"Better luck next year JETS fans!"

by Steve Ferguson, OTSL Analyst

Yesterday on the coldest night this year in a winter of seemingly endless arctic weather I opted to stay in and watch my beloved NY JETS playing one of the most consistent, rugged and talented football teams in the NFL, the PITTSBURGH STEELERS rather than venture out into the frozen tundra at packed sportsbars where seats would have been just a mirage and not reality.

This game looked to be a terrific contest between the perenially successful STEELERS and the up and coming JETS at the big ketchup bottle known as HEINZ FIELD. Amidst the sea of yellow towels and a cacphony of noise whose decibel level almost rivaled the 12th man at Seatte's home field it looked a night to sit back have a beverage of your choice and get ready for a spectacular battle.

But in a game that was supposed to be a knock down drag out battle it was the JETS who came out and played as if they were knocked down and dragged out even BEFORE the game started. One could make the argument that after beating two bonafied Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Tom Brady this was would be an insurmountable feat for them to beat their third straight team and future Hall of Famer perhaps in Ben Roethlisberger on the road.

I'm sure we all recall when the NEW YORK GIANTS ran the table in 2007 beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers culminating their improbable run by beating the previously invincible and undefeated 18-0 New England Patriots and the Brady Bunch.

Call me a dreamer but I started thinking maybe the NEW YORK JETS had the karma to pull off the same miracle. After all the playoffs seem to be the time miracles can happen! Just ask the Seattle Seahawks after they beat the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints recently. Soon after the game started I quickly realized that there was NO WAY we were going to match up with the hungry, passionate, intense Steel Curtain. I couldn't believe how many players from LaDanian Tomlinson to Darrelle Revis to Jason Taylor confessed how "we were flat".after the game.

Question: How the hell is a team flat in a Championship game?! Their first half defense was awful tackling-wise and their offense was non-existent.

While this takes nothing away from the STEELERS who certainly wanted to get to the Super Bowl and clearly had revenge in mind after the JETS beat them 22-17 back on December 19th the JETS played a sloppy, scared to death, purposeless and meaningless first half; devoid of any dsirer, fire or emotion. Bad enough they played like they were strangers to a football field but their coaching decisions particularly by the offensive coordinator were abysmal. Whose bright idea was it throw on 3rd and 1 at the 1 yard line!

I say the JETS aren't winning ANY championships until they FIRE BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER NOW! He's a horrible coach. Since GM Mike Tannenbaum was aggressive in the off-season last year acquiring LT, Santonio Holmes, Nick Folk and Jason Taylor it's time to get aggressive with better coaching personnel so that Rex Ryan doesn't look like a fool in front of the cameras next time around.

By the way sorry to say but Jason Taylor's days are over as a player. Acting or broadcasting are definitely in the future as is the Hall of Fame one day. And the "Folk" hero needs to go as well. Where is Jay Feely when you need him?

Hey Tannenbaum, Please bring in an offensive coordinator who knows what he's doing!!!! What about Brian Billick or Jim Fassel, two former head coaches and offensive coordinators who are experienced and less afraid to fail than the idiot who runs our offense now.

UNLEASH THE SANCHISE and take the cuffs off him!! Never mind ground and pound. Get some offensive linemen who block better than the current group to help Ferguson and Mangold and open up the offense PUH-LEASE!!!