Headset, 'Schotty' Play Calling To Blame For Loss?
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- After the Jets' latest disappointing playoff loss, New York fans were left wondering: Who, or what, is to blame?
According to Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, technical difficulties may have been a factor on Sunday night.
Things got so frustrating for the Jets, Sanchez said, the headsets to communicate with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer malfunctioned multiple times in the game. That caused the quarterback to have to run back and forth to the sideline to try to get plays.
"The problem was the headset kept going out," said Sanchez. "I had to run over and get a couple of calls, piece together some calls in the headset that came in broken up.
"It's just one of those things that we were fighting through and I was proud of our guys for trying to piece it together."
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Then there was Pittsburgh's goal-line stand that effectively shut down the Jets' comeback in the fourth quarter.
Facing a second-and-goal at the one-yard line, Schottenheimer called pass, pass, run - ending New York's nine-minute, clock-killing drive with zero points to show for the effort.
Schottenheimer decided to run LaDainian Tomlinson on fourth down instead of their short-yardage workhorse, Shonn Greene, a decision that left many fans scratching their heads.
Tomlinson finished with merely 16 yards on nine carries.
Fans weren't the only ones upset with Schottenheimer on Sunday night.
When asked why he was on the sidelines for the Jets' first offensive snaps, a miffed Santonio Holmes referred the media to his offensive coordinator.
"Ask Coach Schottenheimer what was the reason behind that," said Holmes. "I just had to go with the gameplan. That's the way things were called, and that's what I had to do... Ask Coach Schottenheimer what happened. He'll explain everything to you."
New York failed for the fourth time in the AFC title game since 1969, when the Jets won perhaps the most significant of all Super Bowls. It was a devastating finish, particularly after the Jets beat Peyton Manning and the Colts, then Tom Brady and the Patriots on the road to get to Pittsburgh.
Who do you blame for the Jets' premature exit? Sound off in the comments below...
