Of Prospects Drear

So, we are very nearly there. When I envisioned the season at the start, I thought that this week's game against Cleveland would be a win. That's what this season has been all about. Now with prospects drear, one cannot help but want them to be the team to beat New England, to show that they still have life in them. But in the meantime, the only real business is that of rue, of feeling cheated and bleak.

Ah, what to do, what to do. The quandary of a nearly competent team at 3-9. One could spend some time on the bright spots - David Harris, Darrelle Revis (a draft pick, no less!) and Kerry Rhodes. The latter two have made some significant mistakes, but they have done enough to make a bad team look a little better - and on defense, no less. Our time spent with Kellen Clemens has been middling. We all know it. We can't expect too much from him, not just because he's new, but because he's probably not capable of living up to the awesome potential set aside for NFL quarterbacks. Sort of like Chad Pennington.

And Thomas Jones. Remember how upset we all were that received the "lower leg injury?" "There goes the season?" Now, just end the season. I appreciated that Jones said the score one way or another didn't matter and that he was and is a team player, but I suppose he has to say that. The bright spots continue, though, and on offense no less: Leon Washington, Brad Smith. There have been too many injuries. And there are the usual excuses found among teams that are fair to middling to poor. Middling: Kansas City. Poor: Atlanta, St. Louis, Oakland. Other: Miami. The cameo appearance of Ricky Williams against Pittsburgh two Monday Nights ago reminds me that however epic seems the scope of the Jets' failure this year, it cannot compete with the broad misfortunes of other fans.

Tom Rock made a good point a few weeks ago when he said that Giants fans are suffering more now, and I agree wholeheartedly, even if there is less evidence to show for that than before. Even the way the Giants win, as they did against the Bears last week, only serves to show how hard they have to work to get there. The Giants will not go far in the playoffs. What possible chance against New England or the Colts? This is Tom Coughlin's last year. Like other New York teams, they look like a team that's still hoping that no one notices how scared they are to win outright. Like the Knicks, the Jets find losing just part of ordinary life.

There is dignity in that - at least right now, at 3-9. At 4-9 there will be some pressure to make something of the season. At 3-10 we will be able to pack it all away for good, holding out faint hope that the Patriots will finally get an unlucky call against an inordinately lucky Jets team. Unlikely, more like, just as it is unlikely that our permanence at third place out of four will yield something in the draft, especially since the draft yields nothing for no one anymore anyway. Bring on the playoffs. Someone, for the love of God, beat New England. Get well, Brett Favre. Do I sound like a Jets fan? Just end the season.