Garrett Wilson, a wide receiver for the New York Jets, has known his fair share of disappointment during his three years with the team. He faced ten losses in his rookie season, matched that total last year, and is now on course to repeat the pattern this season, with ten losses already and more to come. The Jets recently lost to the Miami Dolphins, squandering a late-game lead, a recurring situation that has become frustratingly too familiar for Wilson and his teammates. “When you’re up in the fourth quarter, it starts to feel like you have a losing problem,” Wilson remarked after the Jets fell 32-26 in overtime to the Dolphins. “You have a gene or something.”
This sentiment resonates with many fans who have watched the Jets (3-10) miss the postseason for an astonishing 14 consecutive years, marking the longest ongoing drought in the NFL. This bleak stretch of performance is even longer than any team in the NBA, WNBA, NHL, or Major League Baseball.
“It’s painful to lose in general,” noted right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. “So when you stack up those losses, that’s clearly not where anyone in this organization aims to be. That’s not the standard we uphold.” Instead, the Jets are currently setting unsettling records, having lost a franchise-worst five games in which they had a lead entering the fourth quarter, a troubling trend they have managed to extend over three consecutive games.
The team is also on a nine-season losing streak, which is tied for the longest current streak in the league. Although interim coach Jeff Ulbrich praised Aaron Rodgers for what he deemed the quarterback’s “best performance of the season,” throwing for an impressive 339 yards, it ultimately wasn’t enough. Rodgers celebrated a personal milestone by breaking a 34-game streak without passing for over 300 yards in a regular season contest, but with numerous miscues across the defense and special teams, the outcome remained grim.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s more frustrating, but it’s probably just as frustrating,” Ulbrich commented about the loss. “There have been a number of games that have come down to the wire within one score, and we haven’t prevailed for various reasons throughout those seven games. We haven’t matched up well enough in those critical moments, and it’s something we must improve.”
Amidst this chaos, the Jets’ passing game has seen some improvement. With Rodgers’ recent recovery from leg injuries, the aerial offense has started to perk up. Against Miami, he completed 27 of 39 passes and led the team to a total of 402 yards, their best performance of the season. Ulbrich acknowledged this shift, stating, “He had an excellent day, and the statistics back that up.”
However, the defense is facing challenges, particularly against screen passes. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exploited the Jets’ defensive weaknesses, throwing 12 screen passes in the game, a tactic that caught New York off-guard. Ulbrich admitted, “I’m analyzing our defense against screens. We simply need to perform better in those situations.”
Linebacker Jamien Sherwood’s performance has been a silver lining, especially with C.J. Mosley sidelined due to injuries. In his fourth season, Sherwood recorded a remarkable 18 total tackles, including 13 solo efforts, becoming the first player in the NFL to achieve such statistics since 2022.
On the flip side, the special teams unit struggled. Despite Anders Carlson successfully making all four of his field goals, including a crucial 42-yarder to give the Jets a late lead, a missed kickoff allowed Malik Washington to return it 45 yards, facilitating the Dolphins to tie the game. Carlson indicated that he mis-hit the kickoff, a mistake that proved costly.
Regarding injuries, Ulbrich provided no new updates on right tackle Morgan Moses, who suffered a left wrist injury during warmups, or special teams player Irvin Charles, who has a knee issue. Meanwhile, running back Breece Hall (knee) and cornerback Sauce Gardner missed the game, but Ulbrich expressed hope that both could participate in Sunday’s game against Jacksonville.
A key statistic to note is that the Jets failed to hit Tagovailoa during his 47 pass attempts, showcasing their defensive shortcomings. “As soon as he snapped the ball, the ball was gone,” Sherwood commented.
Looking ahead, the Jets will face the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday in what could affect their draft positioning. Currently, the Jets occupy the No. 7 draft slot while the Jaguars sit at No. 5.
