The Jets’ 1-3 start looks ugly on the surface, but there’s a wrinkle in the AFC standings that gives New York at least a little breathing room.
Through Week 4, the Jets are 1-0 in conference play. That puts them in a small club with the Kansas City Chiefs, who are 4-0 in the AFC, and the Baltimore Ravens, who are 2-0. New York beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, then dropped three straight to NFC North opponents.
That conference record matters a lot more than the overall mark right now because the Jets are about to enter a stretch that will shape their playoff chances. Their next nine games are all against AFC teams, so every one of those matchups carries extra weight.
For Jets fans still hoping the team can end a 15-year playoff drought, that’s where the optimism starts to take hold. New York knows better than most how tiebreakers can turn into the difference between playing in January and going home.
The 2015 season is the clearest reminder. The Jets finished 10-6 and tied for the AFC’s final wild card spot, but they still missed out because of a tiebreaker with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Both teams were 7-5 in the conference, which sent the decision to common games. Pittsburgh won that edge 4-1 to 3-2.
Those common games were all AFC matchups. Pittsburgh went 4-1 against the Browns, Patriots, Colts, and Raiders, while the Jets went 3-2 against those same opponents.
That history is why the Jets’ current situation isn’t quite as bleak as the record suggests. There’s still a path for them to help themselves in the standings, and it starts with the AFC games coming up on the schedule.
New York will also have chances to grab head-to-head tiebreakers against teams that could end up in the same wild card conversation. The Browns, Patriots, Raiders, and Broncos are among the opponents ahead, and all of them figure to be in the AFC playoff mix.
So while the start has been frustrating for the New York fan base, there’s still a glass-half-full case to make: if the Jets catch fire right now, they’re positioned to work their way back into the race.
In Other News...
Jets May Finally Get WR Help But One Question Still Looms
The Jets receiver room may be getting a little healthier soon, which comes as welcome news for an offense that has had to navigate injuries to key pass-catchers. Tim Patrick has now completed the required four-game absence and is eligible to return to practice, giving the team at least a chance to add some experienced help back into the mix after a stretch of uncertainty.
Omar Cooper Jr. is still a longer wait, since he remains on injured reserve and has to sit out at least one more game before his practice window can open. So while the roster picture is beginning to brighten at receiver, the bigger question for the Jets is how quickly that help can actually show up on the field, and whether Patrick will be ready to contribute right away once he ramps up. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Opponent Suddenly Has A Quarterback Issue To Sort Out
The Browns have opened the clock on a pair of injured-reserve returns, designating quarterback Dillon Gabriel and defensive tackle Kalia Davis to come back to practice. Cleveland now has 21 days to decide whether either player gets activated to the active roster, a timeline that adds another layer to a quarterback room already worth watching from afar.
Gabriels return is the more interesting subplot for Jets watchers because it forces Cleveland to sort out where he fits behind Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders. Even before the Browns make a decision, the move hints at more quarterback evaluation work ahead, and any shuffle there is the kind of thing opponents keep an eye on as they prepare for a game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Just Got An Uncomfortable New QB Option
The Jets quarterback picture already has a few moving parts, and now another one has been dropped into the mix. NFL analyst Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently floated New York as a possible trade destination for San Francisco backup Mac Jones, putting a concrete price on the idea with a conditional 2027 second-round pick.
Jones has already bounced from the Patriots to the Jaguars to the 49ers, and he is currently sitting behind Brock Purdy in San Francisco. For the Jets, it is another reminder that the search for insulation behind Geno Smith is not necessarily finished, even with rookie Cade Klubnik in the building after being drafted in 2026 and getting preseason reps. [Read more 🡒]