The sideline scene on Sunday at MetLife Stadium was ugly, and it wasn’t just bad luck. Garrett Wilson, the Jets’ star receiver, lost his cool and yelled at quarterback Geno Smith during the fourth quarter. It happened right before the team lost to the Miami Dolphins, 28-25. The anger didn’t help a team that has now fallen to a 2-5 record for the season. According to the New York Post, Wilson unleashed his frustration for a few seconds while Smith just listened.
Smith did not say a word back to his teammate before Wilson walked away. That silence speaks volumes about the state of the offense. The Jets were down 21-14 in the fourth quarter when they finally moved the ball. They drove 68 yards in 12 plays to get to the Miami one-yard line. But two bad runs and a sack of Smith stopped them cold. They settled for a field goal with 8:57 left and never got over the hump.
A Quiet First Half
Wilson’s anger is hard to ignore, but his lack of targets is the real story. Against Miami throughout the whole first half, he somehow escaped official targeting even a single time. He made one catch that got wiped out by a penalty. He didn’t record his first official catch until the third quarter. He finished the game with just two catches on three targets for 26 yards. Per the New York Post, this comes after a week where he caught only four passes for 44 yards in a loss in Foxborough.
Facing a weak Miami offense, the defense surrendered 156 rushing yards, representing a massive problem. But the offense did not steal the game either. Wilson wanted to force his way into a larger part of the offense, but the anger did not work. The team fell to the Dolphins, who were previously winless. This loss feels like another missed opportunity for a franchise that needs to find a rhythm fast.
Can They Fix It?
It is tough to watch a talented player like Wilson get shut out for half a game. Smith has been a veteran presence, but he needs his weapons to be involved. The Jets are in a hole, and yelling at each other on the sideline isn’t a plan to get out of it. The numbers show a team struggling to score and a defense that can’t get off the field.
Wilson’s goal was to guide the Jets away from an inexcusable loss, but the result was the same. They are 2-5 and the frustration is showing.