Only 1 of 10 NFL.com experts thinks the New York Jets will beat the Baltimore Ravens, and Jets fans know him well
The New York Jets‘ 2022 season opener is closing in quickly. Just eight days from now, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens will charge into MetLife Stadium as 6.5-point road favorites, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Predictably, not many media members around the NFL world are optimistic about the Jets’ chances of winning this game. Look no further than NFL.com. Out of 10 experts on the website, 9 of them chose the Ravens to win, and 7 of those 9 predicted that the Ravens will win by double-digits.
Only one of the 10 predictors at NFL.com thinks the Jets will come out on top, and it is a man who has been one of the Jets’ biggest supporters in the national media: draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. He sees the Jets pulling out a 24-23 victory.
Jeremiah’s Jets support is no coincidence. He has ties to the organization’s head decision-maker. Jeremiah spent four years working for the Ravens’ scouting staff alongside current Jets general manager Joe Douglas. Jeremiah was a personnel assistant for Baltimore from 2003-04 and a west coast scout from 2005-06. Douglas was a scout from 2000 to 2014.
Earlier this week, Jeremiah said this about the state of the Jets’ roster health:
The Jets roster is in much better shape than it was a few years ago. They didn't have 50 players worthy of 53 man roster spot a few years ago. Today, they had 6 players get claimed off waivers.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) August 31, 2022
“The Jets roster is in much better shape than it was a few years ago. They didn’t have 50 players of 53 man roster [spots] a few years ago. Today, they had [7] players get claimed off waivers.”
During the 2022 NFL draft, the Jets had a strong tendency to draft players who were ranked highly on Jeremiah’s board. Each of the Jets’ first four picks was ranked higher on Jeremiah’s board than the slot he was drafted in, suggesting Jeremiah sees the game very similarly to Douglas.
- CB Sauce Gardner: Chosen 4th, Ranked 2nd on Jeremiah’s board
- WR Garrett Wilson: Chosen 10th, Ranked 4th on Jeremiah’s board
- DE Jermaine Johnson: Chosen 26th, Ranked 9th on Jeremiah’s board
- RB Breece Hall: Chosen 36th, Ranked 28th on Jeremiah’s board
For each of their first three selections, the Jets drafted the highest-ranked player on Jeremiah’s board who was still available. Hall was the third-ranked available player at No. 36, trailing only a quarterback (Malik Willis) and a linebacker who surprisingly fell to the third round due to injury questions (Nakobe Dean), so Hall was also essentially the Jets’ No. 1 option based on Jeremiah’s board.
Jets fans are crossing their fingers that Jeremiah’s green crystal ball will correctly predict the future once again come Sunday afternoon.
Audio Version available to members only: Learn more here
We hear a lot about how brutal the Jets’ first half schedule is but I feel it’s getting exaggerated a bit. The AFC North teams have an aura of blue collar, hard hitting football but last year three of them we’re around .500. So were Miami who may improve, as should the 4-win Broncos but we’ll see by how much.
While we talk about how much teams have improved any extra wins have to be balanced out with losses by other teams who at the moment probably feel like they’ve improved too.
I think we’ll look back at some of those first nine opponents very differently by the end of the year.
I agree, and I think the Jets will start 3-1, including an opening day victory. Pitt isn’t good, Cleveland with their QB situation is a .500 team at best, and as you mentioned Mia and Den still have something to prove. I think the Denver game will be tough to win. Mia in NY is certainly a possible win. I know the Jets also have a lot to prove but I think they have proven enough to this point to think they won’t be the “lay-up” they have been for the past several years.
I like Daniel Jeremiah so much more than Daniel Kelly…
Right now Jet fans should ignore the media talking heads. Everything is recency bias with these guys. When the Jets start winning, they’ll be on board real fast. I believe with the talent on the team it’s mainly now a matter of Zach improving (imo a 60/40 proposition) and generating confidence as a team. In pro sports confidence is an underrated element. The team needs a breakthrough win early to prove to themselves they can do it.
You are so right. I’m so tired of ESPNquirer pushing their narrative and people take it as gold. I know I’m bias but why does NE get so much credit? Look at their roster. Honestly, put that list of players up and take the team name off and people would predict 6-7 wins. Why do they get credit for what the team did 10 years ago? It’s a joke. I also don’t think people will be on board with the Jets quickly if they start winning. They love to hate…it’s just easy and lazy reporting.
I was having a conversation with some buddies last week talking through some fantasy draft strategies, and they were shocked to know both Mac Jones AND Trevor Lawrence BOTH threw more INT’s than Zach last season. Not to mention Zach threw none in his last 5 games and Mac Jones threw 7. Yet, Zach’s year was “up and down.” You ever hear the talking heads say “Mac Jones regressed” last season? 1-4 over his last 5 games, 7 picks and the only win at home vs. the team that selected first in the NFL draft.
There is no “news reporting” anymore. It’s headline creating and lazy research. Then they hire all these ex-players, who get zero training and put them on TV like they are some expert. You’re right don’t listen, and that includes the Jets’ beat reporters.
The media narrative with the Jets is very interesting. You are correct that there is reflexive hate/ridicule for the team…mainly because of the NY in the name, but at the same time and likely because of the same reason, a few wins and there is a stampede of overreaction in the other direction. Historically, the team’s problem is not being able to handle success and believing the hype. The Zach narrative is just lazy reporting. He played better down the stretch from the eye test despite the poor team around him. I’ll withhold declarations about him until I see him do it with this much better cast. The risks for this team is thinness at OT and IDL (an injury or two will be problematic)…especially to Q. I’m generally OK with all other positions…including Safety. Game 1’s are always a 50/50 proposition, as teams get re-acclamated to the game. As such, they have a 50/50 chance of winning. A win in game 1 will give them huge confidence going into Cleveland. A loss in game 1 will test the strength of their pysche going into a still winnable game in Cleveland. Beyond that, I’ll wait to make predictions.