The breaking point was coming.
How much more disappointment, after all, could these Jets take before it morphed into humiliation?
A week removed from CoverZeroGate, Sunday in Seattle had the distinct feel that the Jets’ most noncompetitive and lopsided loss of the season was coming.
Seattle 40, Jets 3 leaves the Jets 0-13.
It leaves them three more losses away from the dubious distinction of becoming only the third team in NFL history to go 0-16, joining the 2008 Lions and 2017 Browns.
Of more importance, it leaves them three more losses from the promised land of possibly picking Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1-overall draft pick in spring.
Jets fans, of course, were happy with this loss, but were they happy watching the wretched product that was on the display Sunday?
“Last week was probably one [loss] that had a different feel to it,’’ Jets coach Adam Gase said of the 31-28 loss to the Raiders. “But they all make you feel like s–t.’’
The insults keep coming in all shapes and sizes for the Jets.
A week ago, it was defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ coaching malpractice, which got him fired before breakfast the next day.
On Sunday in Seattle, it was Seahawks safety Jamal Adams who we assumed would spend the day preening and rubbing it into the faces of his former team.
Instead, it was actually Seattle kicker Jason Myers who served as a reminder for the litany of poor personnel decisions the Jets have made — pre-dating the current regime.
Myers made 91.7 percent of his field goals and earned a Pro Bowl invite in 2018, and the Jets curiously opted not to re-sign him. When Myers made a 41-yard field goal to give the Seahawks a 17-3 lead in the second quarter, it was his 17th consecutive make this season and his 28th in a row dating back to last season.
The Jets have floundered at kicker since Myers was left to sign with Seattle. Sergio Castillo missed three first-half field goals for them that could at least have had the Jets within 23-12 at the half.
“We needed all of those,’’ Gase said.
Want more green slime in the face?
Geno Smith, the former failed Jets quarterback, finished the game for the Seahawks, allowing Russell Wilson to lounge on the sideline for the fourth quarter. No one in the history of garbage time has likely relished garbage time more than Smith did on this day.
Smith, of course, was known from his Jets days more for having his face rearranged by teammate IK Enemkpali in a locker-room sucker punch over money, than anything he did on the field.
Life is good for the ex-Jets, who are sleeping quite well in Seattle, thank you.
Pete Carroll has been thriving there for years, one of the winningest coaches in the league.
“It’s a terrible thing to have to endure,’’ Carroll said, referring to the Jets’ struggles. “It’s heartbreaking to play this game and have to suffer through that kind of a year. I was aware of [their struggles] going in [to the game], but during the game it was obvious it was tough on them, that it was hard make it through.’’
Carroll’s offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, who never got proper credit for getting to two AFC championship games with Mark Sanchez in his first two seasons as Jets quarterback, also is thriving in Seattle — to the point where his name is surfacing as potential head-coaching candidate.
Adams set the all-time sack record for a defensive back when he pushed Darnold out of bounds for a loss in the first half.
“I would be lying to you if I told you I didn’t sit on the sideline and just shake my head, because I know how hard those guys work; I was with them for three years,’’ Adams said.
Then there was Myers and Smith and even tackle Brandon Shell, who’s been starting but got hurt Sunday.
Every one of those guys must have looked across the field at the sorry Jets and thanked their Christmas stars that they escaped the morass and were able to move on and prosper.
The Jets are mismanaged, poorly coached and lost in the wilderness. There isn’t a sign of them prospering anytime soon — Trevor Lawrence or no Trevor Lawrence. This is bigger than one player, one quarterback.
“I know there’s a lot of frustration over there,’’ Adams said. “I hope they get it right.’’