The New York Jets have gone 11 seasons without a postseason appearance. That number may soon reach 12 after a brutal 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 15 dropped the Jets to 7-7 and puts them behind the eight ball in the playoff race.
The Jets have now lost three straight and five of their last seven since their 5-2 start. When it looked like the playoffs were going to be more than just a dream may end up being just that, a dream. The Jets now need a ton of help to end their postseason drought and it boils down to two big plays allowed, one on defense and one on special teams.
In the first quarter, it was the 47-yard punt return by Lions returner Kalif Raymond.
In the fourth quarter, with less than two minutes left, on fourth down, was maybe the true back-breaker: a 51-yard touchdown to Brock Wright of all people.
Then there was the interception thrown by Zach Wilson — 18/35 for 317 yards and two touchdowns — that was also a back-breaker and one Wilson himself said cost the Jets three points. Those three points sure would have come in handy. At least Wilson is handling himself than he did after the Patriots game four weeks ago.
Zach Wilson on his interception: “Bad decision … forced it.” Says he didn’t do enough to put his team in position to win. Accountability this time. #jets pic.twitter.com/51rW1s85Zy
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) December 18, 2022
Not to mention the clock management (or mismanagement, if you will) on the final drive that could have at least gotten the Jets closer for Greg Zuerlein’s game-tying field goal attempt. His 58-yard attempt sailed wide left and that was all she wrote for the Jets.
Robert Saleh on the time management at the end: “With three timeouts, feel like you can be aggressive … I can probably look back it and say we could’ve used one.” #Jets
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) December 18, 2022
Three killer plays and mishandling the clock late overshadowed a solid day otherwise by the Jets’ defense, including Sauce Gardner, who got the elite cornerback treatment of not being targeted once as the nearest defender.
Sauce Gardner was not targeted a single time as the nearest defender today, per @NextGenStats.
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) December 18, 2022
But as the Jets are well aware of by now, there are no more moral victories. The Jets need real victories and they need them in a hurry. Let’s face it, the Jets have to win out at this point just to get to 10-7 and hope to get some help elsewhere.
That road starts Thursday as the Jets have a quick turnaround and will be facing a hot Jaguars team that now has back-to-back wins over the Titans and Cowboys following their overtime win over Dallas in Week 15. If the Jets can’t turn things around quickly, their road may be coming to an end very soon.
The loss of Quinnen Williams was felt all day as the Jets struggled to generate pass rush on Lions quarterback Jared Goff. In fact, they didn’t record a single sack. They did get credit for five quarterback hits — two for Carl Lawson, two for John Franklin-Myers and one for Bryce Huff.
On the flip side, Wilson was sacked four times, including a near-killer one on the final drive that Wilson somehow salvaged with a crazy fourth-down pass to Elijah Moore.
But a combination of bad throws, no pass rush, no running game — just 50 rushing yards — and back-breaking big plays allowed on defense and special teams means the Jets’ playoff hopes are now on life support.
The Jets really need the Chargers and Patriots to lose in the late window, otherwise, things will get even worse. This is what happens when you are unable to take care of business on your own, you become too dependent on others and the Jets aren’t a team that can rely on that.
It was a nice run, but it may soon be time to start talking mock drafts yet again instead of a Wild Card matchup. There’s still time left with three games left and anything can happen. But the reality may end up being Kalif Raymond and Brock Wright may have just ruined the Jets’ season.
