Sadly, today's 30-25 Jet loss to the Miami Dolphins (2nd this year) is EXACTLY what it means to be a Jet fan. EXACTLY what it's felt like my whole life.
Promise becomes destruction becomes last second hope becomes destruction in the burning flames they themselves have lit.
Flashes of brilliance clouded by mindless mediocrity.
I'm so beyond frustrated that I have no frustration left for this team. I really don't. I just can't take it anymore. My soul has melted. No amount of hope can change the reality - not coach, quarterback, owner - that this team tortures you for no known reason.
You Jet fans already know this feeling. For those checking out this project to experience a Jet Life, know that having experienced this game was to experience every up and down of the Jet fan for years. Decades.
Let me break down details that should have equaled a Jet victory, but didn't:
The stalwart Jet defense held the Miami Dolphins to only 52 passing yards and 52 running yards over four quarters (compared to 251 passing, 127 rushing by the Jets). That's AMAZINGLY GOOD.
Held the Dolphins to ONE touchdown and ONE field goal, a total of TEN of the Dolphin's final thirty points. Equally astounding.
And DESPITE the three touchdowns scored by Miami on both kick returns, and their defense causing our offense to fumble, Miami running it back for a touchdown, the Jets STILL came back in the fourth quarter to drive the ball to the Dolphin 8 yard-line or so and battle to score the final touchdown needed to win the game.
Despite ALL the anguish, ALL the penalties at the WORST possible time, ALL the missed catches, throws, runs, punts, kick offs right to the guy who ran the ball back for touchdowns (WHICH WERE EACH DEVASTATING IN THEIR OWN SICKENING WAYS), they STILL were only five points down and driving to score with 2 minutes on the clock. STILL they gave us hope. They STILL seemed able to win in the closing seconds...
And THEN they failed.
They CONSTANTLY, no MATTER the era, do this to their fans. CONSTANTLY. And I can take no more.
I HATE the fact they went 3-0 to start the season. HATE IT.
At season's start we ALL knew they had a first time head coach and quarterback, and though excited, KNEW there'd be growing pains. But to then STOMP on talented opponents the first three games?
Expectation sprouted. Foolishly, but we're Jet fans and have nothing but hope to hold on to.
If they went 1-2 the first three games, this would ALL be par for the course. All of it. We wouldn't be SCREAMING at the field or the TV "Nooooo!!!! What are you DOING ????" But that's the madness of this organization, and myself, for continuing to soul-bleed over this team.
The ONLY hope for sanity and salvation is FORGET THE FIRST THREE GAMES EVER HAPPENED.
ACCEPT that we'll be seeing games like this for the next three or four years FOR SURE. But more importantly, this same madness plagued the greatest Jet teams from the 80's and 90's, two of them one step from the Superbowl, before SHOOTING THEMSELVES IN THE FOOT.
Accept THIS WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR FATE. Our fate. EXPECT NOTHING. EVER. CAUSE IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
It'll SEEM like it's gonna happen. But it won't. It just won't. DESPITE their mistakes, screw-ups, shenanigans, RIDICULOUS "illegal shift" penalties on two point conversions, they WILL make you think they're going to win...but WON'T.
They just WON'T. Key words here are "won't" and "ever" if you haven't picked up on this by now.
I admire our camera man/editor Ben's words today in an email after the game today and the GREAT footage we got from the AMAZING Jet fans we met and met again during tailgating today, because they come home to me like truth...
"Jet fans deserve a better team."
Thank you, Ben. A better compliment to Jet Nation I've never heard.
Mark J. Williamson
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