The New York Jets' 49-19 loss to the New England Patriots understandably didn't elicit a whole lot of reaction -- positive or otherwise -- from Gang Green Nation's Scott Salmon. However, Salmon did make one thought-provoking comparison:
Patriots vs. Jets, Week 12: Pre-1997 Jets resurface on Thanksgiving
The Jets’ second-quarter shenanigans in Thursday’s blowout loss to the Patriots elicited memories of Rich Kotite’s terrible teams of the mid-1990s.
If you ever wanted to see what the New York Jets looked like every week pre-1997, this game was it.
In the Jets’ 10 seasons prior to 1997, the team finished with a winning record just once. The latter part of that run was particularly embarrassing, with the team going 4-28 in 1995 and 1996. While the 2012 Jets have already surpassed the win total of either of those teams, allowing the Patriots to score 35 points in the second quarter off of multiple New York miscues brought back memories of Rich Kotite’s failures.
After the Patriots took a 14-0 lead on two Tom Brady touchdown passes, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez fumbled after running into the backside of offensive lineman Brandon Moore. Patriots safety Steve Gregory scooped up the loose ball and carried it into the end zone to increase his team's lead to three touchdowns.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jets kick returner Joe McKnight lost the football, which flew right into the hands of the Patriots' Julian Edelman, who ran it back for a touchdown, extending the lead to 28-0. Edelman scored again later in the quarter, hauling in a 56-yard touchdown pass from Brady to make it a five-score game.
See More:
