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It's something New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan takes pride in. The hard-nosed, defensive-minded son of Buddy simply doesn't get skittish. 

He doesn't get scared, nervous or panicked. 

"I'm not afraid of anything," Ryan said. 

Well, as long as anything doesn't include snakes. But what anything does include is the fact just four games remain in the season. Four games that could easily have the Jets finishing 2014 a dreadful 2-14.


 

That thought's scary, but it doesn't frighten Ryan. 

During his six-year tenure as head coach of the Jets, Ryan has taken the team from the highest of highs, to now the lowest of lows. His reign began with back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances. It looks like it's coming to an end with four straight playoff-less seasons. 

The Jets once vaunted defense is filled with holes. It's offense, which is now on coordinator No. 3 under Ryan, can't find any consistency. The quarterback play has been dreadful, the cornerback play even worse. What truly is frightening is the fact it seems completely plausible that the Jets finish the year by losing out. 

In Monday night's 16-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Ryan finally tried his last option in order to get the Jets a win. With quarterback Geno Smith replacing an inefficient Michael Vick who replaced an inefficient Geno Smith, Ryan attempted to get a victory without a quarterback. 

No...

Seriously.

The offense ran the ball 49 times and threw it 13.

It wasn't until the game's final drive that Smith reached double-digit throws. While New York ran for 277 yards, for the eighth time this season, the Jets were held under 20 points.

"I don't feel like apologizing for running for 300 yards," Ryan said. "I understand we never won the game, so there's some questions there. I get that." 

There are questions. Countless questions. But maybe the most burning is if the Jets can't win it throwing the ball, running the ball or relying on their defense, how exactly can they win a game?

The answer? There isn't one. And that's scary. 

Connor Hughes is the New York Jets beat writer for About.com Sports. He can be reached on twitter: @Connor_J_Hughes, or via email: Connor_J_Hughes@yahoo.com