After their blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins, the New York Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention in the AFC
For the 13th consecutive season, there will be no postseason football for the New York Jets.
After the Jets’ blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins, 30-0, and victories from the Browns and Texans, the Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention in the AFC.
The #Jets have been eliminated from playoff contention for a 13th straight year.
That's the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports. pic.twitter.com/LjVxXSbl70
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 17, 2023
The Jets’ 13 consecutive years without a playoff performance is currently the longest streak in American sports. The team has also suffered eight consecutive losing seasons. The last time they had a winning record was in 2015 when they went 10-6 but missed the playoffs with a season-ending loss to the Rex Ryan-led Bills.
Sunday’s loss effectively capped off one of the most disappointing Jets seasons in recent memory.
Coming into 2023, the Jets had sky-high expectations. The addition of Aaron Rodgers, combined with one of the league’s best defenses, brought expectations for a deep playoff run.
Once Rodgers went down after four plays, things began to look bleak.
The team lost vital offensive linemen week after week. With the losses of Alijah Vera-Tucker and Connor McGovern for the season and many others for long periods, the offensive line could not find continuity or cohesion.
On top of the offensive line struggles, the Jets’ skill position players, including Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson to varying extents, struggled heavily. Penalties consistently killed drives and cost the team points.
Most significantly, the Jets rarely found success with their quarterback and play-caller combination. Outside of the Chiefs and Texans games, the team could not find any form of offensive rhythm or consistency.
There is some optimism for next season, as Rodgers should return and elevate the offense to an acceptable level.
Still, it is fair to wonder if the organization has a winning combination with its current regime. They have crumbled down the stretch in two consecutive years, failed to address multiple needs, and have not won. Joe Douglas now owns an 18-46 (.281) record as Jets general manager, while Robert Saleh’s is 16-32 (.333).
There are many questions to answer for both the present and long-term of the Jets. How the organization chooses to answer them will strongly impact their ability to turn things around next season.
