Breece Hall's 6.6 yards per rushing attempt is second in the NFL this season.
So, are they who we thought they were? I think even Dennis Greene would say no. They may be playing right now like who we thought they were, but the healthy version of the Jets, the version before offensive lineman started dropping like flies and Breece Hall was running his way to a rookie of the year trophy were not who we thought they were. Keep in mind Vegas set the Jets win total for the year at 5.5. The Jets are at 7 wins with three winnable games remaining. So, no, they are not who we thought they were. If the offensive line stays healthy, and Breece Hall is still running the rock, this team could very easily be 9-5 right now with a completely different view of the last three regular season games.
That’s a very macro look at the season so far. The micro look, the look that has the once 7-4 Jets at 7-7 and outside the playoffs, is more distressing. It’s hard to keep the long-term perspective in mind as the backup TE for the Lions rumbles 40 yards with 90 seconds left in the game to put the Jets outside the playoffs again. It’s hard to deaden the pain of every loss with the upbeat projections for this team over the next few years. It’s hard, but it’s what we need to do now. We can certainly root our butts off every game for the rest of the season. That’s what we should do and will do, of course. But we also need to keep the long-term view in mind now.
The Jets have three games left, and if they win out, they are still not in the playoffs unless they get help. The analytics give the Jets a 28% chance of making the postseason. I don’t like their chances. Have we seen anything lately to make us think the Jets will run the table? I haven’t. Two of their last three games are on the road. The Jets have been better away from home so far, but 4-3 isn’t exactly burning it up. The Jaguars are playing much better now than they were earlier in the season. Seattle is a tough trip no matter what the Seahawks record is, and the Dolphins are healthy and will be looking for payback from the stomping the Jets gave them earlier this season. It just doesn’t add up to a playoff berth. It’s okay…at least that’s what I am telling myself right now…before the Jets kickoff against the Jags. It won’t be okay for those three hours, but I am hoping I can get myself back into the long-term perspective after the game Thursday. That’s the view where this team drafts very well again, adds a few key pieces in free agency and blows the doors off the AFC East in 2023.