The Jets reached the halfway point of the season at 4-4 and are right in the mix in the playoff race, just one game out of a wild card spot. The upcoming schedule certainly has some challenges if the Jets are going to successfully navigate this season without Aaron Rodgers and reach the postseason (and perhaps get Rodgers back for a January run).
The second-half of the schedule includes four divisional games and a three-game homestand that could make or break the Jets in 2023. They will be on national television three games, including this Sunday night, a Black Friday game and the Thursday after Christmas.
How will the Jets finish the 2023 season and can they make playoffs? Let’s predict the final nine games of the season for New York, starting with a key trip to Las Vegas Sunday.
Week 10 at Las Vegas Raiders
The Jets tried making a move for Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams. He’s still in Las Vegas, but head coach Josh McDaniels is not. Antonio Pierce took over as interim coach and pounded the New York Giants 30-6 in his debut — the same Giants team the Jets needed overtime to defeat in Week 8.
New York is facing a rookie quarterback in Aidan O’Connell. The Jets have made some of the top quarterbacks in the game — Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert — look silly. This defense should (keyword: should) have no trouble with a rookie quarterback. Of course, they have their own issues at quarterback and on offense.
Here’s saying this time the defense helps overcome the offensive woes.
Prediction: Jets win, 5-4 record
Week 11 at Buffalo Bills
On the first Monday night of the season at MetLife, the Jets lost quarterback Aaron Rodgers after just four snaps but their defense played brilliantly, including three Jordan Whitehead interceptions. The Jets took the Bills to overtime and Xavier Gipson put his stamp on the team with a 65-yard game-winning punt return touchdown.
Things are a little different now. New York is struggling on offense (No. 30 offensive DVOA). Buffalo has the No. 2 offense in DVOA. New York pulled the upset in Buffalo last year. As of now, it doesn’t feel like the upset will happen two years in a row.
Prediction: Jets lose, 5-5 record
Week 12 vs. Miami Dolphins (Black Friday)
Black Friday in New York is going to be buzzing. Between the shopping early and the football later, the city is going to be quite busy. Amazon is going to have quite a fun day. The question is will the Jets have a fun day as well?
The Jets enter this game at a projected 5-5, so not quite a winning record, which has been the measuring stick for the Dolphins this season — the teams they have beaten have a 14-38 combined record, the teams they have lost to have a combined 20-7 record.
The Jets’ defense can take on the Dolphins’ offense. They held the great Eagles offense to 14 points. But Miami has a good defense of their own and the Jets’ offense feels very mismatched here. This will be another game where the defense does their job but even their best won’t be enough, as the offense will fail to keep up.
Prediction: Jets lose, 5-6 record
Week 13 vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have been an odd team. Their defense has been very physical this season. But the offense continues to be somewhat inept. Desmond Ridder struggled and was benched, the Falcons don’t give the ball to Bijan Robinson much and they hardly have receivers they can trust.
This could be a game where the Jets’ defense gives them a major advantage. The Jets are home here and this will be a game the Jets really have to have to keep their playoff hopes realistic. Sauce Gardner can shut down Drake London and the rest of the defense can take care of the rest.
Prediction: Jets win, 6-6 record
Week 14 vs. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are fun to watch again. C.J. Stroud has been incredible this season and has already rewritten the history books thanks to his 470-yard performance in Week 9 against the Buccaneers. The Texans are currently 4-4. That’s already more wins than they had all of last season, where they finished 3-13-1.
Stroud isn’t a typical rookie quarterback, but the Jets still have the personnel to keep him in check. The key is up front. The Jets have struggled against top pass-rushers and the Texans have another excellent rookie, Will Anderson, that can make big plays and stifle the Jets’ offense. This one may have the feel of a near-elimination game before the final four games.
This one could be a toss-up, but we’ll give the Jets the edge thanks to their defense against a young Texans offense.
Prediction: Jets win, 7-6 record
Week 15 at Miami Dolphins
The Jets get to enjoy some nice weather in December when they head down to Miami in Week 15. But don’t expect the Dolphins to be so warm during the game. The Jets may try to hang around in the home meeting in Week 12, but the Dolphins have been perfect at home in the first half. Similar thought from the first game, the Jets’ offense just won’t muster enough energy to keep up with the Dolphins’ offense and their playoff hopes begin to hang in the balance at 7-7.
Prediction: Jets lose, 7-7 record
Week 16 vs. Washington Commanders
This is the game some are starting to circle as a potential return for Aaron Rodgers when the Washington Commanders come to town on Christmas Eve. As Rodgers has said numerous times, one of the factors to him coming back is the Jets have to be in the playoff mix. At 7-7, the odds could start getting pretty low and Rodgers may not want to risk it.
As for the game itself, the Commanders are starting to feel like they found their quarterback in Sam Howell, who fell to them in the 5th round in the 2022 draft. The defense has been playing well, especially up front. Jonathan Allen is up there as one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL.
The crowd should be a major factor here. A home game on Christmas Eve in a potential win-or-go-home scenario should have the crowd in a frenzy and the Jets should feed off of that. Particularly, the front four of the Jets. Howell has played well at times, but he has also hit the ground quite a few times as well.
Entering Week 10, the quarterback that has been sacked the most this season is…you guessed it, Sam Howell with 44. No. 2 on the list? Yep, the one and only Zach Wilson (31).
The defensive line of the Jets could be the difference in this one and keep the Jets alive one more week.
Prediction: Jets win, 8-7 record
Week 17 at Cleveland Browns (Thursday)
The last time the Jets faced the Cleveland Browns, Joe Flacco led an incredible comeback, scoring two touchdowns in the final two minutes for a 31-30 win in Week 2 of last season.
The Browns are much, much improved from that game. The defense has been a monster this season. Myles Garrett is in contention, and some may argue the favorite, for Defensive Player of the Year. If the Jets don’t get their offensive line in check, this defense will feast on Zach Wilson (or Aaron Rodgers, but not as much as they would Wilson).
Prediction: Jets lose, 8-8 record
Week 18 at New England Patriots
This almost seems fitting. The Jets sit at 8-8 heading into the season finale against the team they have lost 15 straight to, which is now the longest active losing streak now that the Broncos have finally scored a win over the Chiefs.
The Jets head to Gillette Stadium to wrap up the regular season and, depending on other results, may or may not have a playoff-clinching scenario in Week 18 at 8-8. If they do, could we see Rodgers here? A lot of factors are in play. One thing is for sure, with the Patriots at 2-7 entering Week 10, that Week 3 disappointment is one game the Jets would absolutely love to have back. If that loss helps keep the Jets out at 9-8, that would be a major pill to swallow.
Denver ended their streak earlier this season and New York will end theirs here, but also give the Patriots a high pick in next year’s draft.
Prediction: Jets win, 9-8 record
