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DEC 28
4:12
PM ET
By Rich Cimini | ESPN.com
134COMMENTS10EMAILPRINT
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- A few thoughts on the New York Jets' 37-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium:
What it means: One of the worst seasons in franchise history is finally over -- a brutal 4-12 performance that will get a lot of people fired. Now it gets interesting, as coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik await their fate. Idzik is expected to be fired Monday by owner Woody Johnson, who must be pretty disgusted to be plotting a GM change after only two years. Idzik did a terrible job this year and deserves to go. You can bet Johnson won't hire another salary-cap expert to run his football operation. Ryan's situation might not be crystal clear, as ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen reported that Johnson might let the new GM evaluate Ryan, whose career record is 50-52 (including postseason). The players still like playing for Ryan, evidenced by this game, but it's time to start over.
Stock watch: Geno Smith -- Up. What got into him? Smith played the best game of his career, completing 20 of 25 passes for 358 yards and three touchdowns to notch a perfect 158.3 passer rating. For once, he actually displayed Pro Bowl flashes. Geno being Geno, he lost a fumble on a careless play, setting up an easy Miami touchdown. Hey, it's never easy for him. The question is, should it change the picture at quarterback?
There's always the danger of putting too much stock in a meaningless, late-season game -- the Jets were guilty of that last year -- so let's hold off on the "Geno for QB in 2015" campaign. The Jets needed this version of Smith early in the season, when the games mattered. But give him credit for finishing on an upbeat note. Unless the Jets make a blockbuster move for a quarterback, Smith probably will get a chance to compete for the starting job next year.
Geno to Eric: Eric Decker must have thought he was back in his Denver days, playing with Peyton Manning. The $36 million wide receiver caught 10 passes for a career-high 221 yards, the sixth 200-yard receiving day in Jets history. It included a 74-yard touchdown reception, the longest pass of Smith's career. Decker almost broke the team record of 228 yards, set by Don Maynard in 1968. That it happened without Percy Harvin (inactive/ribs) made it more impressive, as Decker was the focal point of the Dolphins' coverage. It was a cherry on top of an otherwise ordinary season. For a change, the Jets looked like a real offense, producing their season-best point total.
Game ball: For the season, it goes to Sheldon Richardson, a no-brainer. Before leaving in the second quarter with a head injury, he recorded a team-high eighth sack. Richardson was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise sorry season. He was snubbed in the Pro Bowl voting, but he's still a top-10 defensive lineman. The Jets don't have much of a foundation, but Richardson definitely is part of it. He and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson are the best players on the team.
What's ahead: Now come the pink slips. This will be an eventful offseason, starting with likely coach and GM searches. From there, it's on to free agency. With more than $40 million in projected cap room, the Jets have the ability to be aggressive players in the free-agent market. Maybe this year they will actually decide to spend it. The draft will be fascinating. The Jets have a top-six pick, so there will be plenty of speculation about their interest in the top quarterbacks (Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston) along with wide receiver Amari Cooper -- assuming they declare for the draft.
4:12
PM ET
By Rich Cimini | ESPN.com
134COMMENTS10EMAILPRINT
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- A few thoughts on the New York Jets' 37-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium:
What it means: One of the worst seasons in franchise history is finally over -- a brutal 4-12 performance that will get a lot of people fired. Now it gets interesting, as coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik await their fate. Idzik is expected to be fired Monday by owner Woody Johnson, who must be pretty disgusted to be plotting a GM change after only two years. Idzik did a terrible job this year and deserves to go. You can bet Johnson won't hire another salary-cap expert to run his football operation. Ryan's situation might not be crystal clear, as ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen reported that Johnson might let the new GM evaluate Ryan, whose career record is 50-52 (including postseason). The players still like playing for Ryan, evidenced by this game, but it's time to start over.
Stock watch: Geno Smith -- Up. What got into him? Smith played the best game of his career, completing 20 of 25 passes for 358 yards and three touchdowns to notch a perfect 158.3 passer rating. For once, he actually displayed Pro Bowl flashes. Geno being Geno, he lost a fumble on a careless play, setting up an easy Miami touchdown. Hey, it's never easy for him. The question is, should it change the picture at quarterback?
There's always the danger of putting too much stock in a meaningless, late-season game -- the Jets were guilty of that last year -- so let's hold off on the "Geno for QB in 2015" campaign. The Jets needed this version of Smith early in the season, when the games mattered. But give him credit for finishing on an upbeat note. Unless the Jets make a blockbuster move for a quarterback, Smith probably will get a chance to compete for the starting job next year.
Geno to Eric: Eric Decker must have thought he was back in his Denver days, playing with Peyton Manning. The $36 million wide receiver caught 10 passes for a career-high 221 yards, the sixth 200-yard receiving day in Jets history. It included a 74-yard touchdown reception, the longest pass of Smith's career. Decker almost broke the team record of 228 yards, set by Don Maynard in 1968. That it happened without Percy Harvin (inactive/ribs) made it more impressive, as Decker was the focal point of the Dolphins' coverage. It was a cherry on top of an otherwise ordinary season. For a change, the Jets looked like a real offense, producing their season-best point total.
Game ball: For the season, it goes to Sheldon Richardson, a no-brainer. Before leaving in the second quarter with a head injury, he recorded a team-high eighth sack. Richardson was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise sorry season. He was snubbed in the Pro Bowl voting, but he's still a top-10 defensive lineman. The Jets don't have much of a foundation, but Richardson definitely is part of it. He and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson are the best players on the team.
What's ahead: Now come the pink slips. This will be an eventful offseason, starting with likely coach and GM searches. From there, it's on to free agency. With more than $40 million in projected cap room, the Jets have the ability to be aggressive players in the free-agent market. Maybe this year they will actually decide to spend it. The draft will be fascinating. The Jets have a top-six pick, so there will be plenty of speculation about their interest in the top quarterbacks (Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston) along with wide receiver Amari Cooper -- assuming they declare for the draft.
