When Santonio Holmes went to the ground writhing in pain on Sunday, Jets coach Rex Ryan likely couldn't fathom the idea of losing arguably his best offensive and defensive players for the season in consecutive weeks.
With that reality confirmed on Wednesday, as it was announced that Holmes, like Darrelle Revis, would need season-ending surgery, the Jets' anemic offense became even more atrocious than it was already.
Holmes had been the lone bright spot for an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category. Now, without their No. 1 and essentially only reliable receiver, Mark Sanchez can expect to see his NFL-worst 49.2 completion percentage drop even lower.
While the Jets' playoff chances are likely about as good as dead at this point, Sanchez and the offense could still salvage some semblance of pride and success this season. But first, the Jets will have to be bold.
Ryan, who has appeared at a shocking loss for words in recent weeks, didn't rule out the idea of bringing in a veteran wide receiver to help fill Holmes' void in the meantime. The likes of Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens and, of course, Plaxico Burress, who caught 45 passes and eight touchdowns for the Jets last season, could all be viable options in New York.
All three players have had success in recent seasons, showing that they still have the ability to make an impact. Owens and Johnson made a dangerous tandem in Cincinnati in 2012. Owens caught 72 balls and nine touchdowns while Johnson amassed 67 passes and four scores. And again Burress had a successful season with these very Jets last year.
Now, with each player over 34 years old and given each of their off-field issues in the past, it's understandable that teams tend to shy away from them. Not to mention Owens' underwhelming performance this preseason that saw Seattle drop him about as quickly as he dropped that Matt Flynn touchdown pass.
But to be extremely cliché here, desperate times call for desperate measures. And right about now, the Jets are in dire straits — as if they weren't before.
Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum have to understand that Jason Hill isn't the answer. And while Burress, Johnson and even Owens might not be the most appealing targets at this time, they might be the only chance the Jets have at recouping some of this season.
For the sake of Sanchez, maybe Tim Tebow, and the entire Jets faithful, something has to be done or else this season could be even worse than it is already. And I don't think any self-respecting fan even wants to know what that looks like.
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