Bob Wischusen has been the radio play-by-play voice of the New York Jets for 19 years. Lasting all season, Wischusen will share thoughts about the Green & White in a weekly column.
Defensive Takeaways
If the Jets are going to make anything of their season, we all know their offense has to become markedly better. With the return of Sam Darnold and Mekhi Becton and Denzel Mims, at some point, you would hope that would be the case. The one area that has been a big positive of late -- and gives you hope that, if the offense can turn things around, the Jets can be a competitive team, is they're doing the No. 1 thing that you're supposed to do if you're going to win games in the National Football League — and that is take away the ball. They are plus regularly in the turnover ratio, which actually makes the losses all the more maddening because no advantage is bigger in any sport than being in plus territory in the giveaway and takeaway ratio. So, if you're looking for a positive with the Jets, the defense is taking away the ball will give them hope down the road if the offense can improve, the Jets can be competitive in these games.
Departure and Future
I'm well aware that there were many Jets fans upset with the release of Le'Veon Bell. I certainly understand that when a team lets go of a star player that you had high hopes for -- and it didn't work out -- there's going to be disappointment. But let's be honest, it did not work out. Bell had about 340 touches in his Jets career, and rarely was ever able to make an impactful play. Not only that, but as long as he was on the team, it took snaps away from a player like La'Mical Perine, who will now see the field a lot more often. Perine was the leader among Jets running backs with 58% of the snaps on offense. So if the rest of the season is going to be about younger players and players that should be part of the future and players that hopefully want to be here, then having a player leave that didn't want to be here in favor of freeing up playing time for that younger player makes all the sense. Hopefully Jets fans will be OK with that.
