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I remember hearing an old joke about the Jets name standing for "Just End The Season."
Once again, we're getting very close to being at the point where that saying is relevant.
Once again, the Jets will not qualify for the playoffs.
No, that's not official. But they are 4-7, and they just have all sorts of problems right now. I mean seriously: think about how badly the Giants season has been going. Now consider that the Jets at 4-7 are just one game better than the 3-8 Giants.
What a year for the two New York football franchises.
Technically, it's not impossible that the Jets could qualify for the postseason. Again, they have not officially been eliminated. And in theory, if they were to win out their remaining games, they just might qualify for the postseason, although even that would not be a certainty. But considering that they were already on the outside of the postseason picture and looking in just a few weeks following a loss to the Chargers, and then they lost in blowout fashion to the Raiders. Having lost that ground, they went up to Buffalo in an important divisional showdown last weekend, and proceeded to get blown out even more convincingly by the Bills.
And then yesterday, the Dolphins came to MetLife Stadium, and basically dominated Gang Green from the first. True, the Jets got an interception late in the first half that seemed to get them back into the game, and gave the home crowd life. They pulled to 10-6 (they missed the extra point).
Then low and behold, they have a chance to go for a Hail Mary right at the end of the first half. Only it gets intercepted, and then - get this! - the guy on Miami runs it 99 yards, all the way back for a Miami touchdown! Instead a miracle and a prayer touchdown possibility for the Jets to take the lead for halftime, it was the Dolphins who managed to get an electrifying touchdown that made the score 17-6, and once again saw them comfortably in command as the two teams went to the locker rooms.
The second half was not any prettier for the Jets, as the Fins cruised to a convincing 34-13 win on the road against the Jets. Gang Green have now dropped four straight, and are teetering on the edge of even being considered a playoff contender. Again, it would take a real miracle for them to qualify, and they likely would have to win all but one, or maybe two at most, of their games in order to even have a real shot.
Frankly, they just don't look good enough to think that is a serious possibility right now. Their offense looks just awful. How bad is it? The Jets have scored 37 points in their last four games combined. Miami scored 34 points just in yesterday's game alone.
Also, while the defense seems like the one saving grace for the team, it is hardly an elite defense, let alone the "historical level" defense that cornerback D.J. Reed predicted before the season began. After all, the Chargers put up 27 points against them a few weeks ago. Buffalo scored 32 points last weekend, and the Dolphins just scored 34 points. Not all of those points yesterday were on offense, admittedly, but still. This is the reason why talking about how great you are before even taking the field for the first game isn't a great idea. That seems especially true if you happen to be the New York Jets franchise.
I mean, how often have we seen the Jets billed up as a promising team, with talk even of a possible championship? I remember the "Sack Exchange" of the early 1980's, and at least that team did frequently qualify for the postseason. They even made it to the AFC Championship in 1982. In 1985, they were 9-3 and had the second best record after the 12-0 Chicago Bears. But Gang Green ended at 11-5, and lost the Wildcard at home against New England. The next season, the Jets raced off to a 10-1 start, and everyone was thinking Super Bowl. Then the Jets lost their final five regular season games. They did beat the Chiefs in the Wildcard, but then blew a big lead to Cleveland and got knocked out in that divisional game. Bruce Coslet seemed to bring a much needed bit of fresh air to the team, and they made the playoffs in 1991. But within a few years, he was gone after the Jets kept losing. Bill Parcells seemed to give the Jets the best chance at winning, especially when they went 12-4 and went to the AFC title game in 1998, even taking a 10-0 lead on the road in Denver, before losing to the Broncos. The Jets had some decent teams in the early 2000's, but they also kept falling short. And then the team made consecutive AFC Championship Games in 2009 and 2010, but lost on both occasions.
They have not qualified for the postseason since. It is the longest active playoff drought in the NFL at the moment.
That drought seems sure to be extended for at least one more season now.
Jets Hail Mary attempt somehow turns into 99-yard pick six for Dolphins Share Pause Unmute Current Time 0:09 / Duration 15:33
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