The Jets have officially been eliminated from the playoffs, meaning their postseason drought will continue into a 13th year. Nobody within the organisation will find that acceptable, but the manner in which they were eliminated will grate even harder.

The Dolphins came ready to play despite missing key players on the offensive side of the ball, and the Jets unfortunately did not have an answer. Although there are 3 games yet to be played, the period of reflection will start now. Plans for the 2024 season would have begun a long time ago, but for the fans, those plans will now come into sharper focus.

So what are the priorities as we hurtle towards the end of the season?

The first priority is to ensure that Aaron Rodgers is 100% healthy. The second is to focus on continuing to build the roster the right way; a big part of that is the Draft.

If the season were to end today the Jets would hold the 6th overall selection in the NFL Draft, and what they do with that pick, wherever it ends up, is going to be an interesting conversation over the coming months.

Do they draft a quarterback to sit behind Aaron Rodgers? It’s likely that both top QB prospects, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, will be long gone, but players like Bo Nix, Jayden Daniels, and Michael Penix Jr should be available and in consideration.

Maybe they opt for another offensive weapon to pair with Garrett Wilson? Marvin Harrison Jr, a fellow Ohio State University star, has the talent and the pedigree and is guaranteed to be a top-5 selection, whilst TE Brock Bowers could have a Travis Kelce like impact in the right system. But don’t sleep on wide receivers Malik Nabers from LSU and Rome Odunze from Washington; both have gamebreaking talent.

My preferred option is to look at the offensive line. Robert Saleh highlighted the battle up front after yesterday’s game, and there are two elite tackle prospects who will be top-10 candidates this year. Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu and Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. I’m a fan of Alt as the ultimate technician at left tackle but both are outstanding prospects who could solidify the line.

The Jets also have some key decisions to make on pending free agents.

Mekhi Becton is set to hit free agency, and he’ll be joined by a number of other players. The list includes Duane Brown, Carl Lawson, Jordan Whitehead, Chuck Clark, Dalvin Cook, Bryce Huff, Quinton Jefferson, Randall Cobb, Greg Zuerlein, Solomon Thomas, Al Woods, Justin Hardee, Connor McGovern, Ashtyn Davis and Thomas Morstead. There are more, but that gives an indication of the work that Joe Douglas has to do heading into the 2024 season.

There will obviously be some roster turnover. Not only is it inevitable with the way the NFL works and the size of the rosters, but it’s also a healthy part of roster management. New players bring new energy, new experience, new voices. The juggling act of managing an NFL roster isn’t easy and I don’t envy Joe Douglas or the countless hours he’ll be putting in over the coming months.

Deciding who to let go and who to keep and target in free agency will largely determine how the following season goes. Ensuring you have that top-end talent as well as valuable depth is a balancing act that’s hard to achieve under the salary cap restrictions.

To ensure you have that depth, emphasis is placed on the lower rounds of the draft. Players picked in the 3rd round or later have a significantly lower salary. Think of players like Bryce Huff who went undrafted, Xavier Gipson too. Finding those hidden gems is where you can truly earn your dinner, and where teams can truly flourish in terms of their depth.

2023 has been a difficult season, and it’s disappointing that with three games to go we’re already looking at the 2024 season. Every team goes through a cycle, but we’ve been doing this for too long.

The Jets will now head into another offseason where tough decisions have to be made, but as fans we live in perpetual hope that next year may be the one.

The Jets defence was elite and QB Zach Wilson led a trio of second-half touchdown drives as the Green & White drilled the Houston Texans, 30-6, Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium. The Jets (5-8) snapped a five-game losing streak in the driving rain and the Texans dropped to 7-6.

Wilson, who served as the team’s emergency No. 3 QB the past two games, was triumphant in his return to the lineup and got the Jets offence rolling in the third quarter. Leading 75- and 69-yard scoring drives, the Jets opened up their largest lead of the season at 14-0 on Wilson’s 15-yard TD to Randall Cobb and Xavier Gipson’s 9-yard scamper on an end around.

Wilson (27-36, 301 yards, 2TD) became the first Jets passer in 16 games to reach 300 yards. It was his third career game when he eclipsed 300 passing yards and the first that came in a win.

