Is it just me, or did anybody else not care that this past weekend was a bye week for the Jets? In fact, it was rather nice to not care that it was Sunday and have to stress-out about our beloved Gang Green. I wore red and black instead of green and white for the first time since August. And didn’t care.

I can’t remember a recent season when I cared so little about the fact that there was no Jets’ game, or when the next one would be for that matter.

Or when I cared even less what went on with the team during the break.

And I guess I’m not alone. I looked on the NY Post website last night, and before this morning, the last column about the Jets was written on November 8th. That tells you how interested the local media is at this point as well. Bye or not, something tells me if the Jets were even just 4-5 with a glimmer of hope, the media would find a story angle to write about each day.

Sure, there is a glimmer of hope that maybe we’ve found our QB of the future. Or at the very least, the coaching staff has committed to finding out over the next seven games if he is, so that we’ll know whether or not we have to use our high draft pick for one.

I became even less interested in the bye week as I watched Ben Roethlisberger lead his team up and down the field on Sunday, knowing he’s chomping at the bit to add to his MVP-type statistics against the 30th-ranked Jets’ defense. 1-9.

And then off to Dallas. One of the highlights of last spring was when the 2007 schedule was released and I found out that the Jets would be playing on Thanksgiving Day. I love watching those games regardless of who is playing, the fact that my new and improved Jets would be playing for a playoff berth (at the time) was almost a dream come true. The other day my wife asked me when I wanted her to serve Thanksgiving dinner to avoid being at the table during the game. My response, “I really don’t care.” 

The only good thing that almost came from the bye week was the Dolphins almost winning. That would have given them their one win of the season so they’d be less motivated to get it against us. Or if you are really pessimistic, tie us with them for the first pick in the draft. Oh well, at least the Rams won.

About the only good thing from the bye week is that we didn’t have to watch New England beat-up on another junior varsity NFL team in comparison to them (that would include all 31 teams), and be reminded about just how far away the Jets are from competing in the AFC East again.

It’s a dark and dreary day all over the NY area today. It’s been a dark and dreary season. One that we will probably never forget. One that makes even the usually horrible bye week, tolerable. In fact, this year, welcome.

Jon Buzby is a nationally-syndicated columnist who can be reached through his website at www.jonbuzby.com.