Jets Second Half

Looking over the first eight games of the season, It’s hard to believe how the Jets got to 4-4 at this point. Their four wins came over Houston, Tennessee, New England and Oakland while their four losses came against New Orleans, Buffalo and Miami twice. During the preseason, if you had told me the Jets would be 4-4 at the midway point, I would have said their wins would be over Oakland, Buffalo, Miami once and either Houston or Miami again.

This is bad for the Jets, but it’s what is so good about the NFL. Teams play 16 games and every one of them is crucial. Tennesee, the AFC’s top seed a year ago, is one of the worst in the AFC this year. Any team can win any day, though the Jets don’t want to hear that. The Jets took care of business with a 3-0 start and were 3-1 in their first four games when most people said the Jets would be lucky if they went 2-2. Some people even forecasted a 1-3 start for the Jets. What good was Gang Green’s 3-1 start now that they’ve lost three of their last four when they were expected to go 3-1 in that stretch. The Jets overachieved in the first four then underachieved in the next four and sit at mediocrity because of it.

Rex Ryan and most Jets players are calling their week 10 game against the Jaguars a must win. Two games behind the AFC East leading Patriots, the Jets can pick up a game with a win and a Pats loss to the undefeated Colts. That sets up a big matchup at Gillette Stadium in week 11, where a Jets win over the Pats would knot the two at the top of the division.

The Jets may have a good second half and not make the playoffs or barely get in and have to play a tough Wild Card game. Ryan and the Jets will look back to the four game stretch right before the bye week and know that’s where things went wrong. Going 5-3 in the second half isn’t going to be easy and that only gets them to nine wins which may not be enough in the AFC. It won’t be enough to win the division. The Jets aren’t done by any means though. They can still make a run at a playoff spot with a strong second half. They’re going to need to play like they did the first four games and do it without Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington. Good luck.

Tags: Rex Ryan