The New York Jets head into Week 17 with a chance to play spoiler, and while the odds are long, the opportunity is real. Standing in their way?
A New England Patriots team that’s not only gunning for its first AFC East crown since 2019, but also eyeing the No. 1 seed in the AFC - something the franchise hasn’t sniffed in eight years. A Jets win would throw a wrench into all of that.
Unlikely? Sure.
But technically possible.
Patriots rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez had a surprisingly optimistic take on the Jets this week. “The Jets, they have a good offense,” Gonzalez said, straight-faced, when speaking to reporters. “Breece Hall is a really good running back, AD Mitchell’s been playing real good, [Brady] Cook’s gonna be playing and he’s a good young quarterback.”
He added, “At the end of the day, it’s a division game. Everybody knows how division games get - they’re always a little chippy. You know they’re gonna bring their best… So, we’ve gotta attack this week and be ready for Sunday.”
Now, we respect the confidence and the professional courtesy. But let’s be honest: the Jets’ offense has been anything but “good” this season.
They rank 28th in both total yards per game and scoring, and their passing attack is dead last in the league, averaging just 145.9 yards per game. That’s not just below average - that’s historically inefficient in today’s NFL.
That said, Gonzalez isn’t completely off base. Breece Hall has been one of the few bright spots in a dark season for Gang Green.
The dynamic back is closing in on his first 1,000-yard campaign and continues to flash the vision and burst that made him such a promising prospect. AD Mitchell, acquired in the Sauce Gardner trade after a short stint in Indianapolis, has shown flashes as well - enough for the Jets to feel like they’ve got something to build on at wide receiver.
But those positives are swimming upstream against a Patriots defense that’s been quietly excellent. Ranked seventh in the league, New England’s defense has been the backbone of their playoff push, and they’ll be licking their chops at the thought of facing a Jets offense that managed just six points last week in a 29-6 loss to the Saints.
Brady Cook will get the start again under center, and the undrafted rookie is still searching for his first NFL win - and his first game without a turnover. He’s had a rough go of it in his first three starts, and it won’t get any easier this week. The Jets are banged up, with key players like Mason Taylor and Will McDonald already ruled out for Sunday.
And then there’s the defense - a unit that, in years past, was the lone source of pride in New York. But under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, even that side of the ball has taken a nosedive.
The Jets made the wrong kind of history last week, becoming the first team in NFL history to go 15 straight games without recording a single interception. That’s not just a stat - that’s a symptom of a defense that’s lost its edge.
So, yes, the Jets could derail the Patriots’ postseason plans. But they’ll need a near-perfect performance to do it - something we haven’t seen from this team all season.
The Patriots know the stakes. The Jets know the role.
And if nothing else, Sunday’s AFC East clash will be a test of whether pride - and maybe a little chaos - can still shake up the playoff picture.