October 6th, 2019. The 0-4 New York Jets, a team that had been embarrassed for most of the first month of the regular season, walked into a game against the Dallas Cowboys in the confines of MetLife Stadium.

The Cowboys, owning a 3-2 record at the time, were coming off a hard-fought loss at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. They hoped a showdown against a meager Jets roster with an inexperienced coaching staff would be a laugher.

However, that was far from the case.

Behind a 338-yard day from Sam Darnold, and a strong defensive stand in the red zone, the Jets were able to pull off a 24-22 upset over America’s Team. It was the first win under new head coach Adam Gase, and it seemed to be a sign of changing times for Gang Green.

Almost six years to that very date, the Jets are in a similar situation on Sunday:

Playing the Cowboys at home, still searching for their first win of the season with a first-time head coach.

Jets’ deja vu

Several differences headline Sunday’s showdown between the Jets and Cowboys, distinct from the one they played in 2019.

Head coach Aaron Glenn, for one, has seen his team in close matchups all season to date. New York may be 0-4, but three losses have come within one score.

The 2019 Jets only had one “close” game during that first month stretch.

Differences at quarterback (the Jets are relying on Justin Fields to be the face of the team in 2025), offensive play-caller, and overall team outlook are other key distinctions.

But the Cowboys are still led by Dak Prescott, and the Jets are still trying to figure out how to win football games. How New York defeated Dallas back then will serve the team well in 2025’s showdown.

In 2019’s upset, the Jets pushed the ball downfield in the first half. Darnold threw for over 14 yards per reception in that game, including a 92-yard strike to Robbie Chosen for a score. New York jumped out to a 21-6 first-half lead.

Starting fast and pushing the ball down the field, as they did six years ago, will be just as important today. While Prescott is operating the controls of the Cowboy offense, Dallas’ defense has been the league’s worst through the first month of the season. More specifically, they own the NFL’s worst pass defense.

While the 2025 Jets are known more for their running game, the team will have opportunities to push the ball downfield with great success on Sunday, just as they did in the previous matchup.

The Jets finished 7-9 in 2019, which remains their best winning percentage since their 10-6 campaign in 2015.

While the organization shouldn’t try to mirror everything that year’s team did, there are plenty of similarities to show that the Jets may end up in a similar situation to where they were six years ago.

Defeating the Dallas Cowboys would undoubtedly be a first step for the 2025 Jets.