The Jets can make the playoffs if they finally get this right

The 2025 New York Jets aren’t widely considered serious playoff contenders. Some sportsbooks have their playoff odds as low as +475. Most observers would say that sounds about right, viewing the Jets as a solid defensive team with little to offer on offense.

But I don't see it as that black and white. The Patriots have loaded up, yes, but they have yet to prove a single thing on the field. The Dolphins have been better in recent years, yes, but they have also made some peculiar moves to their roster this offseason.

The only team in the division that can say for certain they are in a tier well above the Jets is the Buffalo Bills. Outside of them, every other team in the division is beatable. It's not out of the realm of realistic possibility that the Jets finish second place in the AFC East and land one of the final two wild-card spots.

This would be a dream for Jets fans, but it will take a lot of things going right. And more specifically, there is one facet of the game they absolutely must dominate if they want to make this vision a reality.

The Jets' running game will be crucial

It's not a secret that the roster is bereft of receiving talent. Unless there is another move lurking beneath the surface, new starting quarterback Justin Fields will have very little to work with this year. Outside of superstar Garrett Wilson, there isn't much.

When he isn't passing to his lone All-Pro receiver, he will have to work with the likes of Allen Lazard, Josh Reynolds, and rookie tight end Mason Taylor. This is far from a threatening group.

The man passing them the ball is not a given either. Fields has proven to have talent in both Chicago and Pittsburgh, but he still has to prove he can put that talent together for a full season.

An improved offensive line should help, but he isn't the type of QB who will carry a mediocre receiving corps. His weapons will have to give him a lot of help.

Unfortunately, he doesn't have many weapons on the outside. That's where the run game will come into play. It will not only be crucial for the rushing attack to produce yards and points but also to set Fields up for open passes down the field.

If the run game does not pose a serious threat, Fields will have an incredibly tough time making plays in the air. Last year, the Jets finished second-to-last in the NFL with 1,561 rushing yards. A steep improvement is needed.

The Jets' cast of characters

Luckily for the Jets, their running back room is loaded with talent. Some of that talent is proven, some of it is partially proven, and some of it is raw with tremendous upside. That aforementioned improved offensive line doesn't hurt either.

In his three seasons with New York, Breece Hall has never failed to eclipse 4.2 yards per attempt. He is very clearly a tremendous talent who also provides huge upside as a receiver out of the backfield.

Braelon Allen, the second-year man coming off a slightly disappointing rookie campaign, has shown tons of promise on the ground. He simply needs a consistent chance in an offense that isn't dysfunctional.

Then there is another second-year man, Isaiah Davis, who only got 30 touches running the ball last season. Despite the lack of on-field evidence, murmurs out of Florham Park indicate that the Jets are incredibly high on his potential. If he is anywhere near as good as they believe him to be, he should be a very competent RB3.

Making the whole thing go is the offensive line, a group that could likely be amongst the tops in the league in 2025. It remains to be seen whether rookie right tackle Armand Membou will be effective, but the talent is there.

Second-year left tackle Olu Fashanu showed signs of being an excellent player last season. Center Joe Tippman is a really solid center who is primed for a breakout season. And the two guards inside, John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker, are proven veterans who we know can be relied on.

The pieces are there for the Jets' run game to be outstanding. They are going to need to commit to it early and often. It's the only way the offense can keep up with the talented defense.

Best and worst-case scenarios

Unfortunately for the Jets, the worst-case scenario is always very likely and always very bad. So, it cannot be ignored.

There exists a world where Allen proves he isn't what he seemed to be early last season. It's possible he struggles to eclipse 400 yards. It's also possible that Davis' upside is fool's gold, and he fails to make any significant impact.

Hall also has a notable injury history. At the risk of speaking bad things into existence, an injury to Hall wouldn't be the most surprising outcome, and if he goes down, you can forget about a dominant run game.

In this case, the Jets likely finish with somewhere between 1,400 yards and 1,800 rushing yards. That simply would not cut it.

But there is every chance that Hall breaks out and puts up between 1,300 and 1,400 yards, while Allen can also pitch in by tacking on somewhere between 600-900 yards himself. And then Davis shows why there is hype surrounding him, going for a few long touchdowns and finishing with close to 400 yards.

In this case, the Jets finish anywhere from 2,300 yards to 2,900 yards, which would likely put them comfortably in the top five in the league.

The Jets will need this kind of output if they want any chance at finally breaking into the postseason. But that kind of output is entirely possible. Now it's on them to go out and do it.

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