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2021 NFL Power Rankings, Week 15: A Fine Mess

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NFL: DEC 12 Saints at Jets Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The New York Jets lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday 30 - 9. Yet again the Jets weren’t even close to victory, against a team playing its third string quarterback with an injured finger on his throwing hand, a team that had lost five straight games. Embarrassing, humiliating, disturbing, depressing - pick your adjective, the Jets just stink. This is a fine mess the team has gotten us into, Ollie.

The Jets record under head coach Robert Saleh fell to 3-10. How did the power rankings feel about the latest Jets loss? Let’s find out.

Pro Football Network

29) New York Jets

The Jets might be the most unwatchable product in the NFL. When they lose, they lose spectacularly. Zach Wilson continues to struggle with everything as a rookie, and the defense just doesn’t have the juice to get stops. The Texans probably have a worse roster, and their point differential is slightly worse than the Jets.

Hopefully, the New York media can have some patience with Wilson. He was always going to struggle in Year 1. Wilson was a project coming out of BYU. He lived off 50/50 balls and played in a heavy personnel offense that found ways to isolate receivers and simplify coverage options.

Let Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh build this thing before we judge them off the disaster this team was just one year ago.

New York Post

29. New York Jets, 3-10 (29)

It was a formality, but the Jets officially will not be in the playoffs for the 11th straight season. Without Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, Michael Carter and others, the Jets fielded a JV offense and played like it as Ty Johnson dropped three passes and Denzel Mims committed consecutive drive-killing penalties in a loss to the Saints.

USA Today

29. Jets (29): No team has run the ball fewer times, but maybe that changes with leading rusher Michael Carter on the way back from IR.

ESPN

29. New York Jets (3-10)

Previous ranking: 29

Offense: 27

Defense: 32

Special teams: 31

There’s no hope for the present, only the future — meaning 2022 and beyond. The defense is historically poor, with expansion-level talent. It won’t improve until the Jets invest high draft choices on that side of the ball. Whatever talent they have on offense is injured; WRs Elijah Moore and Corey Davis and RB Michael Carter are on IR. It will be tough sledding for QB Zach Wilson over the final four games.

Sports Illustrated

30. New York Jets (3–10)

Last week: Loss vs. New Orleans, 30-9

Next week: at Miami

Zach Wilson is lacking that signature game this season, which the Jets could really use before season’s end to bolster confidence in the Robert Saleh regime. Wilson has not topped a 100 QB rating this season and is third to last in points above average logged (-29.7, behind only Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff). Remaining on the schedule? Three teams either in the playoffs or in contention (Bills, Buccaneers, Dolphins) and the Jaguars. So we’re telling you there’s a chance.

Not much movement here from last week’s rankings. The Jets are mostly viewed as the 29th best team in the NFL. What do you think? Where should the Jets rank in the NFL power rankings?