“I thought Zach probably played the best game of his career,” HC Robert Saleh said. “Just the off-schedule stuff, the timing and rhythm and getting the ball to where it needed to get to, being aggressive but smart at the same time. I know he had the [fumble], but the aggressiveness to scramble, he was out there having a good time. He made a lot of things happen that weren’t there, so hats off to him. I thought he was outstanding today.”

C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 overall selection in last April’s NFL Draft, and the Texans were bottled up all afternoon. The Jets held the Texans to 135 yards of total offence and limited them to 1-for-12 on third down. Stroud (10-23-91) left in the fourth quarter and entered concussion protocol. Corners D.J. Reed (3 PD) and Sauce Gardner (2 PD) led a frisky unit that finished with 10 PD.

“If our offense is up, or if it’s a close game, the other team has to throw the ball,” Gardner said of the production. “We don’t have that many picks in the secondary, especially me and D.J., but when we’re winning, the other team has to pass the ball. That allows us to have more opportunities to make plays on the ball.”

Scoreless entering the third quarter, Wilson got 25 yards on a conversion to Garrett Wilson that came on a third-and-12 play from the Houston 40. Then he hit Cobb over the middle for a score and the Jets were off and running. That set the tone for a sizzling start to the second half that saw Wilson complete his first 16-of-17 passes for 200 yards. After losing a fumble on a scramble that set up Texans RB Devin Singeltary’s TD, Wilson quickly led the Jets back down the field and answered with a 3-yard score to Breece Hall.

G.Wilson (9-108) and Hall (8-86-1TD) combined for 17 receptions, 194 yards and 1 TD on 23 targets. The Jets more than doubled their season scoring average and handed DeMeco Ryans’ club its biggest margin of defeat in the process.

Already without electrifying rookie WR Tank Dell and TE Dalton Shultz, Stroud lost wideout Nico Collins in the first half to a calf injury. Stroud, who was averaging a league-high 295 pass yards per game, couldn’t get anything going in the rain against an elite pass defense.

The Jets totaled 3 sacks and Bryce Huff moved back into the team lead with 7 QB takedowns. Past the midway point of the fourth quarter, Stroud exited following a 6-yard completion to John Metchie.

The teams played to a scoreless first half as they combined for 11 punts in the first two quarters. Both clubs converted 1 of 7 on third down before intermission as Thomas Morstead helped the Jets win the field position game with three punts downed inside the 20. But the Jets exploded in the second half for their most dominant win of 2023.

Jetcetera

The Jets started a ninth different offensive line combination in as many games as Jake Hanson got the call at RG and Max Mitchell returned to RT. While Hanson became the 13th different starter on the line, it was the Jets’ 10th different line combo in 13 games.

… The 0-0 score at halftime was the NFL’s first scoreless opening half since a Washington-San Francisco Week 7 game in 2019.

… After a three-game homestand, the Jets will return to division play next week in South Florida against the AFCE-leading Dolphins.

… Greg Zuerlein continued his terrific season with makes from 51, 55 and 44 yards.

As the New York Jets look to break a five-game losing streak, they are turning back to quarterback Zach Wilson for Sunday’s home contest against the dangerous, playoff-chasing Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium.

Wilson was sidelined for the last two games as Tim Boyle took the snaps against the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons. The first-rounder will now look to provide a strong finish to what has been a challenging season.

As he prepares to provide a morale-boosting run, Wilson said: “Everybody knows I care about this team. Everyone knows I’m gonna do everything I can for the guys in this locker room, no matter the situation.”

Wilson and his Jets teammates should prepare themselves for drama on Sunday when the Texans roll into New York. Houston’s last eight games have all been decided by one score and have gone right down to the wire before being decided in dramatic fashion.

This game will be a battle of young quarterbacks taken second overall in the NFL Draft. Wilson was chosen by the Jets in 2021 and C.J. Stroud became a Houston Texan in 2023. And the latter is on pace for a season for the ages. Stroud could break through 5,000 passing yards this year and he is very likely to become the most prolific rookie passer in NFL history.

Stroud will be without key wide receiver Tank Dell, who broke his leg last week. But he and his remaining receiving corps will seriously test an always-tough New York defense. In their Week 13 win over the Denver Broncos, Nico Collins led the Texans with nine catches for 191 yards and a touchdown.

