The New York Jets’ playoff hopes ended in the most fitting way possible. Immediately after a shanked punt gave New York a great chance to come back and beat the Titans on “Monday Night Football,” the Jets turned the ball over on an embarrassing fumble.

The Jets were down 14-10 and had the ball at the Tennesse 25 with 47 seconds left in the game. Quarterback Mark Sanchez was in the shotgun, and he was unable to field a low snap from center Nick Mangold. As Sanchez tried to recover the snap, running back Bilal Powell cut in front of him to try to help block. Unfortunately, Powell kicked the ball as he was moving across the field and the Titans recovered the loose ball.

“That’s the way this game should end!” announcer Mike Tirico pronounced. “That’s the way the Jets’ season should end! Ugly, and a loss!”

Tirico could not have said it better. The Jets were 6-7 entering the game and had no business making the playoffs. They proved that with an inept performance on Monday.

Sanchez went 13-for-28 with 131 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. Prior to the fumble that ended the Jets’ season, he had thrown interceptions on back-to-back possessions. But the thing is the Titans were doing everything possible to give away the game. Tennessee went three-and-out on its drive, and then kicked a 19-yard punt that gave the Jets incredible field position. But like they had all season, the Jets blew it with an embarrassing play.

In a season that featured 21 points allowed to the Patriots in 52 seconds, Bart Scott freaking out at the media, players anonymously ripping Tim Tebow, Fireman Ed quitting as a superfan, Braylon Edwards calling management idiots (and then getting signed by said management a week later), and a freaking butt fumble, seeing the Jets lose in such a clumsy way was about as fitting as possible.

The New York Post nailed it when they put the Jets in a clown car before the season began. This team is a joke.

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The New York Jets all but eliminated themselves from the playoff picture with their most embarrassing loss of the season to the New England Patriots last Thursday. Currently sitting at 4-7, New York would have to win out and get some help in order to sneak in and grab one of the AFC’s wild card spots. Mark Sanchez sees no reason that can’t happen.

“We feel great. We love our chances,” Sanchez said this week according to the NY Post. “We’ve got a special group. We’ll keep fighting and trying to win some games here.”

For what it’s worth, the Jets have a very weak remaining schedule. They finish the season against the Cardinals, Jaguars, Titans, Chargers and Bills — four teams that are 4-7 and one that is 2-9. Running the table against such weak competition would not be unheard of, but the Jets are a weak team themselves. If the tables were turned, we’d be talking about how New York is a weak opponent remaining on some other team’s schedule.

“We will do our best,” Sanchez continued. “We’re just taking it one game at a time.”

The bottom line is it’s not impossible, so as the team’s starting quarterback Sanchez has no choice but to remain confident (or at least pretend to be). The positive news for New York fans? As offensive lineman Brandon Moore would tell you when talking about the infamous butt fumble, there’s no way it can get any worse than it was last week.

Photo credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE