the game.  If Edwards doesn't run into the kicker (I can hardly blame him because of how athletic the play was) the Ravens don't go on to score that touchdown.

3.) The Kyle Wilson pass interference call in the end zone.  The Ravens were driving at the end of the half (after the Edwards penalty) and this call put them on the 1 yard line with under a minute to go.  I am fairly confident they would not have scored if Wilson doesn't commit this penalty.

4.)  Shonn Greene's fumble after Cromartie's interception was a huge turning point in this game.  The interception put the Jets on the Ravens 30 yard line with a 6-0 lead and could have led to a game-cementing drive.  However, on the first play from scrimmage Greene fumbles and this leads to the Ravens scoring drive.

5.) The Dustin Keller 4th down play at the end of the game didn't cost us the game but it was such a boneheaded play that it deserves a mention.  Keller has to make sure to get the first down in that situation and he clearly had a chance to turn up the field and at least get an extra yard.

Overall, the more I think about the game, the more infuriating it becomes.  I only mentioned this in passing yesterday but we are all awaiting news of Kris Jenkins injury and I am not expecting good news.  Jenkins had surgery on that knee last year and we should know more tomorrow after an MRI.  Jenkins is one of the my favorite players and really seemed to be pumped for this year so I am hoping it is just a sprain.

Like I said yesterday the playcalling on offense needs to change.  For some reason we did not see any of the slants which were Sanchez's saving grace in last year's postseason.  Nor did we see any screen passes to beat the Ravens blitz.  The offensive line needs to step up their game and Slauson needs to get over his first year starting troubles very quickly.  Until tomorrow...