The New York Jets had something to prove going into the 2013-2014 NFL season. With new general manager John Idzik, head coach Rex Ryan’s uncertain future with the team, rookie quarterback Geno Smith, and one of the youngest defenses in the NFL, the Jets weren’t expected to be a competitive team this season. Many sports experts ruled them out from the beginning and predicted them to have an awful record. The Week One power rankings from ESPN.com listed the Jets last in the league. All in all, it was looking like yet another disappointing year for the New York Jets.
However, as we fast forward thirteen weeks later, the Jets record is 5-7 and remains somewhat alive in the playoff chase. They’ve beaten top teams such as the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots. With four games remaining, the Jets are a game out of the sixth and final wildcard spot.
The Jets’ success starts with their three defensive linemen, nicknamed the “sons of anarchy,” Muhammed Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, and Damon Harrison. Wilkerson looks like he’s headed to his first Pro Bowl with ten sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception so far. He turns in a dominating performance week in and week out. Rookie Sheldon Richardson is dominating against the run and consistently pressuring the quarterbacks. Finally, Damon “Snacks” Harrison is ranked one of the best nose tackles in the game right now and continues to have a breakout season.
It’s easy to root for Harrison as he went undrafted out of division three William Penn and was a long shot to make an NFL team. The rest of the defense also deserves a great deal of credit; they are ranked first against the run and eighth overall in the league. This defensive line has carried the Jets all year. David Harris has also had a big year as of now with ninety-eight tackles.
If one looks at the offense, the Jets have had little to show. With help from Offensive Coordinator Marty Morhinweg and Quarterbacks Coach David Lee, Geno Smith has turned in some positive performances throughout the season. As of late, his play continues to trend downward, to the dismay of many Jets fans. Geno has an NFL leading nineteen turnovers and, dating back to the Jets’ Monday Night win against the Falcons, also has one touchdown pass and eleven interceptions. The Jets need him to step up and elevate his play if they want any chance at making the playoffs.
After a slow start to the year, partially due to player injuries, the Jets are getting their running game going with Chris Ivory, who is currently averaging 4.4 yards per game with two touchdowns. Other than that, no one has opened many eyes on offense. With Slot Receiver Jeremy Kerley returning Sunday, the offense may see more production. Currently they are thirtieth in yards per game, and thirty-first in points per game.
The New York Jets have been very inconsistent this season. They’ve been on a current “win a game, lose a game” trend up until week twelve when they lost to Baltimore. They need to find a way to get on a winning streak (which they haven’t done since 2011) over these last four games in order to be in playoff contention toward the end of the season.
On another note, their pass defense has to improve as they are twenty-fifth in the league in passing yards allowed/game. Their secondary is very weak and must improve to limit opposing quarterbacks’ performances. In each game it seems that an opposing wide receiver beats them for a long touchdown.
The Jets were not built to be a playoff team at all; that’s what makes this season so interesting. The fact that they are in the playoff hunt at this point in the season is pretty impressive. In the offseason, General Manager John Idzik cut a lot of expensive players to save money and resigned some of the veterans’ positions for a cheaper price. Idzik has orchestrated an entire plan to rebuild the Jets, and this is just the first step. Spectators enjoy watching the team grow.
And, the Jets have a bright future, with roughly fifty million dollars to spend in the off season and potentially ten to eleven draft picks in the upcoming 2014 NFL draft. However, many offseason questions need to be addressed starting with Rex Ryan’s future with the organization. Idzik and company also have to decide whether Geno Smith is the answer to the Jets’ problems or if the Jets need to draft a new quarterback. Perhaps the Jets can look to a free agent class for some notable names at quarterback. The Jets have to fill their needs at the secondary, outside linebacker, wide receiver, and offensive line positions.
Luckily, the Jets have the salary cap space to address all of their weaknesses. Either way, it looks to be an interesting final four games as the Jets continue to play football with a playoff berth on the line. John Idzik has built a solid foundation for the upcoming year, and with the right acquisitions and draft picks, the Jets could have an elite team for years to come.