Jets Week 2 Reaction: It is the hope that kills you over and over and over again

I am writing this with the score at 17-17 in OT. The Packers are about to kick the game-winning field goal. (Update: they just did.)

The Jets mildly outplayed the Packers through three quarters. NY seemed to be moving the chains more consistently, and both teams were piling up penalties. The run game could not really get going, but Geno did a good job finding Wilson and Mitchell to move the chains. He even made a few plays with his feet. The Jets' defense was playing nearly lights out. Aside from one touchdown drive, they were making the Packers work for just about everything. The Jets looked like they were ready to put the game away after Geno connected with Breece for a 43-yard screen play on third-and-12 to get the Jets near field goal range. Two plays later, this turned into a classic Jets loss.

First, with the Jets in great position, Geno botched a toss to Allen, who maybe thought it was going to be a handoff. The Jets went from second-and-3 to third-and-17, took a sack, and had to punt. Giving up a potential field goal while up 14-7 was a classic Jets move. Then, immediately afterward, they forced a fumble AND recovered it. To this point, the ball had been on the ground several times, but the Jets could not come away with it. It felt like another fumble just had to go their way. The Jets now had the ball deep in Packers territory. They did next to nothing on first and second down, then ran a nice play to get it to fourth-and-1. At this point in the game, it was smart to just take the points. After a half-hearted hard count by Geno, they took the delay of game and kicked. 17-7 in the fourth. The Jets really should have been up more if they had avoided some boneheaded plays, but even still, they were up two possessions in the fourth. All they had to do was hang on.

On the next Packers drive, a few penalties backed them up to first-and-25. Game seemed in hand. Then Jordan Love threw a deep pass that looked to me like he was just fishing for pass interference. He got the flag. The Packers scored a few plays later, but it was called back due to offsetting penalties. Yes, there were a lot of penalties. The Packers scored again anyway. 17-14. At this point, I'm nervous. The Jets' offense proceeded to do very little and punted. Special teams, which I normally think of as the Jets' strong suit and the Packers' weakness, were awful today. The Jets muffed a few punts and were not tackling well on specials. Then, on this punt, the Packers returned it deep into Jets territory. The Jets' defense did its part and got a much-needed stop to hold the Packers to a field goal. 17-17.

The Jets now had the ball and a chance to take the lead. They moved it a bit, but a deep ball was perfectly broken up by the Packers' safety. A beat earlier and I'm screaming for PI; a beat later and it's a massive completion. Instead, the Jets got it to third-and-2 right before the two-minute warning, after another half-hearted hard count. After the two-minute warning, the Jets played for two downs. They gave it to Breece, who looked to me like he fought for a yard and a half, but was only given a yard by the refs. It was fourth-and-1 at the 50. The Jets didn't even bother with a hard count and then a timeout. They just ran a weak run up the middle with Allen and got stuffed. Packers ball at the 50. Game was over.

Or was it? The Jets' D needed a stop, and that is what they got. They kept the Packers from getting a first down, but Green Bay still got one final shot as time expired. Jordan Love was sacked. Overtime. The Jets had a little hope.

That hope quickly dissipated. The Jets won the toss and took the ball, a decision I generally agree with. They followed it up with a sack, another sack, and a false start. Third-and-30. Good thing they got the ball first, because there was no chance of scoring after that. It did not matter, though. They punted, gave up a few easy gains, and then, as a bonus, picked up a completely useless unnecessary roughness penalty to put the Packers comfortably into field goal range. The Packers kicked the field goal to get the win. 20-17.

There were some really encouraging signs today. I thought the defense looked good. The offense and Geno can move the ball AT TIMES. I actually liked SOME of Reich's play-calling, and Glenn was dialing up the right plays on defense. But there were also so many discouraging things. Pass protection was a mess. The run game could not get going. Devastating penalties and unforced errors either took away scoring chances or handed them to the Packers. And special teams, normally something I feel I can rely on with the Jets, were awful. No good returns, a few muffs, and bad coverage.

The Jets are now 1-1. Looking ahead, they have three winnable games coming up: the Lions, Bears, and Browns. The Lions, who they play next, seem to be allergic to defense. They just gave up 41 points to Buffalo. The Bears put up only three points today, and Caleb Williams left with a hamstring injury after going down without contact. I hope it is something minor. Then they get the Browns in Week 5. Regardless of Williams' status, I think all three games are winnable. It would have been really nice to be 2-0. They SHOULD be 2-0, but this game at least showed the Jets can compete with decent opponents. Hopefully, the pain of this loss will make them take a hard look in the mirror, clean up the penalties, and improve their offensive line play.

This is a perfect game to show someone when they ask what the experience of being a Jets fan is. They give you hope, take it away, give you more hope, take it away, give you a little bit of final hope, and then crush you. It is the hope that kills you over and over and over again.