The New York Jets got off to a great start under Rex Ryan, going to two straight AFC Conference Championship games in 2009 and 2010. In one stretch, from the end of the 2009 season, to the start of the 2010 season, the Jets went 16-4 (including the playoffs) and outscored their opponents by an average score of 23-15.
But in the 35 games since then, the Jets are 16-19. And the biggest culprit has been the defense, something that is supposed to be Ryan's specialty. The team is scoring nearly as many points (22 ppg) during that stretch. But on the defensive side of the ball, they are giving up nearly ten more points per game (24 ppg) than during their peak.
The result is a scoring differential (points scored-points allowed) that is plummeting, and a team that looks like it has lost its way...
Data via Pro-Football-Reference.com
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