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2021 NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: The Slings And Arrows Of Outrageous Fortune

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New York Jets v Miami Dolphins Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

The New York Jets lost to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday 31 -24. The Jets played their best half of the season in the first half of the game, before suffering the obligatory slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and getting completely dominated by the Dolphins in the second half. The Jets have now lost three straight games and six of seven. This is a bad football team.

The Jets record under head coach Robert Saleh fell to 3-11. How did the power rankings feel about the latest Jets loss? Let’s find out.

Pro Football Network

30) New York Jets

The Jets are a tough watch on both sides of the ball. They’re horrific defensively. They don’t have sufficient talent at cornerback, and they can’t seem to generate consistent pressure as a unit.

Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh have a long way to go with this roster. But don’t fret, Jets fans — this defense could find an influx of talent at the top of the draft, depending on which direction they want to go.

Ultimately, Zach Wilson’s development is all that really matters. The problem is, he hasn’t shown consistent development as a rookie. When he does have a decent game, he’s persistently fallen prey to pathetic outings the following week. He has a long road ahead of him, but his physical tools and demeanor lend me to believe he’ll “get it” in time.

New York Post

29. New York Jets, 3-11 (29)

There were some offensive highlights — Zach Wilson improvising on the run and a hook-and-ladder connection between two receivers — which cleared the low bar set over the last few seasons. But the Jets can’t stop the run. The Dolphins ran for 184 yards, more than doubling their lowly average. Next week’s game against the Jaguars is huge for draft position.

USA Today

30. Jets (29): For the 11th consecutive season, they won’t be going to the playoffs. For the 54th consecutive season, they won’t have a 4,000-yard passer.

ESPN

31. New York Jets (3-10)

Previous ranking: 29

How hot is Robert Saleh’s seat: 1. Cold seat

Saleh, who inherited one of the worst rosters in the league, is finishing up Year 1 in a major youth movement. This is a long-term rebuild, which should start to bear fruit in 2022. His defense is historically poor — and some of that falls on him — but Saleh is doing a good job of galvanizing the organization with his upbeat demeanor. The negativity is testing him in ways he never imagined.

Sports Illustrated

29. New York Jets (3–11)

Last week: Loss vs. Miami, 31-24

Next week: Jacksonville

All eyes are on Zach Wilson—which is understandable, quarterbacks are important. And you’d wish he was playing better, but you see flashes—he’s just getting panicky under pressure causing his mechanics to go to hell. It’s understandable considering the wide-open spaces he operated from at BYU. This might get better a la Josh Allen, or it might not a la Mitchell Trubisky. But the bigger concern is the downright sloppy play of the defense. On Sunday, they got gashed by a Dolphins run game that has gone nowhere against anyone else in 2021. And while I hesitate to weigh in on a call into which I have no insight, the biggest play of the game in Miami, a third-and-9 from the 12, was an absolute giveaway. Corner Bryce Hall plays outside leverage against DeVante Parker but there’s no safety help for him, making it the easiest touchdown Parker will ever score. It’s an undermanned group, but that’s just a simple coverage bust.

The Jets moved down a bit with their latest loss. What do you think? Where should the Jets rank in the NFL power rankings?