The 2012 season was the New York Jets' 43rd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 53rd overall, their seventh and final under general managerMike Tannenbaum and their fourth under head coach Rex Ryan. The Jets failed to improve their 8–8 record from 2011. They finished with a losing record and were eliminated from postseason contention for the second straight season.
2012 was overall one of the most turbulent seasons in franchise history. The team was distracted by increased media presence during the off-season due to a quarterback controversy between incumbent starter Mark Sanchez and trade acquisition Tim Tebow. In addition, numerous blunders on and off the field as well as injuries often led to sloppy play, and the team was compared to a "circus".[1][2]
On November 22, against the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving, Mark Sanchez fumbled after running into lineman Brandon Moore and Steve Gregory ran back a 32-yard fumble return for a touchdown. The game is known now by Jets fans as the infamous "butt fumble" play and was considered the low-point of the season.[3] After that it was all downhill as the Jets suffered their first losing season since 2007. The Jets' offense scored only 281 points, ranking them 30th in the league,[4] while the defense was ranked 8th best in the league.[5]
The contracts of wide receivers coach Henry Ellard, outside linebackers coach Jeff Weeks and assistant head coach/offensive line coach Bill Callahan expired after the conclusion of the 2011 season and subsequently they were not retained. Ellard and Callahan, when offered contract extensions prior to the expiration of their contracts, refused to re-sign.[6]
Mike Smith was promoted from his position as a defensive intern to the outside linebackers coach, replacing Jeff Weeks.[6] Smith later left the team to become the linebackers coach and co-coordinator at West Virginia.[7] He returned to the Jets two weeks later after discovering his responsibilities with West Virginia were not the same as the team had first indicated.[8]
Sanjay Lal was hired as the new wide receivers coach on January 13, 2012.[10]
Dave DeGuglielmo was hired as the new offensive line coach on January 24, 2012.[11]
On February 13, the team named Karl Dunbar as the new defensive line coach. In addition strength and conditioning coaching assistants Justus Galac and Paul Ricci were hired.[12]
The Jets released Josh Brown, waived/injured Josh Baker, and waived Damario Ambrose, Stanley Arukwe, Wes Kemp, and Jeremy Stewart on August 27, 2012.[90]
The Denver Broncos traded Tim Tebow and a 2012 seventh round pick for the Jets 2012 fourth and sixth round draft picks on March 21, 2012.[99]
The Carolina Panthers traded Jeff Otah for an undisclosed draft pick on July 23, 2012.[100] The trade was voided on July 31 after Otah failed to pass a physical with the team.[101]
Drew Stanton was traded to the Indianapolis Colts along with a 2012 7th round draft pick on March 23, 2012, in exchange for a 2012 6th-round draft pick.[103]
^ abNew England clinched the AFC's No. 2 seed over Houston based on a head-to-head victory.
^ abBaltimore clinched the AFC North title over Cincinnati based on a better divisional record (4–2 to 3–3).
^ abSan Diego finished with a better conference record than Miami (7–5 to 5–7).
^ abTennessee finished ahead of New York Jets based on head-to-head victory.
^ abNew York Jets finished ahead of Buffalo in the AFC East based on record versus common opponents (5–7 to 3–9).
^ abJacksonville finished with a better conference record than Kansas City (2–10 to 0–12).
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
The Jets erupted to a 21–0 lead in the second quarter following two Mark Sanchez touchdown throws and a Jeremy Kerley punt return score. Following Antonio Cromartie's interception return score and Sanchez' third touchdown (toStephen Hill), Ryan Fitzpatrick, despite three interceptions, erupted to three consecutive touchdowns, but the Jets put the game away in a fourth quarter drive ending in a one-yard Shonn Greene touchdown run.
Tim Tebow, acquired from the Broncos amid heavy publicity about his presence with the Jets and the team's plans on how to utilize him, rushed five times for just eleven yards.
With their 6th straight win over the Bills, the Jets began their season 1–0.
The Jets traveled to Heinz Field for a rematch of the 2010 AFC Championship game against the Steelers. The Jets limited the Steelers to just 68 rushing yards but Ben Roethlisberger tossed for 275 yards and two touchdowns. With the loss, the Jets fell to 1–1.
After their Week 3 road win over their division rival Dolphins, the Jets headed home to face their first NFC Opponent of the season, the 49ers. However, the Jets struggled in this game being shut out at home 34–0 by the 49ers. This was the first time since 2010 that the team has been shut out at home since the Packers shut them out 9–0 that year. With the huge shutout loss, the Jets fell to 2–2.
The Jets stayed home for a game against the red-hot undefeated 4–0 Texans. This game would mark the first time ever that the Jets have lost to the Texans, and as a result New York dropped to 2–3 on the season.
The Jets faced Colts rookie sensation Andrew Luck; they sacked him four times and intercepted him twice. Shonn Greene and Joe McKnight combined to rush for 232 yards and three Greene touchdowns. Mark Sanchez threw for just 82 yards but had two touchdowns, while Tim Tebow had one throw for 23 yards but was limited to seven rushing yards.
The huge win was the Jets' first win over the Colts without Peyton Manning since 1997. They improved to 3–3 and a four-way tie in the AFC East.
This game would determine who would be atop the AFC East. The Jets erased a 23–13 gap in the fourth quarter. After a Dustin Keller touchdown catch Devin McCourty fumbled the kickoff. Following back-to-back Nick Folk field goals, Tom Brady whipped the Patriots to the game-tying field goal in the final 1:37. In overtime Stephen Gostkowski booted a 48-yard field goal; the Jets got the ball back but Sanchez was strip-sacked by Rob Ninkovich and Jermaine Cunningham, ending the game in a 29–26 Jets loss, allowing the Patriots to take 1st Place and dropping the Jets to 3–4.
