The Jets picked the right week to keep sniffing glue. Normally, a team riding a five game winning streak that plays like a second-rate junior varsity outfit would get vilified across the city. This wasn't a normal weekend, though. Plaxico Burress is all anyone can talk about, and the Jets get a pass.
That just continues a season full of good timing. The consistent excellence of the Giants, while impressive, got to be a bit boring. That meant there was a need for a compelling storyline, and the Jets provided one with wins in New England and Tennessee. As well as they were playing, the hype was even greater as everyone jumped on the notion of an All-New York Super Bowl well before such talk had any foundation.
On Sunday, the Jets provided a reminder that there's still a long way to go before Tampa. Their offense reverted to the convoluted, overly managed game plans of early in the season. The Jets secondary, long a problem, again proved that they can't cover more than one receiver at a time. More troubling than either of these previously known flaws, though, was the way that Broncos center Casey Wiegmann handled Kris Jenkins in the middle of the line. If Jenkins is slowing down as the season heats up, the Jets are in major trouble.
That's a heaping helping of bad news, but there may still be something to gain from the stomping. For one thing, it's difficult to believe anyone on the Jets is still believing the team's press clippings. For another, the Patriots also got pasted on Sunday, which means the team maintains their one game divisional lead with a fairly easy December slate.