The Texans won’t be the first team that has been slowed by the Jets’ defense this season. But the presence of Stroud makes it likely they are going to get their share of points. And that means New York must step up on the offensive side of the ball where they have not reached 20 points in a game since October 15.

New York Jets Player to Watch

Xavier Gipson – Wide Receiver

The rookie who won New York’s opening night contest against the Buffalo Bills on an overtime punt return back in September has the skills to provide the spark the Jets are looking for. Gipson is an explosive weapon who could provide the chunk plays to kick-start New York’s offense. He caught five passes for 77 yards in last week’s loss to Atlanta with a long of 36. Getting him involved against a ball-hawking Houston secondary will be key.

Atlanta Falcons Player to Watch

C.J. Stroud – Quarterback

Houston’s rookie has become the talk of the NFL town and he leads the league with 3,540 passing yards. If he ends this season as the league’s number one in that department, he will be the first rookie to achieve that feat since Davey O’Brien, of the Philadelphia Eagles, in 1939! But it’s not just the numbers that have headlines being written about Stroud – he comes alive in big moments and has served up some game-winning drives for the cardiac Texans.

Stat Attack!

The Jets defense continues to be one of the best in the NFL, ranking in the top 10 in yards allowed per game (312.7) and takeaways (19).

Keys to the game

As is the case in every NFL game, taking care of the football will be paramount. Zach Wilson must be prepared to take his shots because those chunk plays are needed to spark the Jets. But he must also proceed with caution because the Texans are coming off a victory powered by three interceptions of Denver’s Russell Wilson. Derek Stingley Jr. is particularly dangerous as he has four picks in his last three games.

In defending the Texans, the Jets need to make a Houston team that has struggled to run the football consistently in 2023 a one-dimensional attack. That will allow New York to do what they have done for much of this challenging season – they can get after an excellent quarterback on the other side and make life difficult for Stroud, as they did for the likes of Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert earlier this season.

Last week, the Jets made the decision to release Adrian Amos, allowing the safety to look for a starting opportunity elsewhere. Despite Amos playing sparingly, it seemed like a strange decision to cut a player loose and deplete their depth, especially a veteran like Amos who brought plenty of experience to a relatively young secondary.

The Jets willingness to let Amos go was likely due to the continued improvement of Ashtyn Davis, who was responsible for a marquee play last Sunday. With Atlanta backed up, they handed the ball off to Bijan Robinson. Davis read it instantly and steamrolled the fullback into Robinson for a safety. It was an incredible play that showcased Davis’ ability to make things happen on the field.

The Jets have had to be patient with Davis after taking him in the 3rd round out of Cal back in 2020. Playing over 400 snaps as a rookie, Davis became the starter in 2021, but struggled to solidify his place, losing his spot to LaMarcus Joyner in 2022 and Tony Adams this year. But through it all, his personality and his professionalism have remained. Davis is often singled out by the coaches and he’s certainly a favourite of Brant Boyer for his special teams contributions, but we’re starting to see signs of development in his defensive performances.

A lot of people don’t know that for much of Davis’s high school career, he was more renowned for his track efforts than his football ones. When he decided to join the Cal track team he was lacking in football scholarship opportunities. His track coaches at Cal said they’d rescind his scholarship if he walked onto the football field, but Davis wanted to play football. Instead of playing as a wide receiver as he did in high school, he found a home at slot cornerback before being moved to free safety in 2017.

What we need to remember is that Davis only had two years of starting free safety experience when the Jets made him the 68th overall selection in the draft. Despite making First Team All-Pac-12 in 2018, he was still learning the nuances of the position. His athletic ability was unquestioned; he was fast and physical, but he was also undisciplined. The Jets must have known that coming in, and while his opportunities diminished, he’s never stopped developing.

Over the last few years, he’s had to deal with some injuries, missing most of the 2021 off-season thanks to a foot injury that required surgery. He’s also had to deal with some inconsistencies and plenty of fan criticism. For many, he appeared to be an easy cut last off-season, with plenty of experts circling his name as a way for the Jets to create cap space. But when preseason began, there he was.

