Jets Seek More From Its Passing Game

The New York Jets look at the Buffalo Bills and they see what they want to be. They see an offense that can distribute the ball all over the field, make big play after big play and put points on the board in bunches. The Jets believe they have the weapons to do the same thing, yet they shoot blanks more often than not. So far, the Jets’ passing game is failing. Badly.

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Bills, the Jets are ranked 27th in passing offense. Not what you’d expect from a team that has Al Toon and Rob Moore for receivers. Not what you’d expect from a team whose coach is regarded as an offensive innovator.

Bruce Coslet is the first to admit the Jets’ passing game isn’t clicking. Understandably, Coslet is concerned and maybe a little frustrated by the lack of consistency. His feelings were apparent the other day, when a reporter asked the obvious question: “What’s wrong with the passing game?”

“Good question,” Coslet replied. “I don’t have a good answer. It’s just not happening. What are we (ranked) in passing, 26th or 27th? That shouldn’t happen.”

The frustration extends into the locker room, but the players insist there’s no reason to panic. It’s too soon to be worried, they claim.

“We’re not making the big plays people expect us to make, but we’re only two games into the season,” Toon said yesterday. “It’ll happen eventually.”

No. 3 receiver Terance Mathis said, “When that day comes, when everything is clicking, look out. It’ll be a great thing.”

The receivers said that last season, too, but it never happened. The offense finished No. 21 in passing, averaging 172 yards a game. With a year in Coslet’s system, things should be running more smoothly, but the offense self-destructed in the 20-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks Sunday.

Two games into the season, only the Patriots (196 passing yards) are ranked below the Jets (310). Ken O’Brien (no touchdown passes, two interceptions) is ranked 27th in the NFL, with an unsightly rating of 54.9. Only Don Majkowski (55.2) of the Green Bay Packers and John Friesz of the San Diego Chargers (51.1) have lower ratings. What’s more, O’Brien is the only American Football Conference starter who has yet to throw a TD pass.

“Inconsistency, that’s the story,” said O’Brien, discussing the offense in general. “When you play well and consistently, you win. When you make mistakes, you lose. It sounds real simple.”

O’Brien doesn’t deserve all the blame. The pass protection (five sacks) has been spotty and the receivers have dropped at least four passes. What little offense the Jets have generated has come from the running game, which continues to shine.

Mathis said the passing problems were due to “a combination of things. Sometimes it’s the passes that are underthrown or overthrown, sometimes the protection isn’t good and sometimes we drop balls. Sometimes, it’s all three.”

What the Jets lack, according to Coslet and the players, is confidence, that feeling of invincibility. The Bills know the feeling. You know they know it when an unheralded receiver such as Don Beebe proclaims, “I’d hate to play defense against us.”

Toon knows the feeling. He experienced it in ‘86, when the Jets were 10-1 before they crashed. “It’s a different type of mentality,” Toon said. “As a receiver, you don’t go out there and say, ‘I can’t drop this ball.’ You say, ‘I’m going to catch the ball and score.”’

Coslet knows the feeling, too. He was the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive coordinator in ’88 when they went to tle Super Bowl. Describing the mood on that team, Coslet said, “You come to expect (success). There’s a certain amount of confidence you have. Not cockiness, not arrogance, not anything like that. It’s just knowing you’re going to go out there and get it done. It’s very apparent (the Bills) have it.

“The Bills are there,” he added, “and we’re not there yet.”

Until they get there, they will be Jet green with envy.