The NY Jets can end their playoff drought in 2020 thanks to a potential new rule in the NFL. Here are all the details and how it could play out next season.
The NFL owners have recently proposed a new collective bargaining agreement that would entirely change the structure of the league.
If voted into place, the NFL regular season would be extended to 17 games and each conference would send an additional team into the playoffs. This new format could provide an opportunity for the NY Jets.
If these rules are put into effect, it will create a situation that could benefit New York greatly. The Jets finished the 2019 season 6-2 in their final eight games to improve their overall record to 7-9, meaning that they would’ve been just a game out of the seventh spot in the playoffs.
Looking ahead to next season, the Jets are looking to build off of their strong finish and make a push at the playoffs. With the extra spot available, we may see the Jets playing playoff football for the first time since their last trip to the AFC championship game with Mark Sanchez.
Looking at the schedule in the upcoming season, it’s not going to be easy to grab a playoff spot. Of course, the Jets and all the other teams in the league will look to improve through free agency and the draft, let’s take a look at how Gang Green would shape up against their opponents the way things stand today.
Starting within the division, the Jets, of course, will have to play two games against the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and the New England Patriots. Starting with the Bills, they’ll be a very difficult opponent for the Jets. An up and coming team that made the playoffs last season will provide a challenge for Gang Green, however, both teams play similar styles of football with their strong defenses, I expect a split between these two teams next season.
The Dolphins are a different story. A team that is well coached but lacking talent, two games the
More from The Jet Press
- NY Jets: Jonnu Smith would be a smart free-agent target
- NY Jets: 3 non-quarterback trade targets on offense
- NY Jets expected to be ‘much more aggressive’ in free agency this year
- NY Jets: Patriots will not use the franchise tag on Joe Thuney
- NY Jets officially place the franchise tag on safety Marcus Maye
Jets should win but they can’t be taken lightly. Finally the dreaded New England Patriots. Where Tom Brady will play next year has a big effect, but the Pats are still coached by Bill Belichick and will most likely take both games. So to start, the Jets are looking at 3-3 in the division.
New York will also be taking on all four teams from the AFC West. The Kansas City Chiefs, LA Chargers, Denver Broncos, and the Las Vegas Raiders will provide some trouble. Between the battle with the defending champs on the road and the revamped Broncos squad, we should see some good games. I expect the Jets to beat LA on the road, take care of business at home against Denver and Las Vegas, but struggle against Pat Mahomes and the Chiefs. So 3-1 in this division, making the total 6-4. Not a bad start.
Gang Green will also face the NFC West this season, visiting LA and the 12th man in Seattle. Those will both be tough games as I expect LA to have a bounce back year and Seattle will once again be a very good team. I don’t believe home field advantage to be enough to fight off the defending NFC champs, but expect the Jamal Adams and company to have a field day against Kyler Murray. I predict the exact opposite of their AFC counterparts as the Jets will go 1-3, bringing the Jets back down to earth at 7-7.
To finish out the Jets’ upcoming opponents, they will face off with the other AFC teams who finished in third place last season. In this case, the Cleveland Browns and the Indianapolis Colts. These are two games I believe the Jets can win. The Browns proved that they aren’t nearly as good as people expected them to be last year. They’ve also proven that they are still an embarrassment of a franchise. The Colts, on the other hand, are still recovering from Andrew Luck’s early retirement and will provide another chance for the Jets to get a win.
When everything is said and done I expect about a two-game improvement from the Jets next season, putting the ceiling for them at 11 wins while the floor is at 7 wins. If the Jets live up to my expectations, 9-7 would be enough to grab the seventh playoff spot, maybe even getting the sixth seed, finally giving Jets fans the playoff appearance they’ve been missing for nearly a decade.