Saints vs. Jets Week 16 Preview: Can New Orleans Capitalize on a Struggling New York Squad?
The New Orleans Saints return to the Superdome in Week 16, hosting a 3-11 New York Jets team that’s limping into the final stretch of the 2025 season. While the Saints are still clinging to playoff hopes, the Jets are deep into evaluation mode, trying to salvage something from a season that’s gone sideways in more ways than one.
Let’s break down the key storylines heading into Sunday’s matchup.
Aaron Glenn’s First Year: A Tough Start in a Tough Situation
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, a former Saints defensive backs coach and player, was once seen as a natural fit to return to New Orleans as a head coach. Instead, he landed in New York-and it’s been a rocky debut.
Glenn inherited a roster that was already short on top-tier talent, and things only got worse when the Jets dealt away defensive cornerstones Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline. The result? A defense that’s been overwhelmed and a team that’s looked increasingly lifeless as the season’s gone on.
The Jets have now gone 14 straight games without recording an interception-an NFL record no coach wants attached to their name, especially one with Glenn’s defensive pedigree. And while first-year struggles are expected, what’s concerning is the lack of progress.
The team has looked flat in recent weeks, often out of the game by halftime. Players appear disengaged, and the energy just hasn’t been there.
To be fair, Glenn’s working with a depleted roster. But even with that context, the lack of development and competitiveness is hard to overlook. It’s been a tough first year, and the Jets will need to decide whether to stay the course and give Glenn a better roster-or start over yet again.
The Jets’ Quarterback Conundrum: Patience or Panic?
If there’s one thing the Jets have consistently struggled with over the last decade, it’s the quarterback position. And once again, they’re staring down another offseason of uncertainty under center.
With five first-round picks and three second-rounders over the next two drafts, the Jets are in a rare position of power. The question is how they’ll use it.
The smart play? Don’t mortgage the future to move up for a quarterback.
That’s a mistake they’ve made before-drafting raw prospects into broken offenses and expecting immediate results. It hasn’t worked.
The better path might be to bring in a veteran stopgap-someone who can manage games while the team rebuilds the infrastructure around the position. Then, when the roster is more stable, the Jets can take their shot at a quarterback in 2026 or 2027, without the pressure to start him immediately.
But if history is any guide, the Jets may once again go all-in on a rookie, throw him into the fire, and restart the cycle when it inevitably fails. Jets fans have seen this movie before-and they know how it ends.
Key Matchup: Saints Front Seven vs. Jets Offensive Line
If the Jets have any hope of pulling off an upset in New Orleans, it starts with their offensive line.
Undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook is getting the start, and while he’s shown flashes, he’s not the kind of quarterback who can elevate a team by himself. He’s not even a game manager at this point-he’s a rookie thrown into the deep end.
That means the Jets need to lean heavily on the run game. If their offensive line can create lanes, they might be able to sustain drives and control the clock.
And while the Saints’ defense has been tough overall, they’ve shown some vulnerability on the ground. That’s the window the Jets have to exploit.
But if New Orleans shuts down the run early and forces Cook to throw, it could get ugly fast. The Jets’ receiving corps is thin, and the Saints’ pass rush could feast. This game may be decided in the trenches-and the Saints’ front seven has the edge.
Unsung Heroes: Jets’ Special Teams Shine
It’s been a rough year in New York, but not every unit has underperformed.
Special teams have quietly been a bright spot. Kene Nwangwu and Isaiah Williams have combined for three return touchdowns, directly impacting two of the Jets’ three wins this season. Rookie punter Austin McNamara has also been a standout, consistently flipping field position and giving the defense a fighting chance.
When your best players are a punter and a couple of return men, that’s not a great sign overall-but credit where it’s due. These guys have shown up every week and made plays.
Prediction: Saints 23, Jets 17
Neither of these teams has lit up the scoreboard this season, and this game could turn into a grind-it-out affair. But with the Saints playing at home and fielding the more complete defense, they should have enough to take care of business.
Expect New Orleans to load up against the run, force Cook into uncomfortable situations, and let their defense set the tone. The Jets might hang around, especially if they can get another big play on special teams, but the Saints have more ways to win this game-and that should be the difference.
Final Score: Saints 23, Jets 17