Can the Jets make the Playoffs?
Sean Gordon
Staff Writer
The Aaron Rodgers Experience has not been a fun ride for the New York Jets thus far. Since the four-time league MVP was shipped to New York for four draft picks, he missed the entirety of last season due to a torn Achilles and has managed only three wins in ten starts. The 40-year-old is posting the lowest passer rating of his career (86.8), as the Jets sit in third place in the AFC East at 3-7.
Rodgers certainly does not deserve all the blame for the Jets’ struggles. The offense, as a unit, has been below average. The Jets offense has managed to score a measly 17.7 points per game, which is 26th in the league. They have attempted the most passes in the league and are in the top ten in passing yards. It is the lack of a rushing attack that has dragged this offense down.
There is no diversity in the offensive play calling for this team under OC Nathaniel Hackett and new play-caller Todd Downing. Aaron Rodgers has always thrived in a play-action heavy offense, but the Jets are only using play-action 21% of the time, which is 21st in the league. Opponents know that Rodgers is going to be throwing the football because New York is dead last in rush attempts per game. This is the biggest issue that must be fixed if the Jets want to sneak into the playoffs.
Another major issue for this team is discipline. The Jets rank 31st in penalties and penalty yards. They have been penalized almost 700 yards, making it much harder for themselves to grab wins. They need to clean up their game to put them in positions to win football games. One bright spot on this team, New York’s defense has been good enough, despite having to be on the field a whole lot. They have struggled at times but have held their opponents to just 21.4 points per game, which is the top ten in the league. The main problem with the defense is they are not forcing turnover. They’ve only forced seven turnovers all season, which is in the bottom five in the league.
So, the question remains. How likely is it that the New York Jets will make the playoffs? Well, ESPN Analytics say a 10% chance. Luckily, New York has a few winnable games in the coming weeks. They are four-point favorites at home against Indianapolis this weekend. The Colts have one of the worst defenses in all of football, so this is the game that the Jets need to get going offensively. A win here would put them at 4-7, going into their Week 12 bye. Still a long shot to make the playoffs, but it is progress.
Coming out of their bye, the Jets host the Seattle Seahawks in another winnable game. Seattle started the season 3-0 but fell to 4-5. Seattle is strong offensively, but not very intimidating defensively. This is another game that Aaron Rodgers needs to find his rhythm. A very possible win here at MetLife puts New York at 5-7.
Coming off a very possible two game win streak, the Jets travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins. This is a difficult game to predict. The Dolphins are currently 3-6 but are a better team than their record suggests. Miami was without their starting QB, Tua Tagovailoa, for four games this season. The Miami offense has looked much better with him under center, so this is a tough game for the Jets. These teams also face off in Week 18. It is likely that each team will grab a win in the series. This would put New York at a 6-8 record.
In Week 15, the Jets stay in Florida to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. There is not much to say about this one. This is a game the Jets must win, no excuses. The Jaguars are one of the worst teams in the league on both sides of the ball. Something to monitor here is the health of QB Trevor Lawrence, who looks like he will be healthy for this game as he recovers from a shoulder injury. The Jets should be leaving Jacksonville 7-8 with a smooth victory here.
New York will host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 16. This is another very possible win for the Jets. Los Angeles has a lot of talent on offense but has struggled mostly because of injuries to star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. On the other side of the football, the Rams have not looked strong, allowing 368.9 total yards and 24.1 points per game. If the Jets do not allow Matthew Stafford to click with Kupp and Nacua, they will win this game. A win here puts them at .500. Is a .500 record enough to slip into the AFC playoff picture?
Well, New York still must travel to Buffalo to steal a win from the Bills in Week 17 before the season ends. At this point, it seems unlikely the Jets will be able to win this game, but they only lost by a field goal last time the two teams met. Let’s just say New York wins this game. This would likely only put them at 9-8, which still may not be enough to make the playoffs. With teams like the Broncos, Bengals, and Dolphins in the hunt for a playoff spot it seems more and more unlikely that the New York Jets will punch their ticket to the playoffs this season.
Contact Sean at sean.gordon@student.shu.edu