Change Is Needed in New York as the Jets Playoff Chances Fly Away

Any changes that the New York Jets made during their bye week will be insufficient and untimely. Robert Saleh is gone, Joe Douglas is gone and so is the 2024 season and the Jets playoff chances.

Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich intended to utilize the time to assess the overall organization. He repeated the phrase “hard look” eight times during his Week 11 postgame news conference following a 28-27 defeat that brought the Jets’ record to 3-8 overall.

A perfect record would still be a stretch…

The Jets have often failed to meet expectations. Even if they were to achieve a perfect record after the bye, a 9-8 record would still not guarantee them the seventh playoff position in the AFC. Furthermore, New York has shown no indications of securing six consecutive victories, particularly with two contests against the Miami Dolphins and one against the Buffalo Bills remaining on the schedule.

The Jets have suffered home defeats against inexperienced quarterbacks Bo Nix and Anthony Richardson. Consequently, New York is behind the Denver Broncos (6-5) and the Colts (5-6) in the AFC rankings and lacks the tiebreaker against both teams.

Jets Standings Ahead of their Bye Week

The Jets are 11th in the current AFC Playoff standings, indicating that four teams separate them from the last playoff position. Alongside the Broncos and Colts, New York faces Miami (4-6) and the Bengals (4-7) on its upcoming schedule.

Based on NFL odds, estimates indicate that the Jets’ postseason likelihood has decreased to 1 percent.

Postseason Probabilities Give the Jets a 1% Chance

Based on probability calculations taken from the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the Jets playoff hopes are all but finished.

AFC EAST	Division %	Opponents Remaining
Bills (9-2)	99%	BYE, 49ers, Rams, Tigers, Patriots, Jets, Patriots
Dolphins (4-6)	1%	Patriots, Packers, Jets, Texans, 49ers, Browns, Jets
Jets (3-8)	1%	BYE, Seahawks, Dolphins, Jaguars, Rams, Bills, Dolphins
Patriots (3-8)	1%	Dolphins, Colts, BYE, Cardinals, Bills, Chargers, Bills

When considering online betting app options, it’s safe to say that handicappers should remain well clear of future bets on the Jets to make the playoffs, no matter how tempting those odds might be.

Despite the Dolphins’ two-game streak, their prospects of surpassing the Bills in the East are minimal (0.04%). However, their probabilities are somewhat better than those of the Jets (.03%) and the Patriots (.01%). New York and New England are one defeat, or one victory by the Bills, from being eliminated from playoff hopes permanently.

A Complete Organizational Reset Is Needed

Remember when Bill Belichick resigned before he could even start at the Jets due to the team’s new owners, Woody and Christopher Johnson? Perhaps he was onto something. His impatience with Saleh early in the season and complete faith in a 40-something Aaron Rodgers have done nothing but backfire, and that’s just the start of it.

The Jets, heading into their 14th consecutive season without a playoff participation, will likely undergo a complete organizational overhaul after the season. Johnson has significant expectations, declaring this his finest club in 25 years of ownership.

The most concerning aspect is the Jets’ loss of identity.

For almost two seasons, they were among the superior defensive teams in the league. Not anymore. Under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who also serves as the defensive coordinator, the team is conceding 26 points and 349 yards per game, in contrast to Robert Saleh’s 17 points and 256 yards in the first five games.

Notwithstanding his augmented responsibilities as head coach, Ulbrich continues to be actively involved in the defense. According to players, he is as engaged in meetings as he was before his elevation and continues to call the plays. He seems overextended but refuses to relinquish control, as he deems it essential to preserve continuity.

The Jets Problem Wear Suits 

Rash decision-making, firings, and impatience have been the story of Jets ownership and management.

New York started the 2024 season with expectations for the Super Bowl. Although the team has the skill to compete for a title, success in the NFL requires more than talent. The Jets have achieved just three victories in three months and are now under the leadership of an interim general manager and an interim head coach.

Recent reports persist in elucidating the turmoil that has plagued the Jets organization throughout their dismal season.

New York opened the season with a 2-3 record under Saleh. Following his dismissal, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich has led the Jets to five defeats in six matches, two of which were against clubs with subpar records.

In the end, it is irrelevant how much talent the Jets acquire. An oppressive and unstable owner guarantees a team’s failure. Until ownership changes, no general manager, head coach, or Hall of Fame player will be capable of ending the team’s impending 14-year postseason drought, which is tied for the longest active stretch among the four major North American professional sports leagues.

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