Head Coach Robert Saleh has often spoken about the need to be patient with players and how players develop at different speeds. It would have been easy to give up Davis, but with Amos gone, there will be opportunities for him to develop through on-field playing time down the back stretch.

We’re starting to see some signs of life. There was the interception against Patrick Mahomes in week four and Josh Allen in week 11, there was the play from last Sunday and a number of special team contributions that go unnoticed on a weekly basis.

The unfortunate reality for the Jets is that the playoffs now appear to be slipping further and further away, but lost seasons don’t exist in the NFL. If we can’t make the playoffs this season, we need to use the rest of the season to evaluate the talent on the roster.

Having just turned 27, Ashtyn is about to hit NFL free agency for the first time and I’m sure his athletic profile alone will draw attention from several teams. We can use the rest of the season to evaluate what his role will be going forward, and that’s not just limited to him. There’s a certain QB who’s about to undergo an audition for the 2024 season too.

The Jets will be hoping for a couple of late developers.

The New York Jets will look to get back to winning ways on Christmas Eve as they welcome the Washington Commanders into MetLife Stadium. With both teams out of the playoff race for this season, the intent will be to produce a strong finish that can be carried into the preparations for 2024.

With that in mind, the Jets have activated future-Hall-of-Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But the superstar passer who tore his Achilles four snaps into the 2023 season, won’t be playing in any games the rest of the way. This move is about getting him on the practice field and preparing for what should be a considerably brighter 2024 campaign.

The mere presence of Rodgers on the practice field is providing a much-needed morale boost at Florham Park. And the Jets will need those positive thoughts coming off a 30-0 loss at the Miami Dolphins last weekend.

But this is a winnable game for the Jets, who specialise in making life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. Washington’s Sam Howell has been sacked 59 times in 2023 and has thrown 15 interceptions – both are NFL highs.

With Zach Wilson suffering a concussion in last week’s defeat, the Jets may have to turn back to Trevor Siemian at quarterback. Jets fans will be hoping he is inspired by the presence of Rodgers on the sidelines over the festive period.

New York Jets Player to Watch

Bryce Huff – Edge Rusher

The fourth-year defender recorded another sack against the Miami Dolphins last week, giving him a career-high eight on the season. In his first three seasons in the NFL combined, Huff had just seven and a half sacks, so he has really come alive in 2023. He has recorded at least half a sack in seven of his last 10 outings for the Jets.

Washington Commanders Player to Watch

Terry McLaurin – Wide Receiver

Despite some of their offensive issues – primarily in terms of protections and turnovers in the passing game – Terry McLaurin is closing in on what would be a fourth straight 1,000-yard season. McLaurin is capable of stretching the field and making the circus catches that become the talk of an NFL weekend. He will be a real danger to New York’s strong defense.

Stat Attack!

Washington quarterback Sam Howell has thrown for 3,568 yards in 2023 – seventh-most in the NFL. But he threw for a career-low 105 yards in Week 15 and was benched for Jacoby Brissett.

Keys to the game

Win up front… The Jets need to win the physical battle along the line of scrimmage in order for whoever plays quarterback to find Garrett Wilson in the passing game. That line must also pave the way for Breece Hall to be a factor against a normally-stout Commanders defense that is stumbling to the finish line. Neither the running or passing games were able to get going in Miami last weekend and that has to change in Week 16.

Make a fast start… Both teams are low on confidence and whoever gets out of the gate the fastest might be able to use that momentum as a catapult to victory. Slow starts have plagued the Jets for much of this difficult campaign but they are facing a Washington team low on confidence and this could become a psychological battle as much as a physical contest.

The New York Jets will be feeling much better about things as they head to South Florida to take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 15 action on Sunday evening.

The Jets snapped a five-game losing streak in emphatic fashion last weekend, recording a 30-6 victory over the playoff-chasing Houston Texans. As has often been the case this season, New York’s defense harassed an opposing quarterback into submission. This time it was NFL-leading rookie C.J. Stroud who was made to suffer. He threw for just 91 yards, while the Texans posted a net passing yards total of 54. New York racked up five sacks on the day.

