Dismal. Underperforming. Just atrocious. These are a few of the adjectives that have been thrown towards the New York Jets regarding their performances in the 2024 season – one that was predicted to turn out well for them at last.
Instead, they’re facing the fifteenth successive year in which they’ve failed to make the postseason, despite the NFL playoff odds being very much in their favor at the start of the year’s campaign.
They’re still some way off matching the all time record of 20 years without a playoff success that’s held by the New Orleans Saints covering the period of 1967 until 1986. But no-one is really betting against this being a real possibility.
Early optimism
What makes it all the harder for Jets fans to take is that the season started off with such high hopes. A fit Aaron Rodgers, a determined Joe Douglas in charge as coach and new offensive stars Mike Williams and Davante Adams were supposed to be the recipe for success.
The pre-season also augured well with three straight wins against the Washington Commanders, the Carolina Panthers and local rivals the Giants.
Unfortunately this wasn’t to be carried on in the heat of the real battle. The season proper began with a 19-32 defeat by the 49ers. Then there were a couple of glimpses of hope with victories over the Titans and the Patriots, the latter being a very comprehensive 24-3 win.
Then, however, the wheels came off. Over the next ten games the Jets only mustered a single win, a 21 -13 victory over the Houston Texans. And it was the 36-32 defeat by the Miami Dolphins on December 8 that truly finished them off for the season.
So what’s gone wrong?
Perhaps the better question to be asking could be what’s gone right for the team as so little has this season.
The main elephant in the room, however, comes in the form of Aaron Rodgers. The veteran quarterback may have four MVPs to his name, but that seems like ancient history now. His first season with the Jets following has move from the Packers was all-but written off thanks to an achilles tear.
This season he has under-performed except, ironically, in the defeat by the Dolphins which saw his first 300-yard passing day in 35 games as well as a throwing touchdown. But this was too little, too late.
There’s also very much the feeling that he has wielded too much power in the set-up. This has included bringing in players with whom he has connections including Allen Lazard and Randell Cobb but who have failed to make any significant contribution to the team.
One aspect of the Jets’ performances that has so infuriated fans this season has been their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Their overtime defeat by the Dolphins was the fifth time this season that they have been leading in the fourth quarter only to lose the game.
As well as being a franchise record, it goes along with the eight matches in the first fourteen weeks of the season when their losing margin has been six points or less. This leads one to ask just how different it would have been if they had had the firepower to make up this very marginal deficit in each game.
A special mention must also be given to the turmoil in the coaching staff. This can hardly have helped with the team’s performances over the season.
It started with general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Salah in charge.
But by week five, following the loss to Minnesota Vikings in a game played over in London, Salah was unceremoniously removed from his position.
His replacement was defensive co-ordinator Jeff Ulbrich who was given the role on an interim basis.
It only took until week 11 for Joe Douglas to be given his marching orders. In this case it was the 27-28 defeat by the Minneapolis Colts that proved to be the catalyst for his sacking. Replaced by former senior personnel officer for the team, Phil Savage, he proceeded to see his first two games in the role end in defeat.
Along with these issues, there has been the feeling that another very significant fact has been the refusal of many players to take accountability. For example, after throwing a game-losing interception in the October 14 game against the Bills, Rodgers chose to blame wide receiver Mike Williams instead of taking any personal responsibility himself.
But, despite the dismal nature of the season for the Jets, hope springs eternal. The shockwaves this one has caused will surely bring about a major shake-up for the franchise and they could be in very good shape for next year.