NY Jets: Winnable game against Chargers threatens the No. 1 pick

The NY Jets could miss out on Trevor Lawrence if they beat the Los Angeles Chargers.

Even though the NY Jets have been historically bad this year, they are still no lock to secure Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall selection this upcoming draft.

Currently, the Jets hold the best odds to draft Lawrence, arguably the most undisputed number one overall NFL draft prospect since Andrew Luck, as they sit at rock bottom as the only team without a single win under their belt.

This 2020 season is the first time in franchise history the Jets have started a season 0-9. However, the Jets are coming off their best game of the year losing to the New England Patriots 30-27 two weeks ago on Monday Night Football.

This game was only the second time this year that the offense scored at least 20 points. It was also the first time this year where wide receivers Breshad Perriman, Jamison Crowder, and Denzel Mims were all on the field healthy at once.

In fact, with a healthy group of NFL-caliber skill players, the Jets actually showed flashes of competence on offense.

Joe Flacco hooked up with Perriman for two touchdowns on a couple of deep balls just like general manager Joe Douglas imagined when he signed the former Buccaneers receiver to a one-year, $8 million contract this past offseason.

The rookie Mims caught four passes for 62 yards, and despite an unusually quiet day, Crowder still managed to haul in a touchdown pass of his own.

The Jets found themselves up 10 points at halftime, leaving fans not only shocked, but panicked over ruining the tank for Trevor Lawrence.

However, Flacco saved the day with a boneheaded decision to throw the ball deep into double coverage, resulting in an interception which ultimately set the Patriots up for a game-winning field goal.

Coming off their bye week, the Jets will go to Los Angeles to play the 2-7 Chargers listed as 9.5-point underdogs.

While 9.5 points may seem like a hefty spread for a team with only two wins, it’s important to highlight the fact that all seven of the Chargers’ losses this year have been one-possession games, including two overtime losses to both the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints.

The Chargers are most certainly not who their record says they are.

The NY Jets are facing a Chargers team that’s better than their record indicates

Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert has been impressive thus far as he continues to build chemistry with one of the NFL’s most talented receivers Keenan Allen, while defensive end Joey Bosa is always a threat to sack the quarterback.

With stars on both sides of the ball, the Jets appear to be completely overmatched, especially on defense.

The Jets’ secondary will be very thin after they finally decided to cut dead weight with cornerback Pierre Desir and were forced to shut down Brian Poole for the rest of the year due to a shoulder injury. Also, second-year cornerback Blessuan Austin is listed as questionable with a neck injury.

The Jets may be forced to start three rookie defensive backs with Ashtyn Davis at safety and Bryce Hall and Lamar Jackson at cornerback — AKA, a recipe for disaster.

Having said that, there is rarely such a thing as an easy win when it comes to the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers just barely snuck past the two-win Bengals 16-13 way back in Week 1, and only managed to beat the one-win Jaguars by 10 points in Week 6.

If the Jets’ young defense plays up to the potential that general manager Joe Douglas envisioned when selecting players last offseason, they could possibly steal a win against the hard-luck Chargers.

The Chargers always seem to find ways to lose football games, and if the Jets play anything as they did before the bye week, really anything is possible.

A win this week could prove to be a detrimental blow to the Jets tank due to the fact that Jacksonville is going up against the undefeated Steelers this week.

A Jets win and a Jaguars loss would put both teams at 1-9, making the pursuit for the No. 1 overall pick a whole lot more complicated.

As the Jets continue to get healthier and with still seven games remaining on the schedule, Lawrence to New York is no guarantee — at least not yet.