The Jets’ Week 3 scoreboard watch is a little weird, and a little fun: New York can move up two different ladders at the same time.
On one side, the Jets are in position to land two top-10 picks in the 2027 NFL draft from the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers. On the other, they were sitting in the AFC’s seventh seed in the Week 2 playoff picture even after their overtime loss to Green Bay. Of course, the season is not ending after two weeks, which is unfortunate for anyone in Florham Park hoping to freeze the board right now.
Even with the collapse against the Packers, there’s been enough early good news to keep Jets fans paying attention. The teams that owe New York first-round picks have started poorly, and the Jets have looked more competitive than expected. That gets a real test this afternoon in Detroit.
The draft side of the rooting guide starts with Green Bay, which is already 1-2 after a 35-14 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football. For Jets fans, that result only adds to the sense that the Packers could be headed for a rough year.
The Colts are another team to watch closely. While the Jets are playing the Lions, Indianapolis will host the division-rival Houston Texans in a matchup of 0-2 AFC South teams.
There’s also the Dallas Cowboys, who host the Baltimore Ravens at 4:25 p.m. EST. The Jets will get the higher first-round pick between Dallas and Green Bay.
On the playoff side, Buffalo is the team at the top of the AFC picture right now, and the Bills will host the Los Angeles Chargers at 1 p.m. EST. New York is trying to keep pace with Buffalo before getting its chance to close the gap in Week 10, when the Bills visit MetLife Stadium.
The Patriots’ trip to Jacksonville is another game with potential ripple effects. New England meets the Jaguars at 1 p.m. EST, and that one could matter later in the year.
Buffalo and New England will play each other next week at Highmark Stadium.
The Jets’ wild card race is still too early to map out cleanly, but AFC teams losing to NFC opponents is always helpful. This week’s interconference slate includes Cleveland vs.
Carolina, Tennessee at NY Giants, Baltimore at Dallas, Las Vegas at New Orleans, and Denver vs. LA Rams.
There’s also the tiebreaker wrinkle. After Green Bay’s loss on Thursday, the Ravens passed the Jets for the seventh seed because New York’s strength of schedule - the fifth tiebreaker in the two-team wild card procedure - dropped below Baltimore’s. So for now, the Jets are technically out of the playoff field, even though their 1-0 conference record gives them a solid foundation.
That leaves one final conflict for Jets fans to sort through: rooting for Dallas to beat Baltimore helps the playoff side, but it cuts against New York’s draft interest. Then again, it’s possible Green Bay has a better shot at finishing with a losing record than Dallas does. In the end, it’s up to each Jets fan to decide which board matters more.
In Other News...
Jets Draft Haul Suddenly Looks Far More Dangerous Than Expected
The Jets already entered the 2027 draft picture in enviable shape, sitting on the third and eighth overall picks after trading with the Colts and Packers. Now the way those two teams are trending has made that haul look even more intriguing, because the early projections tied to Elo ratings point to both clubs having rough seasons ahead. For a franchise that has spent years chasing roster-building breaks, that kind of draft capital can change the entire conversation.
Indianapolis is navigating a shaky stretch with Daniel Jones injured and the defense struggling, while Green Bay has been hit by injuries and recent losses. If those problems linger, New York could end up with three top-10 selections instead of two, giving the Jets a rare chance to remake the top of their roster in one shot. For a team still trying to climb back into contender status, that kind of leverage is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Have A Real Opening Sunday But One Problem Could Ruin It
The Jets enter Sunday with a chance to make some real noise on offense, and the matchup gives them a clear opening. Through two games, New York has moved the ball well enough to stay in the middle tier of the league, and the red-zone work has been a bright spot, with the offense turning two-thirds of those trips into touchdowns and cashing in every goal-to-go chance so far.
Detroit, though, is the kind of opponent that can make a promising afternoon turn messy in a hurry. The Lions have been vulnerable near the goal line, but they also bring an efficient attack led by Jared Goff and backed by Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, and the Jets will have to do it without Minkah Fitzpatrick in the secondary. That combination leaves New York with a real path to an upset, but also one obvious area where the game could slip away. [Read more 🡒]
Geno Smith Is Climbing Jets History Faster Than Fans Expected
Geno Smiths latest run has given the Jets something they havent had much of lately: a quarterback moving up the franchise record book in a hurry. Through his first two games with New York, Smith has completed 70.8 percent of his passes and piled up 462 yards, production that has him 12th leaguewide in passing yards and already into 10th place on the Jets all-time list.
The climb is notable because it has come so quickly, with Smith now within striking distance of Ryan Fitzpatrick for ninth on that list. He has also thrown 29 touchdowns in green and white, which puts him 13th on the teams leaderboard and adds another layer to a start that has the Jets tracking his place in their history far earlier than many expected. [Read more 🡒]