After a slow start and a scoreless first half, the Jets offense clicked into gear with three touchdowns, as well as three Greg Zeurlein field goals after the break. Zach Wilson played his best game of the season, throwing for 301 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Jets will need both sides of the ball to replicate their Week 14 showing as they take on the AFC East-leading Dolphins, who will be licking their wounds after suffering their first home loss of the season against the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football.

The Dolphins became the first team in NFL history to lead by at least 14 points with less than three minutes on the clock and lose in regulation. Teams were 17,561-0 in that situation prior to Monday night.

So, Miami will be hurting mentally and possibly physically because the Dolphins have some injury concerns that could affect the outcome of this divisional showdown. Center Connor Williams is gone for the year with a torn ACL and superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill injured his ankle against the Titans.

Miami are required to handle a great deal of pressure as a team chasing the top seed in the AFC. They have very little room for error and every one of their games is going to be a high-stakes affair. Like the Titans before them, the Jets have nothing to lose and that could make them a dangerous outfit. The Dolphins didn’t handle that situation well on Monday night. If they slip again, could the Jets make them pay and pick up a second morale-boosting victory in a row?

New York Jets Player to Watch

Zach Wilson – Quarterback

After an outstanding second half against the Houston Texans, Jets fans and the rest of the NFL will be keen to see if that form can be continued against a Miami defense that has steadily improved throughout the 2023 campaign. Last week’s 300-yard passing day came after Wilson was benched for Week 12 and 13 losses, one of which was to the Dolphins. Now, we get to see how the Jets will look against Miami with their second overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft.

Miami Dolphins Player to Watch

Tyreek Hill – Wide Receiver

Monday’s loss to the Titans reminded us that Tyreek Hill is the single most important player on Miami’s roster. The electrifying receiver changes everything when he is in the lineup and when he was banged up and out of that Week 14 game, the Dolphins suffered on the offensive side of the ball. Hill had some injury issues when facing the Jets in Week 12 but still racked up 102 receiving yards and a touchdown in Miami’s 34-13 win.

Stat Attack!

Sauce Gardner may not have an interception yet in 2023, but he remains one of the best cover corners in the league. According to Pro Football Focus, the Jets defensive back has a coverage grade of 89.9 – third among NFL cornerbacks behind only Jaylon Johnson (Chicago Bears) and DaRon Bland (Dallas Cowboys). Gardner also leads the Jets with nine pass defenses this season.

Keys to the game

Feed the playmakers… the Jets did that in last weekend’s victory over Houston, particularly through the air. Garrett Wilson was targeted 14 times and he reeled in nine catches for a season-high 108 yards. On pace for a second straight 1,000-yard season to start his NFL career, Wilson is the real deal and needs the football. The same can be said for Breece Hall, who rushed 10 times for 40 yards and caught eight passes for 86 yards and a score. Getting the football to this pair will help the Jets greatly.

Test Miami’s offensive line… the Dolphins are very banged up along the offensive line so now might be a good time to unleash some creative pressure packages. What have you got, Robert Saleh? If the Jets can bring the heat from multiple areas, Tua Tagovailoa is going to feel it. That pressure will not only challenge Miami’s linemen physically, but also mentally because with Williams out at center; a new player is going to need to make the line calls and adjustments. This could be a key area for New York’s dominant defense to exploit.

New York Jets fans have been buoyed by the sight of future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers returning to the practice field this week. While it by no means guarantees a return to competitive action this year, it marks a significant step forward less than three months after number 8 tore his Achilles on opening night.

And now the green half of New York will be hoping the whole team is boosted by Rodgers being back on the practice field. The Jets have lost four in a row in a difficult month, but they have a real chance to get back into the win column on Sunday against an Atlanta Falcons team that has blown hot and cold throughout this season.

The Falcons are currently in first place in the NFC South, but they don’t have a winning record and they don’t travel well. Atlanta have gone 1-4 on the road in 2023 and 2-11 over the past two campaigns. Quarterback Desmond Ridder has won just one game away from Atlanta during his short NFL career to date.

And, as we have seen throughout this season, Ridder is prone to making mistakes at inopportune times. That could bode well for a Jets defense that forced three turnovers in a tough Black Friday loss at home to the Miami Dolphins. There is no doubt that the defense continues to play hard for head coach Robert Saleh and remains the strength of this team.

