The truth for Idzik and the Jets right now is that it doesnt matter what they do elsewhere in terms of winning now without a quarterback. Theyre bad enough at that position that the other moves they make are just window dressing a series of short-term decisions and drafted lottery tickets to set them up for that moment when they actually have the quarterback they need to succeed. Thats not what Rex Ryan or Jets fans want to hear, but its the reality of where theyre at in the NFL. Idzik still has to execute that plan, and it wont matter until he finds that quarterback, but hes on the right track.
As for Ryan and the Jets? Expectations were likely too high coming into the season. The Jets were 8-8 last year, but they were outscored by 97 points, which is the point differential of a 5.4-win team. That win-loss record included an unsustainable 5-1 performance in games decided by a touchdown or less, including two miraculous wins driven by unlikely late-game penalties on the Buccaneers and Patriots. The Jets already had two seven-point losses and an eight-point loss on their résumé this year before Sundays blowout. If they had enjoyed just an average amount of luck in close games last year and gone 5-11, Ryan probably would have been fired. Now, regardless of what Idzik does, Ryan will probably suffer that fate.
