Well, here we are again, folks.
The winless New York Jets are trudging into Week 8 with an 0-7 record, their worst start since 2020, as they prepare to face the Joe Flacco-led Cincinnati Bengals.
Meanwhile, across the Hudson, the Brooklyn Nets are tipping off their NBA season tonight in Charlotte against LaMelo Ball and the Hornets.
Two different sports, one shared tradition: heartbreak.
The Jets can’t buy a win, and the Nets have spent years trying to prove they’re more than just the NBA’s punchline. Both teams know pain better than success, and both fanbases are fluent in false hope.
While expectations weren’t as high as years prior for the Jets, an 0-7 start was not in anyone’s bingo card, even some of the team’s biggest pessimists.
The Nets will tip off their season after achieving the unprecedented feat of drafting five rookies in the first round: Egor Demin, Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, and Ben Saraf.
With all five expected to see rotational minutes under head coach Jordi Fernández, expectations are low. FanDuel Sportsbook has Brooklyn’s win total set at 19.5, showing Vegas’ disbelief in the year-one success of the team’s youth movement.
So, the real question entering this week isn’t about quarterback controversies or rotations, it’s simple: which New York team wins a game first, the Jets or the Nets?
Which squad will get in the victory column first?
If you asked me this in August, it would have been hard to believe, but the smart answer is the Brooklyn Nets.
Entering their season opener against the Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn is listed as a five-point road underdog in what appears to be a winnable matchup. The franchise has a track record of strong starts regardless of its eventual finish.
Last season, in a similar situation with a slightly more experienced roster, the Nets opened 9-10 and consistently pushed championship-caliber opponents deep into games.
If the Nets lose in Charlotte, they will have another chance to get a win before the Jets on Friday night in their home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Meanwhile, the Jets face a far more daunting path. As 6.5-point road underdogs against the Cincinnati Bengals, they will need near-flawless execution to get a win before going into their Week 9 bye. Between now and the Jets’ Week 10 meeting with the Cleveland Browns’ elite defense, Brooklyn will play nine games.
With favorable matchups against Charlotte, Atlanta, and San Antonio during that stretch, the Nets are well-positioned to secure their first win before the Jets.
Ultimately, the Jets and Nets remain united by one thing: the art of finding new ways to lose.