Despite losing rookie sensation Ryan Tannehill for the game after a first-quarter sack, the Dolphins raced to a 30–9 win, their fourth road win in the rivalry in their last five trips to New Jersey. The Dolphins scored on a blocked goalline punt, then added touchdowns by Daniel Thomas and a short toss from Matt MooretoAnthony Fasano. Sanchez managed a late touchdown to Chaz Schilens but the two-point throw to Dustin Keller failed.
The surging Seahawks under former Jets coachPete Carroll limited the Jets to 185 total yards of offense and forced two fumbles. Golden Tate caught a touchdown from Russell Wilson then took a reverse and threw to Sidney Rice for a fourth-quarter score. The Jets only score came when Wilson was strip-sacked and Muhammad Wilkerson ran in a 21-yard touchdown.
It was the Jets' second straight loss to the Seahawks, and they fell to 3–6 and 0–2 against the NFC West.
The Jets posted their sixth win in their last seven meetings against Jeff Fisher. They picked off Sam Bradford once and forced two Rams fumbles. The two teams combined for just 570 yards of offense. The Jets improved to 4–6 while the Rams fell to 3–6–1.
The Jets were thoroughly dominated by the Patriots; they scored five touchdowns in the second quarter, three of them in a span of 52 seconds of game clock. The first came on an 83-yard pass to Shane Vereen after the Patriots recovered a Shonn Greene fumble. On the Jets' ensuing drive, Mark Sanchez fumbled after running into lineman Brandon Moore and Steve Gregory ran back a 32-yard score. The play later became known as the "butt fumble".[122] The third touchdown came on the ensuing kickoff, Devin McCourty forced Joe McKnight to fumble, which Julian Edelman recovered and returned for a third touchdown (he later caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady).
With the huge loss, the Jets fell to 4–7, and were swept by Bill Belichick's Patriots for the sixth time.
Mark Sanchez was benched in the fourth quarter and Greg McElroy threw the winning touchdown. The switch escalated brewing controversy over Sanchez's declining play.
The Jets improved to 6–7 and stayed alive in the playoff race after twice intercepting Chad Henne, who'd replaced faltering sophomore Blaine Gabbert four weeks earlier. The Jets had 166 rushing yards and two scores, limiting Mark Sanchez to just nineteen throws for 111 yards.
TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
Game information
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Chris Johnson ran in a 94-yard touchdown while following a Jeff Cumberland touchdown catch for the Jets Jake Locker ran in a 13-yard score. Mark Sanchez threw four interceptions yet a short Titans punt gave the Jets the ball inside the Titans 25 in the final minute. The Jets blew the snap and the Titans fell on the ball, ending the game.
With the loss, the Jets not only fell to 6–8, but got mathematically eliminated from postseason contention for the second straight season.
Tim Tebow entered the game for the first time since Week 10 and made what turned out to be his final plays with the Jets, missing on his only pass while rushing three times for fifteen yards.
Due to a decrease in popularity for the game, it was flexed out of Sunday Night Football on NBC and rescheduled to 1:00 PM on CBS. Following the loss to the Titans Rex Ryan announced that Greg McElroy would start for the Jets against the Chargers. Following a 63-yard Micheal Spurlock punt return touchdown McElroy led back to back scoring drives ending in 1-yard Shonn Greene touchdowns. The Chargers took over the game in the third quarter with two Philip Rivers touchdowns and a Nick Novak field goal while McElroy was intercepted once and strip-sacked once.
With the loss, the Jets fell to 6–9, their first losing season since 2007.
The Jets' plan to start Greg McElroy was changed due to a concussion he'd suffered. As a result, Mark Sanchez started and managed 205 passing yards but was intercepted by Bryan Scott in the first quarter for the Bills' first touchdown of the game. The Jets led 9–7 in the second quarter before the Bills scored three unanswered touchdowns, including one from ex-Jet Brad Smith. Tim Tebow suited up for the game but was never used. It was the first win for the Bills in the rivalry since 2009.
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^Jets Media Relations Department (August 14, 2012). "Jets Waive CB Devon Torrence". New York Jets. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
^PFW Staff (August 20, 2012). "Jets release OT Heyer". Pro Football Weekly. Archived from the original on August 27, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
^Cimini, Rich (November 20, 2012). "Jets cut WR Jason Hill". ESPN New York. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
^Jets Media Relations Department (November 27, 2012). "Guard Hayworth Hicks Waived". New York Jets. Archived from the original on December 1, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
^Jets Media Relations Department (December 24, 2012). "WR Mardy Gilyard Waived". New York Jets. Archived from the original on December 26, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
^Cimini, Rich; Jane McManus; The Associated Press (March 21, 2012). "Tim Tebow traded to Jets". ESPN New York. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
^Cimini, Rich; Chris Mortensen (August 27, 2012). "Jets deal for RT Jason Smith". ESPN New York. Archived from the original on August 31, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
^Wagoner, Nick (March 26, 2012). "Rams Sign Smith, Three More". St. Louis Rams. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
^Archer, Todd; Calvin Watkins (March 15, 2012). "Dan Connor, Brodney Pool sign". ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
^Cimini, Rich (March 12, 2012). "Jets keep DT Sione Pouha". ESPN New York. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
