New York Jets featured in NFL.com’s 2024 bold predictions
The New York Jets hold the longest playoff drought in the NFL (and the four major North American sports), spanning 13 years of misery for fans. However, that lack of success may come to an end this season.
NFL.com’s Judy Battista recently laid out her 10 bold predictions for the 2024 season, and her thoughts on the Jets may surprise some. In her write-up, Battista believes that the Jets will indeed end their playoff drought. However, she suggests that fans pause before anointing Super Bowl champions. Battista has the Jets falling short of the AFC championship, losing in the divisional round. Her reasoning for this, however, is the most interesting piece.
Battista believes that the AFC conference is just too difficult for the Jets to overcome in the playoffs. She suggests that the team’s schedule will be a big factor, too.
“The Jets are unlikely to have the best record in the conference to get the first-round bye because their schedule does them no favors, with four short-week games, a trip to London and a bye that doesn’t come until Week 12,” writes Battista. “Plus, they play some of the league’s best defenses — including in the opener against San Francisco. Could the Jets make a run to the Super Bowl? Yes. But they would need some breaks along the way, and probably some help knocking out some of their elite AFC competition.”
Battista doesn’t exclude the Jets’ possibilities of winning the AFC East. However, without getting a first round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, she does not believe that the Jets can run the gauntlet that is the AFC conference.
For some Jets fans, making the playoffs is a victory in and of itself. However, to many, that would signify a failure for multiple reasons.
With Aaron Rodgers, Breece Hall, and Garrett Wilson, the Jets offensive playmakers are plentiful. The Jets revamped their offensive line this offseason, bringing in Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, John Simpson, and Olu Fashanu. Without an injury to Rodgers, many believe this team is assured a playoff spot. When you add in the team’s elite defense, there’s little reason to believe this team shouldn’t be able to compete for a Super Bowl.
It seems that Jets owner Woody Johnson has implied that there’s a playoff mandate for Robert Saleh and company, saying that the team needs “to produce this year.” However, it remains to be seen if the team needs to make it to the Super Bowl in order for them to sustain job security. Yet, with Rodgers entering his age-40 season, there’s little question that the Jets need to perform in 2024.