The Falcons will likely look to ease the load on Ridder by handing the ball to rookie first-round running back Bijan Robinson, who is beginning to heat up again after a mid-season lull. Robinson ranks eighth in the NFL with 703 rushing yards and is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He leads all rookies in 2023 with 943 scrimmage yards. He must be accounted for at all times.

The Jets will be hoping to replicate some of their late-game showing against the Dolphins in Week 12 when Tim Boyle connected with Garrett Wilson for a fourth quarter touchdown. Establishing and maintaining long drives has been difficult this season so some chunk plays in Week 13 would be very welcome indeed.

New York Jets Player to Watch

C.J. Mosley – Linebacker

Tackling machine linebacker C.J. Mosley was all over the field against the Miami Dolphins last week, recording 14 tackles and one pass defense. For the season, Mosley continues to lead from the front and has a team-high 114 stops in 11 games – that’s an average of 10.4 tackles per outing. Mosley will be key in slowing down what is a very good Atlanta rushing attack.

Atlanta Falcons Player to Watch

Bijan Robinson – Running Back

Atlanta’s first-rounder is an incredible athlete who can make defenders miss in both the running and passing games. Bijan Robinson is a highlight-reel player who simply demands your attention. He has been instrumental in Atlanta ranking fourth in the NFL with 139.3 rushing yards per game. And he is in good form with back-to-back games with at least 15 carries and 90 rushing yards.

Stat Attack!

Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder has never thrown a road touchdown pass on American soil. He has thrown one career touchdown pass in six career road starts (tied for second-fewest through six such starts since 1970). His only career TD pass on the road came in Week 4 of this season against the Jacksonville Jaguars – a game played in London.

Keys to the game

Win the turnover battle! That is going to be key for the Jets this weekend. Atlanta rank 26th in the NFL with a -6 differential (12 takeaways to 18 giveaways). The Jets are faring better with a -1 differential (19 takeaways to 20 giveaways). Those 20 giveaways are sixth-most in the NFL, however. If New York can protect the football, that can only help the Tim Boyle-led attack and ease the pressure on the defensive side of the ball.

Ridder will give the Jets chances to steal a turnover or two and to create a short field. Taking advantage and winning those ‘moments’ could be the deciding factors in the Jets winning for the first time since Week 8 against the New York Giants. It’s all there for the taking this week – the Jets just need to strike at the right time and maximize the opportunities that come their way.

There was palpable excitement among Jets fans this week as the team officially opened the 21-day practice window for Aaron Rodgers. The future Hall of Fame quarterback returned to football activity this week, and while he has yet to be cleared for contact, he has begun throwing to teammates.

Laken Tomlinson alluded to the motivating element of having Rodgers back in the building. The hope is that seeing him out on the practice field will help the players focus on Atlanta’s arrival on Sunday.

The NFL can be unfair at times. Atlanta enter the weekend atop the NFC South with a 5-6 record; the Jets are currently ranked as the 15th best team in the AFC with a 4-7 record. If the Jets hope to see Aaron Rodgers take the field again this year, they’ll need to go on a winning streak. Rodgers confirmed on the Pat McAfee Show this week that the Jets playoff chances will go into his decision making process on whether to return this year.

So how can the Jets ground the Atlanta Falcons this coming Sunday?

It all starts up front. To win games, you need to score points, and to score points you usually need your offensive line to perform at their best. As I outlined earlier this week, the Jets could welcome back former first-round pick Mekhi Becton and guard Wes Schweitzer, but the return of Duane Brown remains uncertain.

Only four teams have fewer sacks than Atlanta’s 22, but they generate pressure at a high clip. The Falcons put pressure on the QB on 23.9% of snaps which is just outside the top-10 at number 11. Atlanta isn’t a blitz-heavy team, bringing extra pressure just 25.9% of the time but if the Jets want to develop some longer routes, they’ll need to afford their QB and receivers a little extra time.

Moving the ball on Atlanta through the air is difficult; they have allowed the 9th fewest passing yards in the league. The Jets have struggled to get the ball in the endzone all season, and it won’t get any easier on Sunday. Atlanta has the third best red zone defense in football, allowing a touchdown on just 38.24% of entries; over the last three games that number drops further to 33.33%.

