MINNEAPOLIS -- The game began with a pick-six, served up by quarterback Geno Smith, who has a history of such things. It ended with a quick-six, courtesy of Rex Ryan, who chose a bad time to be Riverboat Rex. In the crucible of overtime, Ryan -- one of the smartest defensive coaches in the business -- was outfoxed by a rookie quarterback.
And now the New York Jets' sorry season is just about complete.
Can it get any worse?
On Sunday, the Jets found a new way to lose, letting a wide receiver screen turn into an 87-yard touchdown by Jarius Wright -- the decisive play in their 30-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. Ryan called a Cover Zero blitz, but it backfired because Teddy Bridgewater recognized it and checked out of the original play, a long pass. Fourteen seconds later, it was over. Jaiquawn Jarrett missed a tackle, and there was no safety net because Ryan had everyone at the line of scrimmage.
Hello, 2-11.
"That game is clearly on my shoulders," Ryan said, explaining, "I came here to win the game, not just play it close."
A good coach made a bad call, but this sort of thing happens in an out-of-control season. Players make uncharacteristic mistakes, such as Chris Ivory fumbling at the goal line, and coaches outsmart themselves by reaching for miracles. It becomes an epidemic, bad leading to more bad. It hit the Jets early in the season. There was the timeout fiasco in Green Bay, the blocked field goal in New England and the tipped interception that ended last week's run-a-thon.
Ryan wore a look of exasperation after Sunday's loss. His team actually played reasonably well for many of the 130 plays between the first and last -- Smith rallied from his brutal start -- but it ended in familiar fashion, Ryan and his players trying to explain another kick to the gut. This time they had to watch an opposing player run away with the game, with no chance of tackling him. Sheldon Richardson gave chase for a little while, but you don't see 300-pound linemen run down wide receivers.
"I can't say the word I was thinking at that moment, not in the holiday season," right tackle Breno Giacomini said.
This was similar to a 2011 loss in Denver, when Ryan sent an all-out blitz and got burned by Tim Tebow's touchdown run in the final seconds. Ryan suffered a severe case of indigestion after that game and needed medical attention on the way to the airport. He probably felt the same way Sunday. He knows his days as coach are numbered, but that doesn't mean the losses hurt any less. He's still haunted by a 67-yard touchdown from 2007, when his Baltimore Ravens lost in overtime to the Miami Dolphins, who finished 1-15.
"They have a tendency to stay with you for a lifetime, just like this one," said Ryan, who began the day with an 8-2 record against rookie quarterbacks.
What was he thinking? On a third-and-5 from the Vikings' 13, Ryan wanted to be aggressive, figuring the rookie quarterback wouldn't be able to handle the blitz. They'd force a punt, get great field position, make a first down or two and send in Nick Folk for his sixth field goal.
But the Jets showed blitz too early, allowing Bridgewater to check to the screen. Cornerback Darrin Walls was on Wright, but he was blocked out of the play. It was Jarrett's job to clean up, but he slid off Wright -- and the gate was open.
"If you show your hand too early, it's kind of dead fish out there," Richardson said. "You have to make the play."
To his credit, Ryan took the heat, admitting he messed up. He acknowledged "there are probably better calls to make there. ... The kid made a nice check." Walls didn't disagree, saying, "Screens are sometimes difficult to cover in Cover Zero."
Of course, Jarrett should've made the tackle. And the Jets should've been better in the red zone (0-for-5). And Jeff Cumberland should've scored instead of dropping a pass in the end zone. And the Jets should've scored more than one touchdown with 410 total yards. We could go on and on; it's the story of the Jets' season.
"This f---ing sucks," right guard Willie Colon said.
On this day, the Jets died a quick death. Too bad the same can't be said for their season. It trudges on for another three weeks -- three more opportunities for creative losing.
