QuickFix: Saucy Nuggets from the Jets' loss to the Jaguars

We're going to kick off today's analysis with some things you might not have noticed from yesterday's game:

Meaningful December Ugly

After the long wait, Meaningful December Rugby was not all it was cracked up to be. The Jets went 0-4 in December and these past four games were increasingly annoying.

Back in November we said that the Jets had more or less guaranteed themselves Meaningful January Rugby because even if they lost every game in December, they were almost certain to, at worst, be playing to stay in mathematical contention against Seattle on January 1st.

Even that's not true though. The Jets will need a bunch of results to go against them to be truly eliminated (Chargers, Dolphins, Patriots and either the Ravens or Browns need to win*). However, even if these don't all happen, the Seattle game is a 4:05pm kickoff so some of those teams will get a second chance to eliminate the Jets before or shortly after the Seahawks game kicks off. And even then if the Jets still have a small "win both remaining games and hope for a series of other results to go your way" chance, it feels like most fans have given up on this and would probably prefer to lose out and get a higher draft pick.

The Jets only participated in Meaningful December Rugby once in the last decade (in 2015) and it was the complete opposite of this. They entered December 6-5, won all their December games and then lost a win-and-you're-in game in January to miss the postseason.

There have obviously been a lot of late season collapses in Jets history. Has there ever been a December as rough as this for a contending team in Jets history, though?

Arguably, yes. Most of those collapses at least included one December win, but there were two seasons that didn't.

In 1987, the Jets were 6-5 entering December, having won their 11th game on a late blocked field goal return by Rich Miano. However, they ended up 6-9. (There was one game less than usual due to the players' strike). None of these were particularly close, though, as they lost by nine, 22, 11 and 13 points.

In 1994, the Jets were against 6-5 and this time ended up 6-10. However, the real killer here was actually a few days before December as the Jets blew a 24-6 lead in the notorious "Fake Spike Game". Yes, they still had a shot at 6-6 but limped through the four December games, losing by 11, 11, 15 and 14.

So, we can probably say that this was the most frustrating December on record for a contending Jets team, given the nature of most of the losses and the fact they were still in contention entering the last of those games.

Kudos to this team for finding a way to make history...

*A tie would also eliminate the Jets in some cases

Pure unadulterated snap

Some nuggets from yesterday's snap count data:

There were some rare defensive snaps for Jamien Sherwood and Hamsah Nasirildeen. Nothing to get excited over, though, as they just combined for three snaps with the goal line defense. This was also a rare example of DJ Reed and Jordan Whitehead missing a snap. Reed, who leads the Jets in defensive snaps, had previously missed just one snap in the Vikings game and Whitehead hadn't missed one since week five.
Connor McGovern played every snap once again and is the only player on the team to play 100 percent of the snaps on his side of the ball.
The Jets didn't operate out of dime personnel packages at all on Sunday. With no Brandin Echols or Lamarcus Joyner, they may have just opted not to include these in the defensive gameplan. Tony Adams' only snaps were in relief of an injured Will Parks for three plays.
Although he entered the game late in the third, Chris Streveler played more snaps than Zach Wilson - underlining how much better he was at sustaining drives.
Carl Lawson's defensive snap percentage of 46 was a season-low. Bryce Huff wasn't the beneficiary though - he only played six snaps. Rookies Micheal Clemons and Jermaine Johnson both played a season-high amount of snaps (31 and 28 respectively).

Strevelate

[Casual Whistle]

WILSON G:
It was a stealth black night
Spotlight white moon
Wilson G was down the seam
trying to convert
on 3rd-and-15 so we don't have to punt
Zach rollin' to his right
I'm chillin all alone...

J-DOUG:
Can't hit the broadside of the Atlantic Sea
on a mission tryna' find Mr Wilson G
seen a wide open man
throw it into Row Z
PFF grade: 21.3

WILSON G:
They got stunts at the line
I think he's going down
I can't believe this happening in my own town
First we had second and five
Now it's third and twenty eight
And now we're checkin' it down to my homey Ace

J-DOUG:
Fifteen's on the bench and two in the game
Big Rob is about to make the narrative change
Now they shouting and yelling
It's a tad bit late
J-Doug and Wilson G had to Strevelate

CONNOR MCGOVERN:
I keep forgettin' that we were seven and four
I keep forgettin' now we're gonna be seven and ten
I keep forgettin' how we ended up here
I keep forgettin'...

J-DOUG:
I broke all them busts down
And watched my Zach explode
now I'm switchin' my mind back into draft mode
if we had a Kirk, Goff, Mac or even Lamar
Would the 22 Jets have even fell this far?

WILSON G:
Now Zach got da yips and that's a known fact
before Mike got jacked he was on the right track
Back up, Back up, wait too long
Throw the damn ball up to me, the Wilson to the G

CONNOR MCGOVERN:
I keep forgettin' that we were seven and four
I keep forgettin' now we're gonna be seven and ten
I keep forgettin' how we ended up here
I keep forgettin'
Everytime I...

J-DOUG:
Just like I feared we are in the same spot
In need of some desperate help
the J-Doug and the fanbase were in need of something else
one of them runs was sexy as hell I said 'ooh I like your style'
I said 'my Zach's broke down and your beard's real nice would ya
run some drives?'
He got a drive full of yards and it's goin real swell
the next stop is Preseason Hotel

CONNOR MCGOVERN:
I keep forgettin' that we were seven and four
I keep forgettin' now we're gonna be seven and ten
I keep forgettin' how we ended up here
I keep forgettin'...

WILSON G:
I'm tweaking into a whole new era
JD-Funk step to this I dare ya
Funk...on a whole new level

J-DOUG:
...the Quinnen and the Sauce and the Breece and the Strevel!

WILSON G:
Moore
Mims
We brings...Hennessy
JD-Funk where winning is life
...and life is winning

J-DOUG:
If you know like I know
You don't wanna step to this
It's JD-Funk era
Funked out with a Canada twist
If your throws down the middle
Are too high like everyday
And if your Zach is a bust then
JD will Strevelate

[casual whistle to fade...]

We'll have some more in-depth analysis for you throughout the rest of today and over the next few days, so keep checking back here early and often.