Atlanta also have one of the best third-down defences in football, allowing just 35.21% to be converted, which is the 6th best mark in football.

Whilst the Falcons run defence has been strong, especially in the red zone, Atlanta has allowed over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns to running backs on receptions. If the Jets were looking to get Breece Hall and Israel Abanikanda involved in the passing game, this would be an ideal week to do it.

On the defensive side of the football, there may be opportunities to exploit.

In many ways the Falcons are a mirror image of the Jets: for as good as their defence has been, the offence must improve.

Desmond Ridder has been praised by teammates for his resiliency, but he’ll be disappointed to be heading into this week with more interceptions than touchdowns.

The Falcons are averaging 19.4 points per game, and have coughed up the ball 18 times this season, suggesting opportunities for the Jets to win extra possessions through turnovers. But Atlanta has been able to move the ball, especially on the ground.

They have the 4th best rushing offence, with 139.3 yards per game on the ground, whereas the Jets have struggled to stop the run, ranking 31st in the league and allowing on average 140.3 rushing yards per game. Slowing down the Falcons’ running backs will be a crucial task for the Jets defence.

Former University of Texas star Bijan Robinson is a big reason for the Falcons success. The eighth overall pick in the draft is averaging 5 yards per carry and has 703 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground, as well as 32 catches for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. The scary thing is that you know there is more to come from Robinson, and when he takes a breather you have to contend with Tyler Allgeier or Cordarrelle Patterson.

The other positive for Atlanta is that they’ve been able to start the same offensive line all season. Jake Matthews (LT), Matthew Bergeron (LG), Drew Dalman (C), Chris Lindstrom (RG), and Kaleb McGary (RT) have all played over 700 snaps this season; something the Jets can only dream about considering they’ve had over 15 players play at least one snap on the offensive line.

Sunday’s game could pose challenges on both sides of the ball, but the Jets will need to perform if they hope to stay in the mix for the playoffs.

It’s hard to escape the fact that things are tough at the moment. The Jets are now tied with four other teams for the fewest touchdowns through the first 11 weeks of the season since 2000. None of the 2009 Raiders, 2009 Browns, 2006 Raiders and 2000 Bengals won more than four games, so the Jets do at least have the opportunity to set themselves apart in a good way.

Part of the issue this year has been the inability to find consistency on the offensive line.

The Jets have now started a league-high 12 different linemen, which includes eight different o-line combinations; the game against Miami represented the sixth successive week where they have rolled with a different starting five.

The only position on the offensive line to experience any consistency is left guard with iron man Laken Tomlinson – one of only six players in the NFL with an active streak of at least 100 consecutive starts. Every other position has been manned by at least two players, with right-guard being occupied by no less than six players this season. Alijah Vera-Tucker, Joe Tippmann, Wes Schweitzer, Max Mitchell, Xavier Newman and Chris Glaser have all taken turns.

Losing Vera-Tucker was a devastating blow to the Jets this year, and it’s the second year in a row the Jets have lost the services of their incredibly talented former Trojan. AVT’s versatility allows the Jets to survive and flourish despite injuries. Replacing AVT’s talent is extremely difficult; replacing his versatility is nearly impossible.

The results have been as you might expect: 48 sacks allowed, the third highest rate in the league. We’ve also experienced a surge in penalties; in particular, false starts. This isn’t overly unexpected when you play so many different combinations as the offensive line is a unit that needs to work cohesively. It’s hard to do that when you continue to see a new face every time you look left and right.

But enough with the negativity.

The cavalry is coming. The Jets should get 2020 first-round draft pick Mekhi Becton back this week. The former Louisville man worked tirelessly to play against Miami after suffering an ankle injury against Buffalo, but was ruled out at the 11th hour. There is real optimism that his return will solidify the line and open lanes for Breece Hall.

As well as Becton, the Jets are expecting to get Duane Brown back this week. The 16-year veteran has been missing since week two’s game against Dallas, but was activated from IR before the Miami game. He wasn’t quite ready to start and acted as a back-up for the first time in his career, but with another week of practice under his belt he should be ready to return against Atlanta.

The good news continues to trickle through, with Wes Schweitzer set to return for the first time since week nine. The former Washington man has played just 81 snaps this year, but he could offer a more sustainable answer to the problematic right guard position.

