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The New York Jets offense looked bad against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football. Really, really bad, again. Seems like we say this just about every week. The defense was good, but the offense was beyond putrid. The Jets never came close to scoring a touchdown until a garbage time drive ended with turning the ball over on downs a yard short of the goal line.
The Jets defense has been playing so well that the Jets might have had a chance to pull out a victory yesterday if the offense and special teams hadn’t made so many mistakes. The special teams allowed a long punt return for a touchdown. The offense turned the ball over three times on fumbles. These mistakes led directly to three Chargers touchdowns and wasted another stellar performance by the Jets defense, which limited a potent Chargers offense to less than 200 total yards. That kind of effort by a defense should result in victory. Instead, due to turnovers and general offensive ineptitude, the Jets were blown out by three touchdowns.
The Jets now have a record of 4-4 on the season. They next face the Las Vegas Raiders on the road on Sunday Night Football to try to get back on the winning track.
How did the power rankings feel about this ugly loss for the Jets? Let’s find out.
18) New York Jets (16)
The Jets’ defense is only ninth in EPA and sixth in success rate, but their defense is delightful to watch. Few defenses fly to the football the way New York has done over the past two seasons.
But this Jets team feels uncomfortably similar to a season ago. One side of the ball is playoff-worthy while the other flounders around the surface of the water trying not to drown. Zach Wilson is still not a starting-caliber NFL QB, and it keeps this team from realizing its potential.
17. New York Jets (4-4)
Last week: loss vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 27–6
Next week: at Las Vegas
The Jets’ defensive performance against the Chargers was straight-up herculean, but there are nights when Wilson decides he cannot get rid of the football on schedule. Mixed into that grab bag were some good throws and some missed opportunities. At 4–4, the Jets’ three-game winning streak is over but all is not lost. The Raiders in prime time this weekend, after Vegas has a chance to appropriately cool from their post-Josh McDaniels beatdown of the Giants, can be a get-right game.
18. New York Jets (4-4)
Week 9 ranking: 13
Non-QB MVP: RB Breece Hall
It’s simple math: The Jets are 4-0 when Hall scores a touchdown. Going back to last season, it’s 8-0. Running as if last year’s ACL surgery never happened, Hall was leading the NFL in yards per carry (5.7) at the start of Week 9. The Jets’ offense is out of balance because of a subpar passing game, causing opponents to overplay the run, but that hasn’t stopped Hall from being the home run threat they haven’t had in more than a decade.
18. Jets (15): Only one team in the league has yet to score on its opening drive this season. Take a guess. The NYJ have eight offensive TDs this season, two fewer than Miami had … in Week 3.
It seems opinions about the Jets have settled just south of NFL average at this point in the season. The power rankings are now in a tight range from a high of 17 to a low of 18.
With the obvious proviso that power rankings are stupid, unless they praise the Jets, in which case they’re awesome, what do you think? Where should the Jets rank in the NFL power rankings?
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