How everyone will shuffle into the five o-line spots remains to be seen, but the Jets and Robert Saleh will be delighted that they have some key personnel returning in time for a potential December push.

The offence has been struggling, but a lot of that can be traced back to the issues on the offensive line. The players who have come in have done a fine job given tough circumstances, but only Laken Tomlinson was playing in his designated position on Friday. You can survive one injury, you can maybe survive two, but running the gauntlet of injuries the Jets have had to navigate is almost impossible.

Fortunately for the Jets, the cavalry is coming.

The New York Jets will make NFL history on November 24 when they play in the first Black Friday game, taking on the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium in Week 12 action.

And the Jets will be cheered on by fans in the United States and in the United Kingdom as they attempt to knock off the AFC East Division leaders one day after Thanksgiving.

The Jets and the Dolphins are holding a joint Watch Party at Shooter’s Bar in Manchester with more than 250 fans from both teams expected to be in attendance at the sold-out event. It will be the first-ever joint event held by two Global Markets Program teams in the same country.

The entire Sky Sports NFL team will also be there as I will be joined by Jason Bell, Phoebe Shecter, Jeff Reinebold and Hannah Wilkes. Our coverage of the AFC East showdown begins at 7.30pm on Sky Sports NFL. Representing the Jets on the night will be former NFL safety Erik Coleman, who made more than 650 tackles during a nine-year career in which he spent the period from 2004-2007 in New York.

Jets offensive lineman Max Mitchell said: “I think it’s really cool to play in the first-ever game on Black Friday. We’re going to have a ball and it will be really special. And it’s really cool to know we will be cheered on by Jets fans on either side of the Atlantic.”

The Jets will be led by Tim Boyle, who takes over quarterback duties from Zach Wilson. Boyle played college football at UConn and then Eastern Kentucky before entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2018, where he backed up Aaron Rodgers at the Green Bay Packers.

Boyle started three games for the Detroit Lions in 2021 and has thrown for 607 yards, three touchdowns and nine interceptions in his NFL career to date.

Head Coach Robert Saleh said: “Tim is a different style of quarterback. We want to give him an opportunity to do something with the offense.”

If Boyle can deliver the victory against a Dolphins team that has lost just three times this season, it will spark wild celebrations in New York and in Manchester!

New York Jets Player to Watch

Tim Boyle – Quarterback

He doesn’t have to be perfect, but Tim Boyle must awaken an offense that has scored nine touchdowns in 10 games. The Jets are likely to need points against the Dolphins because, even though their offense is not reaching the heights of earlier in the year, Miami are still likely to threaten the scoreboard. Finding Breece Hall out of the backfield (5 for 50 yards and a touchdown last week) would be a good place for Boyle to start.

Miami Dolphins Player to Watch

Tyreek Hill – Wide Receiver

The most explosive and dangerous receiver in the game today is going to present a serious challenge to a strong New York Jets defense on Black Friday. Tyreek Hill has caught 79 passes for 1,222 yards and nine touchdowns to lead the league. He is on pace for 2,077 receiving yards this season, which would smash the existing record of 1,964 yards set by Calvin Johnson, of the Lions, in 2012.

Stat Attack!

The Dolphins are a perfect 5-0 at home in 2023, averaging 38.8 points and 497.2 yards per game. But on the road they have a record of 2-3 with an average of 22.2 points per game and 370.8 yards per contest.

Keys to the game

While much attention falls on Miami’s passing attack, the Jets will first need to stop the run so the Dolphins cannot control the clock. The Jets play a fierce and commendable style of defense, but that unit has been under great pressure. If the offense can pick up, perhaps it will help a D that has been overworked. New York’s opponents have run an average of 67.1 plays per game (fifth-most in the NFL) and controlled the clock to an average of 32:23 per game (second-most in the league).

Whether it be through maintaining drives of their own or getting off the field on defense, those numbers have to be turned into the Jets’ favour. Also, in this particular game, creating turnovers and presenting Boyle with a shorter field could be key. And opportunities might be there. As good as he has been this season, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown eight interceptions and has fumbled nine times (third-most in the league) in 10 games.